The government of the Philippines operates under a presidential system, characterized by a separation of powers among three branches: the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. This system is designed to ensure checks and balances, preventing any single branch from gaining excessive power[1].
The executive branch is headed by the President, who serves as both the head of state and the head of government. The President is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines[2][3]. The executive branch is responsible for carrying out and enforcing laws and includes the Vice President, the Cabinet, executive departments, independent agencies, boards, and commissions[3]. The Vice President of the Philippines is directly elected by the citizens and is one of the two nationally elected executive officials, the other being the President[4]. The Vice President performs ceremonial duties and can represent the country in official gatherings when needed[5][4].
The legislative power in the Philippines is vested in the Congress, which is a bicameral body consisting of the Senate (the upper chamber) and the House of Representatives (the lower chamber)[2][6]. The Congress is responsible for enacting legislation, approving the national budget, and exercising oversight over the executive branch to ensure accountability[7][8]. Members of the House of Representatives are required to be natural-born citizens and must be at least 25 years old on the day of the election[9].
The judicial branch is responsible for interpreting the meaning of laws, applying them to individual cases, and determining if laws violate the Constitution[6][1]. It holds the power to settle controversies involving rights that are legally demandable and enforceable[10]. Judicial power is vested in the courts, with the Supreme Court serving as the highest judicial authority[6]. The judicial branch also has a constitutional responsibility to oversee other branches of government, maintaining judicial independence and enforcing the principle of checks and balances[1][11][12].