List of presidents of the Philippines

Malacañang Palace in Manila is the official residence of the president. Built in 1750, it has become a prominent symbol of and metonym for the office.

Under the Constitution of the Philippines, the president of the Philippines (Filipino: Pangulo ng Pilipinas) is both the head of state and government, and serves as the commander-in-chief of the country's armed forces. The president is directly elected by qualified voters to a six-year term and must be "a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, a registered voter, able to read and write, at least forty years of age on the day of the election, and a resident of the Philippines for at least ten years immediately preceding such election". Any person who has served as president for more than six years is barred from eligibility. Upon resignation, or removal from office, the vice president assumes the post.

History

Emilio Aguinaldo became the inaugural president of the Philippines under the Malolos Republic, considered the First Philippine Republic. He held that office until 1901 when he was captured by United States forces during the Philippine–American War (1899–1902). The American colonization of the Philippines abolished the First Republic, which led to an American governor-general exercising executive power.

In 1935, the United States, pursuant to its promise of full Philippine sovereignty, established the Commonwealth of the Philippines following the ratification of the 1935 Constitution, which also restored the presidency. The first national presidential election was held, and Manuel L. Quezon (1935–44) was elected to a six-year term, with no provision for re-election, as the second Philippine president and the first Commonwealth president. In 1940, however, the Constitution was amended to allow re-election but shortened the term to four years. A change in government occurred three years later when the Second Philippine Republic was organized with the enactment of the 1943 Constitution, which Japan imposed after it occupied the Philippines in 1942 during World WarII. José P. Laurel acted as puppet president of the new Japanese-sponsored government; his de facto presidency, not legally recognized until the 1960s, overlapped with that of the president of the Commonwealth, which went into exile. The Second Republic was dissolved after Japan surrendered to the Allies in 1945; the Commonwealth was restored in the Philippines in the same year with Sergio Osmeña (1944–46) as president.

Manuel Roxas (1946–1948) followed Osmeña when he won the first post-war election in 1946. He became the first president of the independent Philippines when the Commonwealth ended on July4 of that year. The Third Republic was ushered in and would cover the administrations of the next five presidents, the last of which was Ferdinand Marcos (1965–86), who performed a self-coup by imposing martial law in 1972. The dictatorship of Marcos saw the birth of the New Society (Filipino: Bagong Lipunan) and the Fourth Republic. His tenure lasted until 1986 when he was deposed in the People Power Revolution. The current constitution came into effect in 1987, marking the beginning of the Fifth Republic.

Of the individuals elected as president, three died in office: two of natural causes (Manuel L. Quezon and Manuel Roxas) and one in a plane crash (Ramon Magsaysay, 1953–57). The longest-serving president is Ferdinand Marcos with 20 years and 57 days in office; he is the only president to have served more than two terms. The shortest is Sergio Osmeña, who spent 1 year and 300 days in office.

Two women have held the office: Corazon Aquino (1986–92), who ascended to the presidency upon the successful People Power Revolution of 1986, and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (2001–10), who, as vice president, ascended to the presidency upon Estrada's resignation and was elected to a full six-year term in 2004.

Presidents

No. Portrait Name
(Lifespan)
Party Term Election Vice president Era
1
Emilio Aguinaldo ca. 1919 (Restored).jpg
Emilio Aguinaldo
(1869–1964)
None January 23, 1899 – March 23, 1901

(2 years, 59 days)

1899 None First Republic
None August 14, 1898 – July 4, 1902

(3 years, 324 days)

None U.S. Military Government
July 4, 1901 – November 15, 1935

(34 years, 134 days)

U.S. Insular Government
2
Manuel L. Quezon portrait.jpg
Manuel L. Quezon
(1878–1944)
Nacionalista Party
Nationalist Party
November 15, 1935 – August 1, 1944

(8 years, 260 days)

1935 Sergio Osmeña Commonwealth
1941
3
Jose P. Laurel (cropped).jpg
Jose P. Laurel
(1891–1959)
KALIBAPI
Association for Service to the New Philippines
October 14, 1943 – August 17, 1945

(1 year, 307 days)

1943 None Second Republic
4
Sergio Osmena photo.jpg
Sergio Osmeña
(1878–1961)
Nacionalista Party
Nationalist Party
August 1, 1944 – May 28, 1946

(1 year, 300 days)

1941 Vacant Commonwealth
5
Manuel Roxas 2.jpg
Manuel Roxas
(1892–1948)
Liberal Party May 28, 1946 – April 15, 1948

(1 year, 323 days)

1946 Elpidio Quirino
Third Republic
6
Elpidio R Quirino.jpg
Elpidio Quirino
(1890–1956)
Liberal Party April 17, 1948 – December 30, 1953
(5 years, 257 days)
Vacant
1949 Fernando Lopez
7
Ramon-Magsaysay-01.jpg
Ramon Magsaysay
(1907–1957)
Nacionalista Party
Nationalist Party
December 30, 1953 – March 17, 1957

(3 years, 77 days)

1953 Carlos P. Garcia
8
Carlos P Garcia photo.jpg
Carlos P. Garcia
(1896–1971)
Nacionalista Party
Nationalist Party
March 18, 1957 – December 30, 1961
(4 years, 287 days)
Vacant
1957 Diosdado Macapagal
9
Diosdado Macapagal photo.jpg
Diosdado Macapagal
(1910–1997)
Liberal Party December 30, 1961 – December 30, 1965

(4 years, 0 days)

1961 Emmanuel Pelaez
10
Ferdinand E Marcos (cropped).jpg
Ferdinand Marcos
(1917–1989)
Nacionalista Party
Nationalist Party
December 30, 1965 – February 25, 1986
(20 years, 57 days)
1965 Fernando Lopez
1969
None Martial Law
1973
1977
New Society
Kilusang Bagong Lipunan
New Society Movement
1981 Vacant Fourth Republic
11
Corazon Aquino 1986.jpg
Corazon Aquino
(1933–2009)
United Nationalist Democratic Organization February 25, 1986 – June 30, 1992
(6 years, 126 days)
1986 Salvador Laurel Provisional Government
Independent Fifth Republic
12
Ramos Pentagon.jpg
Fidel V. Ramos
(1928–2022)
Lakas–NUCD
People Power-National Union of Christian Democrats
June 30, 1992 – June 30, 1998

(6 years, 0 days)

1992 Joseph Estrada
13
President Joseph "Erap" Ejercito Estrada, Argentine President Menem (cropped).jpg
Joseph Estrada
(born 1937)
Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino
Struggle of the Patriotic Filipino Masses
June 30, 1998 – January 20, 2001

(2 years, 204 days)

1998 Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
14
President Arroyo (06-14-2006).jpg
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
(born 1947)
Lakas–CMD
People Power-Christian Muslim Democrats
January 20, 2001 – June 30, 2010

(9 years, 161 days)

Vacant
Teofisto Guingona Jr.
2004 Noli de Castro
15
Benigno "Noynoy" S. Aquino III.jpg
Benigno Aquino III
(1960–2021)
Liberal Party June 30, 2010 – June 30, 2016

(6 years, 0 days)

2010 Jejomar Binay
16 Rodrigo Duterte
(born 1945)
PDP–Laban
Philippine Democratic Party-People's Power
June 30, 2016 – June 30, 2022

(6 years, 0 days)

2016 Leni Robredo
17 Bongbong Marcos
(born 1957)
Partido Federal ng Pilipinas
Federal Party of the Philippines
June 30, 2022 – incumbent

(1 year, 52 days)

2022 Sara Duterte

Timeline

Bongbong MarcosRodrigo DuterteBenigno Aquino IIIGloria Macapagal ArroyoJoseph EstradaFidel RamosCorazon AquinoFerdinand MarcosDiosdado MacapagalCarlos P. GarciaRamon MagsaysayElpidio QuirinoManuel RoxasSergio OsmeñaJosé P. LaurelManuel L. QuezonEmilio Aguinaldo


Unofficial presidents

Andrés Bonifacio is considered by some historians to be the first president of the Philippines. He was the third Supreme President (Spanish: Presidente Supremo; Tagalog: Kataastaasang Pangulo) of the Katipunan secret society. Its Supreme Council, led by the Supreme President, coordinated provincial and district councils. When the Katipunan went into open revolt in August 1896 (the Cry of Balintawak), Bonifacio transformed it into a revolutionary government with him as president. While the term Katipunan remained, Bonifacio's government was also known as the Tagalog Republic (Tagalog: Republika ng Katagalugan; Spanish: Republica Tagala). (Although the word Tagalog refers to a specific ethnicity, Bonifacio used it to denote all indigenous people in the Philippines in place of Filipino which had colonial origins.)

Some historians contend that including Bonifacio as a past president would imply that Macario Sakay and Miguel Malvar y Carpio should also be included. Miguel Malvar y Carpio continued Emilio Aguinaldo's leadership of the First Philippine Republic after the latter's capture until his own capture in 1902. Macario Sakay revived the Tagalog Republic in 1902 as a continuation of Bonifacio's Katipunan. They are both considered by some scholars as "unofficial presidents". Along with Bonifacio, Malvar and Sakay are not recognized as presidents by the Philippine government.

Emilio Aguinaldo is officially recognized as the first president of the Philippines, but this is based on his term of office during the Malolos Republic, later known as the First Philippine Republic. Prior to this Aguinaldo had held the presidency of several revolutionary governments which are not counted in the succession of Philippine republics.

Manuel L. Quezon delegated his presidential duties to José Abad Santos, the then Chief Justice, when the former fled the Philippines amidst Japanese occupation of the islands to establish a government-in-exile. He is believed to have in effect become the acting president of the Philippine Commonwealth though no legal document has been retrieved detailing the official transfer of the title of President to Abad Santos.

List

Portrait Name
Lifespan
Party Term Vice President Government
Took office Left office
Andrés Bonifacio photo (cropped).jpg
Andres Bonifacio
(1863–1897)
None August 24, 1896 March 22, 1897
or
May 10, 1897
None Sovereign Tagalog Nation
Emilio Aguinaldo ca. 1919 (Restored).jpg
Emilio Aguinaldo
(1869–1964)
None March 22, 1897 November 1, 1897 Mariano Trias Tejeros revolutionary government
November 2, 1897 December 14, 1897 Republic of Biak-na-Bato
May 24, 1898 June 23, 1898 Dictatorial Government
June 23, 1898 January 23, 1899 Revolutionary Government
Francisco Makabulos
(1871 – 1922)
None April 17, 1898 May 19, 1898 None Central Executive Committee
Miguel Malvar
(1865–1911)
None April 1, 1901 April 16, 1902 None First Republic
Macario Sacay.jpg
Macario Sakay
(1870–1907)
Katipunan
(holdout/revival)
May 6, 1902 July 14, 1906 Francisco Carreón Tagalog Republic
Chief_Justice_Jose_Abad_Santos.jpg
José Abad Santos
(1886 –1942)
Independent March 17, 1942 May 2, 1942 None Commonwealth
Jouge B. Vargas and his daughter (cropped).jpg
Jorge Bartolome Vargas
(1890–1980)
KALIBAPI
Association for Service to the New Philippines
January 23, 1942 October 14, 1943 None Philippine Executive Commission
Arturo Tolentino.jpg
Arturo Tolentino
(1910 –2004)
Kilusang Bagong Lipunan
New Society Movement
July 6, 1986 July 8, 1986 None Fourth Republic

Timeline

Jorge B. VargasJosé Abad SantosTagalog Republic#Sakay's RepublicMiguel MalvarHistory of the Philippines (1898–1946)#Philippine declaration of independence and establishment of Philippine governmentsHistory of the Philippines (1898–1946)#Philippine declaration of independence and establishment of Philippine governmentsCentral Executive Committee (Philippines)Republic of Biak-na-BatoTejeros ConventionAndres Bonifacio


List of presidents by age

No. President Born Age at start of presidency Age at end of presidency Post-presidency timespan Lifespan
Died Age
1 Emilio Aguinaldo March 22, 1869 29 years, 10 months, 1 day
January 23, 1899
32 years, 22 days
March 23, 1901
62 years, 10 months, 14 days February 6, 1964 94 years
2 Manuel Quezon August 19, 1878 57 years, 2 months, 27 days
February 15, 1935
65 years, 11 months, 13 days
August 1, 1944
Died in office August 1, 1944 65 years
3 Jose P. Laurel March 9, 1891 52 years, 7 months, 5 days
October 14, 1943
54 years, 5 months, 8 days
August 17, 1945
14 years, 2 months, 20 days November 6, 1959 68 years
4 Sergio Osmeña September 9, 1878 65 years, 10 months, 23 days
August 1, 1944
67 years, 8 months, 19 days
May 28, 1946
15 years, 4 months, 21 days October 19, 1961 83 years
5 Manuel Roxas January 1, 1892 54 years, 4 months, 27 days
May 28, 1946
56 years, 3 months, 14 days
April 15, 1948
Died in office April 15, 1948 56 years
6 Elpidio Quirino November 16, 1890 57 years, 5 months, 1 day
April 17, 1948
63 years, 1 month, 14 days
December 30, 1953
2 years, 1 month, 30 days February 29, 1956 65 years
7 Ramon Magsaysay August 31, 1907 46 years, 3 months, 29 days
December 30, 1953
49 years old, 6 months, 14 days
March 17, 1957
Died in office March 17, 1957 49 years
8 Carlos P. Garcia November 4, 1896 60 years, 5 months, 14 days
March 18, 1957
65 years, 1 months, 26 days
December 30, 1961
9 years, 5 months, 15 days June 14, 1971 74 years
9 Diosdado Macapagal September 28, 1910 51 years, 3 months, 2 days
December 30, 1961
55 years, 3 months, 2 days
December 30, 1965
31 years, 3 months, 22 days April 21, 1997 86 years
10 Ferdinand E. Marcos September 11, 1917 48 years, 3 months, 19 days
December 30, 1965
68 years, 5 months, 14 days
February 25 1986
3 years, 7 months, 3 days September 28, 1989 72 years
11 Corazon Aquino January 25, 1933 53 years, 1 month
February 25, 1986
59 years, 5 months, 5 days
June 30, 1992
17 years, 1 months, 2 days August 1, 2009 76 years
12 Fidel V. Ramos March 18, 1928 64 years old, 3 months, 12 days
June 30, 1992
70 years old, 3 months, 12 days
June 30, 1998
24 years, 1 month, 1 day July 31, 2022 94 years
13 Joseph Estrada April 19, 1937 61 years, 2 months, 11 days
June 30, 1998
63 years, 9 months, 1 day
January 20, 2001
(Living) (Living) 86 years
14 Gloria Macapagal Arroyo April 5, 1947 53 years, 9 months, 15 days
January 20, 2001
63 years, 2 months, 25 days
June 30, 2010
(Living) (Living) 76 years
15 Benigno Aquino III February 8, 1960 50 years, 4 months, 22 days
June 30, 2010
56 years, 4 months, 22 days
June 30, 2016
4 years, 21 months, 25 days June 24, 2021 61 years
16 Rodrigo Duterte March 28, 1945 71 years, 3 months, 2 days
June 30, 2016
77 years, 3 months, 2 days
June 30, 2022
(Living) (Living) 78 years
17 Bongbong Marcos September 13, 1957 64 years, 9 months, 3 days
June 30, 2022
(incumbent) (incumbent) (Living) 65 years

List of presidents by offices held before presidency

Executive branch

Vice presidents

Vice President President served under Year(s) served Notes
Sergio Osmeña Manuel L. Quezon 1935–1944 Osmeña succeeded Quezon, after the latter's death
Elpidio Quirino Manuel Roxas 1946–1948 Quirino succeeded Roxas, after the latter's death; Ran and won a full term in 1949.
Diosdado Macapagal Carlos P. Garcia 1957–1961 Macapagal defeated Garcia in 1961.
Joseph Estrada Fidel V. Ramos 1992–1998 Estrada ran for a full term in 1998.
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Joseph Estrada 1998–2001 Arroyo succeeded Estrada, after the latter's resignation

3 other former vice presidents (S. Laurel, Binay, and Robredo) all made failed runs for the presidency.

Cabinet secretaries

The following cabinet secretaries are only served for fulltime. Vice Presidents served as cabinet secretary concurrently are not included.

Secretary Office President served under Year(s) served
Elpidio Quirino Secretary of Finance Manuel Quezon 1934– 1936
Secretary of Interior 1935–1938
Manuel Roxas Secretary of Interior 1941
Ramon Magsaysay Secretary of National Defense Elpidio Quirino 1935–1944
Fidel V. Ramos Corazon Aquino 1988–1991

Other positions

Name Office President served under Year(s) served
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Undersecretary of the Department of Trade and Industry Corazon Aquino 1987–1992

Legislative

Senators

Senator District Year(s) served Notes
Manuel L. Quezon 5th 1916–1935 First president to serve as Senate President (1916–1935)
Jose P. Laurel 1925–1931 Only former president to serve as senator (1951–1957);

Only senator served as Majority Floor Leader (1925–1931)

Sergio Osmeña 10th 1922–1935 First president to serve as President pro tempore (1922–1934)
Manuel Roxas At-large 1945–1946 Second president to serve as Senate President (1916–1935)
Elpidio Quirino 1st 1925–1935 Second and last president to serve as President pro tempore (1945–1946)
At-large 1945–1946
Carlos P. Garcia 1945–1953 First President to serve as Minority Floor Leader (1946–1953)
Ferdinand E. Marcos 1959–1965 Second President to serve as Minority Floor Leader (1960–1962)

Third and last president to serve as Senate President (1963–1965)

Joseph Estrada 1987–1992
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo 1992–1998
Benigno Aquino III 2007–2010
Bongbong Marcos 2010–2016

Congressman/Representatives/Assemblyman

Legislator District Lower House Name Year(s) served Notes
Manuel L. Quezon Tayabas 1st Philippine Assembly 1907–1909 First president to serve as Majority Floor Leader (1907–1909)
Sergio Osmeña Cebu 2nd Philippine Assembly 1907–1916 First President to serve as speaker (1907–1916)
House of Representatives 1916–1922
Manuel Roxas Capiz 1st House of Representatives 1922–1935 Second president to serve as Majority Floor Leader;

Second president to serve as speaker (1922–1934)

National Assembly 1935–1938
Elpidio Quirino Ilocos Sur 1st House of Representatives 1919–1925
Ramon Magsaysay Zambales at-large 1946–1950
Carlos P. Garcia Bohol 3rd 1925–1931
Diosdado Macapagal Pampanga 1st 1949–1957
Ferdinand E. Marcos Ilocos Norte 2nd 1949–1959
Benigno Aquino III Tarlac 2nd 1998–2007 The only former Deputy Speaker (2004–2006)
Rodrigo Duterte Davao City 1st 1998–2001
Bongbong Marcos Ilocos Norte 2nd 1992–1995; 2007– 2010

Local government

Governors

Governor Province Year(s) served Notes
Manuel Quezon Tayabas 1906–1907
Sergio Osmeña Cebu 1904–1907
Manuel Roxas Capiz 1919–1922
Carlos P. Garcia Bohol 1933–1941
Bongbong Marcos Ilocos Norte 1983–1986; 1998–2007 Only president formerly served as Vice Governor (1980–1983)

Mayors

Mayor City/Municipality Year(s) served Notes
Joseph Estrada San Juan 1969–1986 Only former president served as mayor (2013–2019)
Rodrigo Duterte Davao City 1988–1998; 2001–2010; 2013–2016 Only president served as Vice Mayor (1986–1987; 2010–2013)

Municipal/City Councilors

Name Municipality/City Province Year(s) served
Manuel Quezon Lucena Tayabas 1906
Manuel Roxas Capiz Capiz 1917–1919

Judiciary

Name Position Year(s) served President Notes
Jose P. Laurel Associate Justice of the Supreme Court 1936–1942 Manuel Quezon Only president served in the Supreme Court

International Affairs-related

Name Office President served under Year(s) served
Manuel Quezon Resident Commissioner of the Philippines None(Under American rule) 1909–1916

Presidents who had not previously held elective office

Without previous experience in government, but served in the military

Name Year(s) served
Emilio Aguinaldo 1899–1901

Without previous experience in government or in the military

Name Year(s) served
Corazon Aquino 1986–1992

List of presidents by military service

Name Rank Branch Year(s) served Notes
Emilio Aguinaldo Generalissimo Philippine Revolutionary Army 1896–1901
Manuel Quezon Major Philippine Revolutionary Army 1899–1900
Manuel Roxas Brigadier General Philippine Commonwealth Army 1941–1945
Ramon Magsaysay Captain Philippine Commonwealth Army 1942–1945
Ferdinand E. Marcos 1st Lieutenant USAFFE 1942–1945
Major USAFIP-NL
Fidel V. Ramos General Philippine Constabulary 1950–1988 Only former President served as Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces (1984–1985; 1986–1988), and commander of a service branch (1972–1986).

This page was last updated at 2023-08-22 03:40 UTC. Update now. View original page.

All our content comes from Wikipedia and under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.


Top

If mathematical, chemical, physical and other formulas are not displayed correctly on this page, please useFirefox or Safari