The Structure: Executive, Judiciary, Congress
Each branch operates independently but is checked by the other two, a structure carried over from the 1935, 1973, and 1987 Constitutions.
Executive
President and Vice President
Enforces the law and administers the national government through the President, Vice President, and 23 executive departments.
Judiciary
Supreme Court and lower courts
Interprets the law and the Constitution, with the Supreme Court holding authority over all lower courts nationwide.
Congress
Senate and House of Representatives
Writes and passes national law through a bicameral Congress made up of 24 senators and district and party-list representatives.
For how these branches connect to provincial, city, and barangay government, see How Philippine Government Works.
How the Branches Check Each Other
The 1987 Constitution deliberately overlaps the powers of the Executive, Judiciary, and Congress, so no single branch can act without another branch able to slow, block, or review it.
Executive over Congress and Judiciary
The President can veto bills passed by Congress, including a line-item veto over specific budget provisions, forcing Congress to override with a two-thirds vote in each chamber to enact the law anyway. The President also nominates Supreme Court justices, though from a shortlist prepared by the independent Judicial and Bar Council rather than a free choice.
Congress over Executive and Judiciary
Congress controls the national budget, meaning no executive department or agency, including the courts, can spend money Congress hasn't appropriated. The House can impeach the President, Vice President, and Supreme Court justices for constitutional violations, with the Senate then sitting as the trial court, the same mechanism currently being used against the sitting Vice President.
Judiciary over Executive and Congress
The Supreme Court exercises judicial review, meaning it can strike down a law passed by Congress or an act of the President if either is found unconstitutional. This power isn't explicitly limited to constitutional questions either, the Court can also rule on whether either branch has committed grave abuse of discretion, a broader standard added specifically after the martial law era.
This system is why single-branch dominance is structurally difficult under the current Constitution, even when one party controls both the presidency and a legislative majority.
Current National Officials at a Glance
Officeholders as of September 15, 2026. Legislative leadership can change with little notice, check the linked official sources for the most current status.
President · Executive
Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.Vice President · Executive
Sara DuterteFacing an active Senate impeachment trial as of this writing
Senate President · Congress
Sherwin Gatchalian
Senate leadership has changed several times in 2026; verify current officeholder before relying on this
Speaker of the House · Congress
Faustino "Bojie" Dy III
Chief Justice · Judiciary
Alexander Gesmundo
Sources: Office of the President, Senate of the Philippines (senate.gov.ph), House of Representatives (congress.gov.ph), Supreme Court of the Philippines (sc.judiciary.gov.ph).
Where Each Branch Sits
The three branches are headquartered in three separate locations across Metro Manila, not a single government complex.
Malacañang Palace
San Miguel, Manila
Official residence and principal workplace of the President, along Jose P. Laurel Street. The complex includes several mansions and office buildings dating from the Spanish colonial period onward.
View on map →Batasang Pambansa Complex
Constitution Hills, Quezon City
Seat of the House of Representatives. The Senate sits separately at the GSIS Building in Pasay City, since the two chambers of Congress do not share a single building.
View on map →Supreme Court of the Philippines
Padre Faura Street, Ermita, Manila
Seat of the Judiciary and the country's court of last resort, whose decisions cannot be further appealed.
View on map →Presidential Line of Succession
Set out in Article VII, Section 8 of the 1987 Constitution.
Vice President
Senate President
Speaker of the House
If both the President and Vice President's offices are vacant at the same time, Congress determines who acts as President, rather than automatically moving to the Senate President.
Note: the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is commonly assumed to be part of this line but is not, a historical exception applied only under the 1899 Malolos Constitution, not the current 1987 Constitution.
Explore National Government Positions
Functions, qualifications, term of office, and the full historical list of officeholders for each national position.
🏛️ Executive
⚖️ Judiciary
National Government Quick Facts
People Also Ask About the National Government
What are the three branches of the Philippine national government?
The Executive, headed by the President and Vice President, the Judiciary, headed by the Supreme Court, and Congress, made up of the Senate and House of Representatives.
How is the national government different from local government?
The national government exercises authority over the entire country through the Executive, Judiciary, and Congress, while local government units, provinces, cities, municipalities, and barangays, handle governance within their own jurisdictions under the Local Government Code.
Who leads each branch of the national government?
The President leads the Executive, the Chief Justice leads the Judiciary through the Supreme Court, and the Senate President and House Speaker lead their respective chambers of Congress.
Where does each branch of government sit?
The Executive sits at Malacañang Palace in San Miguel, Manila. The House of Representatives sits at the Batasang Pambansa Complex in Quezon City, while the Senate sits separately at the GSIS Building in Pasay City. The Judiciary sits at the Supreme Court building on Padre Faura Street in Ermita, Manila.
Who is next in line to the presidency after the Vice President?
The Senate President, followed by the Speaker of the House. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is commonly assumed to be part of this line but is not, under the current 1987 Constitution.
Last updated: September 15, 2026. Sources: 1987 Philippine Constitution, Official Gazette of the Philippines, Senate of the Philippines, House of Representatives of the Philippines, Supreme Court of the Philippines. About azifind.com →