na, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Laoag*,
Lapu-Lapu*, La Union, Legaspi*, Leyte, Lipa*, Lucena*, Maguindanao,
Mandaue*, Manila*, Marawi*, Marinduque, Masbate, Mindoro Occidental,
Mindoro Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Mountain,
Naga*, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, North Cotabato, Northern
Samar, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Olongapo*, Ormoc*, Oroquieta*,
Ozamis*, Pagadian*, Palawan, Palayan*, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Pasay*,
Puerto Princesa*, Quezon, Quezon City*, Quirino, Rizal, Romblon,
Roxas*, Samar, San Carlos* (in Negros Occidental), San Carlos* (in
Pangasinan), San Jose*, San Pablo*, Silay*, Siquijor, Sorsogon,
South Cotabato, Southern Leyte, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Surigao*,
Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Tacloban*, Tagaytay*,
Tagbilaran*, Tangub*, Tarlac, Tawitawi, Toledo*, Trece Martires*,
Zambales, Zamboanga*, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur

Independence: 4 July 1946 (from US)

National holiday: Independence Day (from Spain), 12 June (1898);
note - 12 June 1898 is the date of independence from Spain, 4 July
1946 is the date of independence from the US

Constitution: 2 February 1987, effective 11 February 1987

Legal system: based on Spanish and Anglo-American law; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO
(since 20 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of
state and head of government

head of government: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 20
January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with the consent of the
Commission of Appointments

elections: president and vice president elected on separate tickets
by popular vote for six-year terms; election last held 11 May 1998
(next to be held 16 May 2004)

election results: results of the last presidential election -
Joseph Ejercito ESTRADA elected president; percent of vote -
approximately 40%; Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO elected vice president;
percent of vote - NA%; note - on 20 January 2001, Vice President
Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO was sworn in as the constitutional successor
to President Joseph ESTRADA after the Supreme Court declared that
President ESTRADA was unable to rule in view of the mass
resignations from his government; according to the Constitution,
only in cases of death, permanent d