K

POL101 THE EXECUTIVE

The Executive

I. The Executive Branch of the Philippines

  • The historical background

  • The current structure (power and functions)

  • Institutional Issues and Challenges

II. Historical Background

A. List of Main Executive Officers (President and Vice President)

B. Pre-Colonial Philippines (900–1521)

  • Form of Government: Barangay state

  • Head of State: Datu, Rajah, Sultan

  • Legislative: Council of Elders

  • Judiciary:

    • Datu as Presiding Officer

    • Council of Elders as Jurors

  • Military:

    • Datu as Military Commander

    • Qualified members of the Barangay as soldiers

C. Spanish Colonization (April 27, 1565 – December 10, 1898)

  • Constitutional Document: Colonial authority of The Crown

  • Form of Government: Spanish Colony

  • Head of State: Queen Regent of Spain and King of Spain

  • Head of Government: Spanish Governor-General

  • Military: Spanish Imperial Army; Guarda Civil

D. Haring Bayan Katagalugan (August 25, 1896 – May 10, 1897)

  • Constitutional Document: Katipunan Code of Laws

  • Form of Government: Unrecognized Provisional Government

  • Head of Government: Supreme Leader Andres Bonifacio

E. First Republic (Revolutionary Government under Spanish Rule)

  • President: Emilio F. Aguinaldo (1899–1901)

  • Prime Minister: Mariano C. Trias (1897)

F. Commonwealth Period (American Period)

  • President: Manuel L. Quezon (1935–1944)

  • Vice President: Sergio S. Osmeña, Sr. (1936–1944)

  • President: Sergio S. Osmeña, Sr. (1944–1946)

G. Second Republic (Japanese Occupation)

  • President: Jose P. Laurel (1943–1945)

  • Vice Presidents: Benigno Aquino, Sr. and Ramon Avancena (1943–1945)

H. Third Republic

  • President: Manuel L. Roxas (1946–1948)

  • Vice President: Elpidio R. Quirino (1946–1948)

  • President: Elpidio R. Quirino (1948–1953)

  • Vice President: Fernando H. Lopez (1949–1953)

  • President: Ramon F. Magsaysay (1953–1957)

  • Vice President: Carlos P. Garcia (1953–1957)

  • President: Carlos P. Garcia (1957–1961)

  • Vice President: Diosdado P. Macapagal (1957–1961)

  • President: Diosdado P. Macapagal (1961–1965)

  • Vice President: Emmanuel N. Pelaez (1961–1965)

  • President: Ferdinand E. Marcos (1965–1972)

  • Vice President: Fernando H. Lopez (1965–1972)

I. Fourth Republic (Martial Law, "The New Republic", Parliamentary Gov’t)

  • President: Ferdinand E. Marcos (1972–1986)

  • Prime Minister: Cesar E. A. Virata (1981–1986)

  • Vice President: Arturo M. Tolentino (1986, proclaimed but did not serve)

J. Fifth Republic (Under the new "People Power" Constitution)

  • President: Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino (1986–1992)

  • Vice President: Salvador Laurel (1986–1992)

  • President: Fidel V. Ramos (1992–1998)

  • Vice President: Joseph Ejercito Estrada (1992–1998)

  • President: Joseph Ejercito Estrada (1998–2001)

  • Vice President: Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (1998–2001)

  • President: Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (2001–2010)

    • VP (1st Term): Teofisto T. Guingona (2001–2004)

    • VP (2nd Term): Manuel "Noli" de Castro (2004–2010)

  • President: Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" C. Aquino III (2010–2016)

  • Vice President: Jejomar "Jojo" C. Binay (2010–2016)

  • President: Rodrigo "Rody" Roa Duterte (2016–Present)

  • Vice President: Maria Leonor "Leni" Santo Tomas Gerona-Robredo (2016–Present)

III. Current Structure (Power and Functions)

A. Executive Branch

  • Carries out and enforces laws

  • Includes: President, Vice President, Cabinet, executive departments, agencies, boards, commissions, committees

B. The President

  • Vested with executive power (Art. VII, Sec. 1)

  • Head of State and Government

  • Commander-in-chief of AFP

  • Control over all executive departments

  • Term: 6 years, no re-election

  • Qualifications (Art. VII, Sec. 2):

    • Natural-born Filipino

    • Registered voter

    • Able to read and write

    • At least 40 years old

    • Resident of the Philippines for 10 years prior to election

C. Powers of the President (EO No. 292, s. 1987)

  • Power of Control over Executive Branch

  • Power of Ordinance

    • Executive orders

    • Administrative orders

    • Proclamations

    • Memorandum orders

    • Memorandum circulars

    • General/Special orders

  • Power over Aliens

  • Powers of Eminent Domain, Escheat, Land Reservation, Recovery of Ill-gotten Wealth

  • Power of Appointment

  • Power of General Supervision over LGUs

  • Line of Succession:

    • Vice President

    • Senate President

    • Speaker of the House

D. The Vice President

  • Elected directly, 6-year term, may run for reelection once

  • Same qualifications as the President

  • May assume cabinet position

  • Assumes presidency if the President cannot discharge duties

  • Vacancy: President nominates a replacement (confirmed by Committee on Appointments)

E. Cabinet Members

  • Alter egos of the President

  • Issue department orders

  • Advise the President

Notable Cabinet Members (Duterte Administration):

  • Executive Secretary – Salvador Medialdea

  • Foreign Affairs – Teodoro L. Locsin Jr.

  • Finance – Carlos Dominguez III

  • Agriculture – Emmanuel Piñol

  • Public Works – Mark A. Villar

  • Education – Leonor Briones

  • Labor – Silvestre Bello III

  • Defense – Delfin Lorenzana

  • Social Welfare – Rolando Bautista

  • Agrarian Reform – John Castriciones

  • Interior and Local Gov’t – Eduardo Año

  • Transportation – Arthur Tugade

  • Science and Tech – Fortunato Dela Peña

  • Budget – Benjamin Diokno

  • Energy – Alfonso Cusi

  • Health – Francisco Duque III

  • Trade – Ramon Lopez

  • Tourism – Bernadette Romulo Puyat

  • Environment – Roy Cimatu

  • ICT – Eliseo Rio

... and others including BIR, NBI, PNP, AFP, PSG, LTFRB, and more.

F. Appointments

  • Art. VII, Sec. 16: President appoints with consent of Commission on Appointments

  • Not all cabinet members need confirmation

G. Local Governments

  • President supervises LGUs (Art. X, Sec. 4)

  • Local autonomy under Local Government Code of 1991 (RA 7160)

Local Chief Executives:

  • Barangay – Punong Barangay

  • Municipality – Municipal Mayor

  • City – City Mayor

  • Province – Provincial Governor

IV. Institutional Issues and Challenges

A. Duterte

“He curses God, debases women, orders killings, and invents lies against critics. I regret being president so much that I sometimes think of hanging myself to death, Duterte would say. Instead of taking offense, we found charm in this impatience with the burdens of leadership.” – Rappler

B. Challenges

  • Reduce rural poverty

  • Raise agricultural productivity

  • Control inflation

  • Institutional reforms

  • Dismantle monopolies

  • Increase labor productivity

C. Cabinet Dynamics

  • Over half of original Cabinet replaced

  • Rise in number of ex-military/police officials from 4 to 11

  • Valued traits: discipline, obedience, efficiency