The History of the Philippine Presidents

The Executive Branch

Article VII, Section 1, of the 1987 Constitution vests executive power on the President of the
Philippines. The President is the Head of State and Head of Government, and functions as the
commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. As chief executive, the President
exercises control over all the executive departments, bureaus, and offices.
THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES
The President of the Philippines is elected by direct vote by the people for a term of six years. He
may only serve for one term, and is ineligible for reelection. The term of the President of the
Philippines starts at noon of the 30th day of June after the election.
QUALIFICATIONS
The qualifications for an individual aspiring to become the President of the Philippines are
outlined in Article VII, Section 2 of the 1987 Constitution.
HISTORY
The President of the Philippines is elected by direct vote of the people, and has a term of six
years with no provision for reelection.
There have been 15 Presidents of the Philippines from the establishment of the office on January
23, 1899, in the Malolos Republic. President Emilio Aguinaldo is the inaugural holder of the
office and held the position until March 23, 1901, when he was captured by the Americans
during the Philippine-American War. First and only president of the First Republic. His greatest
contributions was he signed the Pact of Biak-na-Bato, creating a truce between the Spanish and
Filipino revolutionaries.
The Office of the President of the Philippines was abolished after the capture of Aguinaldo, and
ceased to exist until the inauguration of the Philippine Commonwealth in 1935.
After the first national elections were held on September 16, 1935, Manuel L. Quezon was
elected as the second President of the Philippines and the first President of the Philippine
Commonwealth. Originally elected to a six-year term, President Quezon would stay in office
until 1944, because the 1935 Constitution was amended in 1940 to allow reelection, but
shortened the term of the President to four years. Quezon was elected again in 1941—however,
due to constitutional limitations, he would have not served the full four years—his term started
on November 15, 1935, and thus would end on November 15, 1943. In 1943, however, President
Quezon had to take an emergency oath of office, extending his term, because of the outbreak of
World War II.
When World War II forced the Philippine Commonwealth into exile, a different government
would be installed in the Philippines, which would later to be known as the Second Republic of
the Philippines. Jose P. Laurel would lead this government as the third President of the
Philippines and the only President of the Second Republic. Laurel stayed in office from 1943 to
1944 when the Second Republic was abolished. At this point, the President of the Second
Republic would overlap with the President of the Commonwealth. On September 17, 1945,
however, the laws of the Second Republic were declared null and void by the Supreme.
The Philippine Commonwealth would be reestablished in Philippine soil in 1945 with President
Sergio Osmeña as the second President of the Commonwealth and the fourth President of the
Philippines. Osmeña took his oath of office in the United States after the demise of President
Quezon. Osmeña would run in the first post-war presidential elections held in 1946, but lose to
Senate President Manuel Roxas. Bell Trade Act was approved by the U.S.congress during his
presidency.
President Roxas was elected in 1946 as the third President of the Philippine Commonwealth, first
President of the independent Republic of the Philippines, and the fifth President of the
Philippines. He would usher in the end of the Philippine Commonwealth on July 4, 1946, and the
birth of the Third Republic. Under his term, the Philippine Rehabilitation Act and Philippine
Trade Act laws were accepted by Congress.
Roxas would be followed by Presidents Elpidio Quirino, Elpidio Quirino become the president
from 1948-1953. Served as vice president under Manuel Roxas. When Roxas died in 1948,
Quirino become president. Created the Social Security Commission and Integrity Board to
monitor graft and corruptions.
Ramon Magsaysay, 1953-1957, Magsaysay was a military governor and an engineer. First
president sworn wearing Barong Taglog during inauguration. Presidency reffered to as the
cleanest goverment because of its lack of corruption. He died in aircraft disaster while boarding
the presidential plane.
Carlos P. Garcia, 1957-1961. Garcia served as a guerilla leader during the Pacific War. Vice
president of Magsaysay and secretary of Foreign Affairs for four years. He become president
when Magsaysay died in 1957. Known for Filipino First Policy, which favored Filipino
businesses over foreign Investors. The first president to have his remains buried at the Libingan
ng mga Bayani.
Diosdado Macapagal, 1961-1965. Established the first Land Reform Law, allowing for the
purchase of private farmland to be distributed in inexpensive, small lots to the landless. Placed
the Philippine peso on currency exchange market. Declared June 12, 1898 to be Philippines
Independence Day.
President Ferdinand E. Marcos became the last President of the Third Republic when he declared
martial law in 1972, while the 1973 Constitution suspended the 1935 Constitution, he only
formally proclaims the “New Republic”—the Fourth—in 1981. Marcos became the first
President of the Fourth Republic and the tenth President of the Philippines overall. Marcos
stayed in office for 20 years—the longest serving President of the Philippines.
In 1986, the EDSA Revolution successfully installed Corazon C. Aquino as the new President of
the Philippines—the 11th in the country’s history. President Aquino served as the second and
last President of the Fourth Republic at the beginning of her term. A transitional, Freedom
Constitution was put into effect in the same year. When the 1987 Constitution was put into full
force and effect, the Fourth Republic was ended and the Fifth Republic inaugurated. Thus,
President Aquino became the first President of the Fifth Republic.
Fidel V. Ramos, 1992- 1998. Fidel V. Ramos was the chief-of-staff of the Armed Forces of the
Philippines before he became president. As president, he restored economic growth and stability
in the country, even during the Asian Financial Crisis in 1997. Philippine Stock Exchange
became an International favorite during his presidency.
Joseph Ejercito Estrada 1998-2001. Known as Erap, Joseph Estrada was the first president who
had been a famous film actor. His presidency was controversal. During his years in office
economic growth was slow and he faced an inpeachment proceedings. He was ousted from
presidency in 2001. He was later convicted of stealing from goverment but was pardoned.
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo 2001-2010. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is the 14th president of the
Philippines, the 2nd female president, and the first Filipino president whose parent was a former
president. She’s also an economist like her father, ex-president Diosdado Macapagal. Having a
master’s degree and doctorate in economics, Gloria put the Philippine economy back in
shape.Annual economic growth in the Philippines averaged 4.5% during her administration,
expanding every quarter of her presidency. That is higher than in the administrations of her three
immediate predecessors. The peso strengthened by nearly 20% in making it the best-performing
currency of the year in 2007.
Benigno Aquino III 2010-2016. Benigno Aquino III was the 15th president of the Philippines.
He was the first bachelor president. A son of ex-president Corazon Aquino, he was also called as
Noynoy or PNoy. Noynoy finished his Economics degree from Ateneo de Manila University. He
was one of the students of a former economics professor, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the
president before him. He created the no “wang-wang” (street siren) policy Noynoy initiated
shifting to K-12 education in the Philippines
Rodrigo Roa Duterte, 2016 – 2022. Rodrigo Roa Duterte is the 16th president of the Philippines.
He’s one of the most loved presidents. He’s earned a massive fanbase after transforming one of
the most dangerous cities (Davao) into one of the world’s safest when he was a mayor. At age
71, he became the oldest Filipino ever elected to the presidency.
Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is the 17th president of the Philippines. He is the second child of former
president Ferdinand Edralin Marcos and the “iron butterfly” Imelda Romualdez Marcos. His
campaign is focused on unity. BBM won the presidential election by a landslide garnering over
31 million votes.
Article 3-Bill of Rights
Section 1.
No person shall be deprived to life, liberty,or property without due process of laws,nor shall any
person be denied the equal protection of the laws.
Section 2.
The rights of the people to be secured in their persons,houses,paper and affect against
unreasonable researches,and seizures of whatever nature and for any purpose shall be
inviolable,qnd search of warrant or warrant of arrest shall issue exept upon probable cause to be
determined personally by the judge after examination under oath or affirmation of the
complainant and the witnesses he may produce,and particularly the place to be searched and the
people or things to be seized.
Section 3.
1.The privacy of communication and correspondence shall be inviolable except upon lawful
order of the court,or when public safety or order requires otherwise,as prescribe by law.
2.Any evidence obtained in violation of this or the preceding section shall be inadmissible for
any purpose in any proceeding.
Section 4.
No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press, or the
right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of
grievances.
Section 5.
No law shall be made respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise
thereof. The free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without
discrimination or preference, shall forever be allowed. No religious test shall be required for the
exercise of civil or political rights.
Section 6.
The liberty of abode and of changing the same within the limits prescribed by law shall not be
impaired except upon lawful order of the court. Neither shall the right to travel be impaired
except in the interest of national security, public safety, or public health, as may be provided by
law.
Section 7.
The right of the people to information on matters of public concern shall be recognized. Access
to official records, and to documents and papers pertaining to official acts, transactions, or
decisions, as well as to government research data used as basis for policy development, shall be
afforded the citizen, subject to such limitations as may be provided by law.
Section 8.
The right of the people, including those employed in the public and private sectors, to form
unions, associations, or societies for purposes not contrary to law shall not be abridged.
Section 9.
Private property shall not be taken for public use without just compensation.
Section 10.
No law impairing the obligation of contracts shall be passed.
Section 11.
Free access to the courts and quasi-judicial bodies and adequate legal assistance shall not be
denied to any person by reason of poverty
Section 12.
(1) Any person under investigation for the commission of an offense shall have the right to be
informed of his right to remain silent and to have competent and independent counsel preferably
of his own choice. If the person cannot afford the services of counsel, he must be provided with
one. These rights cannot be waived except in writing and in the presence of counsel.
(2) No torture, force, violence, threat, intimidation, or any other means which vitiate the free will
shall be used against him. Secret detention places, solitary, incommunicado, or other similar
forms of detention are prohibited.
(3) Any confession or admission obtained in violation of this or Section 17 hereof shall be
inadmissible in evidence against him.
(4) The law shall provide for penal and civil sanctions for violations of this section as well as
compensation to and rehabilitation of victims of torture or similar practices, and their families.
Section 13.
All persons, except those charged with offenses punishable by reclusion perpetua when evidence
of guilt is strong, shall, before conviction, be bailable by sufficient sureties, or be released on
recognizance as may be provided by law. The right to bail shall not be impaired even when the
privilege of the writ of habeas corpus is suspended. Excessive bail shall not be required.
Section 14.
(1) No person shall be held to answer for a criminal offense without due process of law.
(2) In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall be presumed innocent until the contrary is
proved, and shall enjoy the right to be heard by himself and counsel, to be informed of the
nature and cause of the accusation against him, to have a speedy, impartial, and public trial, to
meet the witnesses face to face, and to have compulsory process to secure the attendance of
witnesses and the production of evidence in his behalf. However, after arraignment, trial may
proceed notwithstanding the absence of the accused provided that he has been duly notified
and his failure to appear is unjustifiable.
Section 15.
The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended except in cases of invasion or
rebellion when the public safety requires it.
Section 16.
All persons shall have the right to a speedy disposition of their cases before all judicial, quasi-
judicial, or administrative bodies.
Section 17.
No person shall be compelled to be a witness against himself.
Section 18.
(1) No person shall be detained solely by reason of his political beliefs and aspirations.
(2) No involuntary servitude in any form shall exist except as a punishment for a crime whereof
the party shall have been duly convicted.
Section 19.
(1) Excessive fines shall not be imposed, nor cruel, degrading or inhuman punishment inflicted.
Neither shall the death penalty be imposed, unless, for compelling reasons involving heinous
crimes, the Congress hereafter provides for it. Any death penalty already imposed shall be
reduced to reclusion perpetua.
(2) The employment of physical, psychological, or degrading punishment against any prisoner
or detainee or the use of substandard or inadequate penal facilities under subhuman conditions
shall be dealt with by law.
Section 20.
No person shall be imprisoned for debt or non-payment of a poll tax.

Section 21.
No person shall be twice put in jeopardy of punishment for the same offense. If an act is
punished by a law and an ordinance, conviction or acquittal under either shall constitute a bar
to another prosecution for the same act.
Section 22.
No ex post facto law or bill of attainder shall be enacted.