“Ang Pilipinas ay isang demokratiko at republikanong Estado.

Nasa mga mamamayan

ang kapangyarihan nito at nagmumula sa kanila ang buong pamunuan ng
pamahalaan.”

-Artikulo II, Seksiyon 1 ng 1987 Konstitusyon

Ang Pilipinas ay isang republikang may pampanguluhang anyo ng pamahalaan kung

saan pantay na nahahati ang kapangyarihan sa tatlong sangay nito: ehekutibo,
lehislatibo, at hudikatura.

Isang mahalagang bunga ng pampanguluhang sistema ng pamahalaan ay ang

prinsipyo ng paghahati ng kapangyarihan, kung saan nasasailalim sa Kongreso ang
paggawa ng mga batas, nasasailalim sa Ehekutibo ang pagpapatupad ng mga ito, at
nasasailalim sa Hudikatura ang pagpapasya sa mga kontrobersiyang legal.

 Ang Lehislaturang sangay ay pinahihintulutang gumawa ng mga batas, mag-

amyenda, at magsawalang-bisa ng mga ito gamit ang kapangyarihang ibinigay
sa Kongreso ng Pilipinas. Nahahati ang institusyong ito sa Senado at
Kapulungan ng mga Kinatawan.
 Ang Ehekutibong sangay ay binubuo ng Pangulo at Pangalawang Pangulo na
kapwa inihalal ng boto ng nakararami at magsisilbi sa loob ng anim na taon.
Binibigyan ng Konstitusyon ang Pangulo ng kapangyarihang piliin ang kanyang
Gabinete. Bubuuin ng mga kagawarang ito ang isang malaking bahagi ng
burukrasya ng bansa.
 Ang Hudikturang sangay ay may kapangyarihang lutasin ang mga sigalot sa
pagpapatupad ng mga karapatang nakasaad sa batas. Hinahatulan ng sangay
na ito kung nagkaroon o hindi ng matinding pang-aabuso sa pagpapasya, na
katumbas ng kakulangan o kalabisan ng kapangyarihan, sa panig ng
pamahalaan. Binubuo ito ng Korte Suprema at mga nakabababang hukuman.

Hayagang ginagawaran ng Konstitusyon ang Korte Suprema ng kapangyarihan ng

Judicial Review, o kapangyarihang ideklara bilang unconstitutional o labag sa
konstitusyon ang mga pandaigdigan at pang-ehekutibong kasunduan, batas, atas ng
pangulo, proklamasyon, kautusan, tuntunin, ordinansa o regulasyon.
POWERS OF THE PRESIDENT
Besides the constitution, the powers of the President of the Philippines are specifically outlined
in Executive Order No. 292, s. 1987, otherwise known as the Administrative Code of 1987. The
following powers are:

1. Power of control over the executive branch

The President of the Philippines has the mandate of control over all the executive departments,
bureaus, and offices. This includes restructuring, reconfiguring, and appointments of their
respective officials. The Administrative Code also provides for the President to be responsible
for the abovementioned offices’ strict implementation of laws.

2. Power ordinance power

The President of the Philippines has the power to give executive issuances, which are means to
streamline the policy and programs of an administration. There are six issuances that the
President may issue. They are the following as defined in the Administrative Code of 1987:

Executive orders — Acts of the President providing for rules of a general or permanent character
in implementation or execution of constitutional or statutory powers shall be promulgated in
executive orders.

Administrative orders — Acts of the President which relate to particular aspects of governmental
operations in pursuance of his duties as the administrative head shall be promulgated in
administrative orders.

Proclamations — Acts of the President fixing a date or declaring a status or condition of public
moment or interest, upon the existence of which the operation of a specific law or regulation is
made to depend, shall be promulgated in proclamations which shall have the force of an
executive order.

Memorandum orders — Acts of the President on matters of administrative detail, or of

subordinate or temporary interest which only concern a particular officer or government office
shall be embodied in memorandum orders.

Memorandum circulars — Acts of the President on matters relating to internal administration,

which the President desires to bring to the attention of all or some of the departments, agencies,
bureaus, or offices of the government, for information or compliance, shall be embodied in
memorandum circulars.

General or special orders — Acts and commands of the President in his capacity as commander-
in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines shall be issued as general or special orders.

It is important to note that during the term of President Ferdinand E. Marcos, he used executive
issuances known as presidential decrees as a form of legislation. These decrees have the full
force and effect of laws because at the time the legislature did not exist and, when the 1973
Constitution was put into full force and effect, it gave the power to the President to do as such.
This continued until the first year of President Corazon C. Aquino’s term. However, President
Aquino opted to used executive orders instead of presidential decrees. President Aquino’s
executive orders, however, still had the full force and effect of laws until the ratification of the
1987 Constitution.

3. Power over aliens

The President of the Philippines has certain powers over non-Filipinos in the Philippines. The
powers he may exercise over foreigners in the country are as follows:

The chief executive may have an alien in the Philippines deported from the country after due
process.
The President may change the status of a foreigner, as prescribed by law, from a non-immigrant
status to a permanent resident status without necessity of visa.
The President may choose to overrule the Board of Commissioners of the Bureau of Immigration
before their decision becomes final and executory (after 30 days of the issuance of the decision).
The Board of Commissioners of the Bureau of Immigration has jurisdiction over all deportation
cases.
The president is also mandated by the Administrative Code of 1987 to exercise powers as
recognized by the generally accepted principles of international law.

4. Powers of eminent domain, escheat, land reservation and recovery of ill-gotten wealth

The President of the Philippines has the authority to exercise the power of eminent domain. The
power of eminent domains means the state has the power to seize or authorize the seizure of
private property for public use with just compensation. There are two constitutional provisions,
however, that limit the exercise of such power: Article III, Section 9 (1) of the Constitution
provides that no person shall be deprived of his/her life, liberty, or property without due process
of law. Furthermore, Article III, Section 9 (2), provides that private property shall not be taken
for public use without just compensation.

Once the aforementioned conditions are met, the President may exercise the power of eminent
domain which are as follows:

Power of eminent domain — The President shall determine when it is necessary or advantageous
to exercise the power of eminent domain in behalf of the national government, and direct the
solicitor general, whenever he deems the action advisable, to institute expropriation proceedings
in the proper court.

Power to direct escheat or reversion proceedings — The President shall direct the solicitor
general to institute escheat or reversion proceedings over all lands transferred or assigned to
persons disqualified under the constitution to acquire land.

Power to reserve lands of the public and private domain of the government —
(1) The president shall have the power to reserve for settlement or public use, and for specific
public purposes, any of the lands of the public domain, the use of which is not otherwise directed
by law. The reserved land shall thereafter remain subject to the specific public purpose indicated
until otherwise provided by law or proclamation.

(2) He shall also have the power to reserve from sale or other disposition and for specific public
uses or purposes, any land belonging to the private domain of the government, or any of the friar
lands, the use of which is not otherwise directed by law, and thereafter such land shall be used
for the purposes specified by such proclamation until otherwise provided by law.

Power over ill-gotten wealth — The President shall direct the solicitor general to institute
proceedings to recover properties unlawfully acquired by public officials or employees, from
them or from their nominees or transferees.

Within the period fixed in, or any extension thereof authorized by, the constitution, the President
shall have the authority to recover ill-gotten properties amassed by the leaders and supporters of
the previous regime, and protect the interest of the people through orders of sequestration or
freezing of assets or accounts.

5. Power of appointment

The President may appoint officials of the Philippine government as provided by the constitution
and laws of the Philippines. Some of these appointments, however, may need the approval of the
Committee on Appointments (a committee composed of members from the House of
Representatives and the Senate of the Philippines).

6. Power of general supervision over local governments

The President of the Philippines, as chief executive, has the mandate to supervise local
governments in the Philippines, despite their autonomous status as provided by Republic Act No.
7160 otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991.

Traditionally, this is done by the Department of the Interior and Local Government, headed by a
cabinet secretary—an alter ego of the President.

7. Other powers

Aside from the aforementioned powers of the President of the Philippines, he can also exercise
powers enumerated in the constitution, and powers given to him by law.
MGA KAPANGYARIHAN NG PANGULO
Bukod sa konstitusyon, ang mga kapangyarihan ng Pangulo ng Pilipinas ay ispesipikong
nakasaad sa Executive Order No. 292, s. 1987, na kilala rin bilang Administrative Code of 1987.
Ang mga sumusunod na kapangyarihan ay:

Kapangyarihang pamahalaan ang ehekutibong sangay

Ang Pangulo ay may atas na pamahalaan ang lahat ng ehekutibong kagawaran, kawanihan, at
tanggapan. Kasali rito ang pagbabago ng estruktura at paghirang ng mga pinuno para sa mga
nabanggit. Inaatasan din ng Administrative Code ang Pangulo na tiyaking mahigpit na
ipinatutupad ng mga opisina ang kani-kanilang batas.

Kapangyarihag gumawa ng mga ordinansa

Ang Pangulo ay may kapangyarihang maglabas ng mga lathalaing tagapagpaganap o executive
issuances na kasangkapan sa upang maging mas epektibo ang mga patakaran at programa ng
administrasyon. May anim na executive issuance na maaaring ilabas ng Pangulo. Ito ang mga
sumusunod ayon sa pakahulugan ng Administrative Code of 1987:

Kautusang tagapagpaganap (executive order) — Isinusulong ng executive order ang mga kilos
ng Pangulo kung saan nagtatakda siya ng tuntunin, pangkalahatan man o permanente, kung
paano ipatutupad ang mga kapangyarihang itinakda ng batas.

Kautusang pampangasiwaan (administrative order) — Upang matupad ng Pangulo ang tungkulin

bilang punong administrador, isinusulong ng administrative order ang mga kilos ng Pangulo ukol
sa mga partikular na aspekto ng gawaing pampamahalaan.

Proklamasyon (proclamations) — Ang mga kilos ng Pangulong nagsasaayos ng petsa o

nagdedeklara ng kalagayang pampubliko, kung saan nakadepende ang pagpapatupad ng isang
ispesipikong batas o regulasyon, ay isusulong sa mga proklamasyon na may bisa ng executive
order.

Kautusang memorandum (memorandum orders) — Kakatawanin ng mga memorandum order

ang mga kilos ng Pangulo hinggil sa mga usaping pang-administratibo, pangnakabababa, o
pansamantala lamang, na ukol sa isang partikular na opisyal o tanggapan lamang.

Memorandum sirkular (memorandum circular) — Kakatawanin ng mga memorandum circular

ang mga kilos ng Pangulo hinggil sa mga usaping may kinalaman sa panloob na administrasyon,
na nais ipabatid ng Pangulo sa lahat o ilang mga kagawaran, ahensya, kawanihan, o tanggapan
bilang impormasyon o kautusan.

Panlahatan o tanging atas (general or special orders) — Ilalabas bilang general o special order
ang mga kilos at kautusan ng Pangulo bilang punong komandante ng Sandatahang Lakas ng
Pilipinas.

Mahalagang pagtuunan ng pansin na sa termino ni Pangulong Ferdinand E. Marcos, gumamit

siya ng mga executive issuance na kilala bilang presidential decrees bilang isang anyo ng
paglikha ng mga batas. May kapangyarihan at bisa ng batas ang mga dekretong ito dahil noong
mga panahong iyon, walang umiiral na lehislatura, at noong tuluyang binigyang-bisa ang 1973
Konstitusyon, binigyan nito ng gayong kapangyarihan ang Pangulo. Nagpatuloy ito hanggang sa
unang taon ng termino ni Pangulong Corazon C. Aquino. Gayumpaman, mayroon lamang bisa
ng batas ang mga executive order ni Pangulong Aquino hanggang bago ipinagtibay ang 1987
Konstitusyon.

Kapangyarihan sa mga dayuhan

Ang Pangulo ng Pilipinas ay may kapangyarihan sa mga dayuhang nasa Pilipinas. Ang mga
kapangyarihang maaari niyang gamitin sa kanila habang nasa bansa ay ang sumusunod:

Maaaring magpaalis ng mga dayuhan mula sa bansa ang punong ehekutibo pagkatapos idaan sa
wastong proseso.
Maaaring baguhin ng Pangulo ang estado ng isang dayuhan, ayon sa nakasaad sa batas, mula
pagiging non-immigrant para maging permanenteng residente nang hindi nangangailangan ng
visa.

Maaaring ipawalang-bisa ng Pangulo ang desisyon ng Lupon ng mga Komisyoner (Board of

Commissioners) ng Kawanihan ng Imigrasyon (Bureau of Immigration) bago ito maging pinal at
tuluyang maipatupad (30 araw matapos ang paglalabas ng desisyon). Hawak ng Board of
Commissioners ang pasya sa lahat ng kaso ng deportasyon.
Inaatasan din ng Administrative Code of 1987 ang Pangulo na gamitin ang kanyang
kapangyarihan sang-ayon sa mga prinsipyong katanggap-tanggap sa pandaigdigang batas.
Kapangyarihan ng eminent domain, escheat, pagrereserba ng lupa at pagbawi ng yamang mula sa
masama
May kapangyarihan ang Pangulo ng Pilipinas na ipatupad ang prinsipyo ng eminent domain.
Sinasabi ng eminent domain na may kapangyarihan ang pamahalaang kunin nang may
makatarungang bayad ang pribadong ari-arian para sa pambayang pangangailangan.
Gayumpaman, may dalawang probisyon sa konstitusyon na nililimitahan ang paggamit ng
naturang kapangyarihan: nakasaad sa Artikulo III, Seksyon 9 (1) ng Konstitusyon na walang
sinuman ang pagkakaitan ng kanyang buhay, kalayaan, o ari-arian nang hindi dumaraan sa
wastong kaparaanan ng batas. Bukod doon, nakasaad din sa Artikulo III, Seksyon 9 (2) na hindi
maaaring kunin ang pribadong ari-arian nang walang makatarungang bayad.

Sa oras na matugunan ang mga nabanggit na kondisyon, maaaring gamitin ng Pangulo ang mga
sumusunod na kapangyarihan ng eminent domain:

Kapangyarihan ng eminent doman — Tutukuyin ng Pangulo ang panahong kakailanganin o

makabubuting gamitin ang kapangyarihan ng eminent domain sa ngalan ng pamahalaan, at
atasan ang solisitor heneral, sa panahong tingin niya’y pinakamainam, na maghain ng pagdinig
sa hukuman ukol sa legal na pagkuha ng mga ari-arian.

Kapangyarihang mag-atas ng escheat o pagbabalik ng lupa sa pamahalaan — Aatasan ng

Pangulo ang solisitor heneral na magsagawa ng escheat, o pagdinig sa hukuman kung saan
ibabalik sa pamahalaan ang pagmamay-ari ng lahat ng lupaing hawak ng mga taong
diskuwalipikado sa ilalim ng konstitusyon na magmay-ari ng lupa.
Kapangyarihang magreserba ng mga lupain mula pampubliko at pampribadong ari-arian —

(1) May kapangyarihan ang Pangulong magreserba ng mga lupain mula sa ari-ariang pambayan
para sa tirahan o kapakinabangan ng publiko at iba pang mga ispesipikong gamit, ayon sa
pahintulot ng batas. Pagkatapos noon, mananatiling nasa ilalim ng mga ispesipikong gamit para
sa publiko ang nireserbang lupain, hangga’t naaayon sa batas.

(2) May kapangyarihan din siyang magreserba ng mga ipinagbibiling lupain galing sa mga
pribadong ari-arian, o lupain ng mga prayle, at gamitin para sa kapakanan ng publiko, ayon sa
pahintulot ng batas.

Kapangyarihan sa mga yamang galing sa masama — Aatasan ng Pangulo ang solisitor heneral na
kumilos upang mabawi mula sa mga opisyal o empleado ng pamahalaan ang mga ari-ariang
iligal na inari nila, o mula sa mga pinagbigyan o pinagpasahan nila nito.

Sa panahong itinakda ng konstitusyon, o anumang palugit na isinaad doon, may kapangyarihan

ang Pangulo na bawiin ang mga ari-ariang kinamkam ng mga pinuno at tagasuporta ng
nakaraang rehimen, at pangalagaan ang interes ng mga mamamayan sa pagsamsam o paghawak
sa mga ari-ariang ito.

Kapangyarihang maghirang sa posisyon

Maaaring magtalaga ang Pangulo ng mga opisyal ng pamahalaan ng Pilipinas ayon sa nakasaad
sa konstitusyon at mga batas ng Pilipinas. Gayumpaman, maaaring kailanganin ng ilan sa mga
paghirang na ito ang pagsang-ayon ng Committee on Appointment o Komisyon sa Paghirang
(isang komiteng binubuo ng ilang mga kasapi ng Kamara de Representantes at ng Senado ng
Pilipinas).

Kapangyarihang pangasiwaan ang mga pamahalaang lokal

May atas ang Pangulo, bilang punong ehekutibo, na pangasiwaan ang mga pamahalaang lokal sa
bansa, sa kabila ng kanilang awtonomong estado ayon sa nakasaad sa Republic Act No. 7160 na
kilala rin bilang Local Government Code of 1991.

Nakagawian nang pangasiwaan ang mga ito ng Department of Interior and Local Government
(Kagawaran ng Interyor at Pamahalaang Lokal) na pinamumunuan ng isang kalihim ng gabinete
—ang tumatayong kinatawan ng Pangulo.

Iba pang mga kapangyarihan

Bukod sa mga nabanggit na kapangyarihan ng Pangulo ng Pilipinas, maaari din siyang
magpatupad ng mga kapangyarihang nakasaad sa konstitusyon at batas.
 EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT

Section 1. The executive power shall be vested in the President of the Philippines.

Section 2. No person may be elected President unless he is 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.

Section 3. There shall be a Vice-President who shall have the same qualifications and term of
office and be elected with, and in the same manner, as the President. He may be removed from
office in the same manner as the President.

The Vice-President may be appointed as a Member of the Cabinet. Such appointment requires no
confirmation.

Section 4. The President and the Vice-President shall be elected by direct vote of the people for a
term of six years which shall begin at noon on the thirtieth day of June next following the day of
the election and shall end at noon of the same date, six years thereafter. The President shall not
be eligible for any re-election. No person who has succeeded as President and has served as such
for more than four years shall be qualified for election to the same office at any time.

No Vice-President shall serve for more than two successive terms. Voluntary renunciation of the
office for any length of time shall not be considered as an interruption in the continuity of the
service for the full term for which he was elected.

Unless otherwise provided by law, the regular election for President and Vice-President shall be
held on the second Monday of May.

The returns of every election for President and Vice-President, duly certified by the board of
canvassers of each province or city, shall be transmitted to the Congress, directed to the
President of the Senate. Upon receipt of the certificates of canvass, the President of the Senate
shall, not later than thirty days after the day of the election, open all the certificates in the
presence of the Senate and the House of Representatives in joint public session, and the
Congress, upon determination of the authenticity and due execution thereof in the manner
provided by law, canvass the votes.

The person having the highest number of votes shall be proclaimed elected, but in case two or
more shall have an equal and highest number of votes, one of them shall forthwith be chosen by
the vote of a majority of all the Members of both Houses of the Congress, voting separately.

The Congress shall promulgate its rules for the canvassing of the certificates.

The Supreme Court, sitting en banc, shall be the sole judge of all contests relating to the election,
returns, and qualifications of the President or Vice-President, and may promulgate its rules for
the purpose.
Section 5. Before they enter on the execution of their office, the President, the Vice-President, or
the Acting President shall take the following oath or affirmation:

“I do solemnly swear [or affirm] that I will faithfully and conscientiously fulfill my duties as
President [or Vice-President or Acting President] of the Philippines, preserve and defend its
Constitution, execute its laws, do justice to every man, and consecrate myself to the service of
the Nation. So help me God.”  [In case of affirmation, last sentence will be omitted].

Section 6. The President shall have an official residence. The salaries of the President and Vice-
President shall be determined by law and shall not be decreased during their tenure. No increase
in said compensation shall take effect until after the expiration of the term of the incumbent
during which such increase was approved. They shall not receive during their tenure any other
emolument from the Government or any other source.

Section 7. The President-elect and the Vice President-elect shall assume office at the beginning
of their terms.

If the President-elect fails to qualify, the Vice President-elect shall act as President until the
President-elect shall have qualified.

If a President shall not have been chosen, the Vice President-elect shall act as President until a
President shall have been chosen and qualified.

If at the beginning of the term of the President, the President-elect shall have died or shall have
become permanently disabled, the Vice President-elect shall become President.

Where no President and Vice-President shall have been chosen or shall have qualified, or where
both shall have died or become permanently disabled, the President of the Senate or, in case of
his inability, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, shall act as President until a President
or a Vice-President shall have been chosen and qualified.

The Congress shall, by law, provide for the manner in which one who is to act as President shall
be selected until a President or a Vice-President shall have qualified, in case of death, permanent
disability, or inability of the officials mentioned in the next preceding paragraph.

Section 8. In case of death, permanent disability, removal from office, or resignation of the
President, the Vice-President shall become the President to serve the unexpired term. In case of
death, permanent disability, removal from office, or resignation of both the President and Vice-
President, the President of the Senate or, in case of his inability, the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, shall then act as President until the President or Vice-President shall have been
elected and qualified.

The Congress shall, by law, provide who shall serve as President in case of death, permanent
disability, or resignation of the Acting President. He shall serve until the President or the Vice-
President shall have been elected and qualified, and be subject to the same restrictions of powers
and disqualifications as the Acting President.
Section 9. Whenever there is a vacancy in the Office of the Vice-President during the term for
which he was elected, the President shall nominate a Vice-President from among the Members of
the Senate and the House of Representatives who shall assume office upon confirmation by a
majority vote of all the Members of both Houses of the Congress, voting separately.

Section 10. The Congress shall, at ten o’clock in the morning of the third day after the vacancy in
the offices of the President and Vice-President occurs, convene in accordance with its rules
without need of a call and within seven days, enact a law calling for a special election to elect a
President and a Vice-President to be held not earlier than forty-five days nor later than sixty days
from the time of such call. The bill calling such special election shall be deemed certified under
paragraph 2, Section 26, Article VI of this Constitution and shall become law upon its approval
on third reading by the Congress. Appropriations for the special election shall be charged against
any current appropriations and shall be exempt from the requirements of paragraph 4, Section 25,
Article VI of this Constitution. The convening of the Congress cannot be suspended nor the
special election postponed. No special election shall be called if the vacancy occurs within
eighteen months before the date of the next presidential election.

Section 11. Whenever the President transmits to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of
the House of Representatives his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers
and duties of his office, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such
powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice-President as Acting President.

Whenever a majority of all the Members of the Cabinet transmit to the President of the Senate
and to the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is
unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice-President shall immediately
assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.

Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President of the Senate and to the Speaker of the
House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall reassume the
powers and duties of his office. Meanwhile, should a majority of all the Members of the Cabinet
transmit within five days to the President of the Senate and to the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and
duties of his office, the Congress shall decide the issue. For that purpose, the Congress shall
convene, if it is not in session, within forty-eight hours, in accordance with its rules and without
need of call.

If the Congress, within ten days after receipt of the last written declaration, or, if not in session,
within twelve days after it is required to assemble, determines by a two-thirds vote of both
Houses, voting separately, that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his
office, the Vice-President shall act as President; otherwise, the President shall continue
exercising the powers and duties of his office.

Section 12. In case of serious illness of the President, the public shall be informed of the state of
his health. The members of the Cabinet in charge of national security and foreign relations and
the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, shall not be denied access to the
President during such illness.
Section 13. The President, Vice-President, the Members of the Cabinet, and their deputies or
assistants shall not, unless otherwise provided in this Constitution, hold any other office or
employment during their tenure. They shall not, during said tenure, directly or indirectly,
practice any other profession, participate in any business, or be financially interested in any
contract with, or in any franchise, or special privilege granted by the Government or any
subdivision, agency, or instrumentality thereof, including government-owned or controlled
corporations or their subsidiaries. They shall strictly avoid conflict of interest in the conduct of
their office.

The spouse and relatives by consanguinity or affinity within the fourth civil degree of the
President shall not, during his tenure, be appointed as Members of the Constitutional
Commissions, or the Office of the Ombudsman, or as Secretaries, Undersecretaries, chairmen or
heads of bureaus or offices, including government-owned or controlled corporations and their
subsidiaries.

Section 14. Appointments extended by an Acting President shall remain effective, unless
revoked by the elected President, within ninety days from his assumption or reassumption of
office.

Section 15. Two months immediately before the next presidential elections and up to the end of
his term, a President or Acting President shall not make appointments, except temporary
appointments to executive positions when continued vacancies therein will prejudice public
service or endanger public safety.

Section 16. The President shall nominate and, with the consent of the Commission on
Appointments, appoint the heads of the executive departments, ambassadors, other public
ministers and consuls, or officers of the armed forces from the rank of colonel or naval captain,
and other officers whose appointments are vested in him in this Constitution. He shall also
appoint all other officers of the Government whose appointments are not otherwise provided for
by law, and those whom he may be authorized by law to appoint. The Congress may, by law,
vest the appointment of other officers lower in rank in the President alone, in the courts, or in the
heads of departments, agencies, commissions, or boards.

The President shall have the power to make appointments during the recess of the Congress,
whether voluntary or compulsory, but such appointments shall be effective only until
disapproved by the Commission on Appointments or until the next adjournment of the Congress.

Section 17. The President shall have control of all the executive departments, bureaus, and
offices. He shall ensure that the laws be faithfully executed.

Section 18. The President shall be the Commander-in-Chief of all armed forces of the
Philippines and whenever it becomes necessary, he may call out such armed forces to prevent or
suppress lawless violence, invasion or rebellion. In case of invasion or rebellion, when the public
safety requires it, he may, for a period not exceeding sixty days, suspend the privilege of the writ
of habeas corpus or place the Philippines or any part thereof under martial law. Within forty-
eight hours from the proclamation of martial law or the suspension of the privilege of the writ
of habeas corpus, the President shall submit a report in person or in writing to the Congress. The
Congress, voting jointly, by a vote of at least a majority of all its Members in regular or special
session, may revoke such proclamation or suspension, which revocation shall not be set aside by
the President. Upon the initiative of the President, the Congress may, in the same manner, extend
such proclamation or suspension for a period to be determined by the Congress, if the invasion or
rebellion shall persist and public safety requires it.

The Congress, if not in session, shall, within twenty-four hours following such proclamation or
suspension, convene in accordance with its rules without need of a call.

The Supreme Court may review, in an appropriate proceeding filed by any citizen, the
sufficiency of the factual basis of the proclamation of martial law or the suspension of the
privilege of the writ of habeas corpus or the extension thereof, and must promulgate its decision
thereon within thirty days from its filing.

A state of martial law does not suspend the operation of the Constitution, nor supplant the
functioning of the civil courts or legislative assemblies, nor authorize the conferment of
jurisdiction on military courts and agencies over civilians where civil courts are able to function,
nor automatically suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus.

The suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall apply only to persons
judicially charged for rebellion or offenses inherent in, or directly connected with, invasion.

During the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus, any person thus arrested or
detained shall be judicially charged within three days, otherwise he shall be released.

Section 19. Except in cases of impeachment, or as otherwise provided in this Constitution, the
President may grant reprieves, commutations, and pardons, and remit fines and forfeitures, after
conviction by final judgment.

He shall also have the power to grant amnesty with the concurrence of a majority of all the
Members of the Congress.

Section 20. The President may contract or guarantee foreign loans on behalf of the Republic of
the Philippines with the prior concurrence of the Monetary Board, and subject to such limitations
as may be provided by law. The Monetary Board shall, within thirty days from the end of every
quarter of the calendar year, submit to the Congress a complete report of its decision on
applications for loans to be contracted or guaranteed by the Government or government-owned
and controlled corporations which would have the effect of increasing the foreign debt, and
containing other matters as may be provided by law.

Section 21. No treaty or international agreement shall be valid and effective unless concurred in
by at least two-thirds of all the Members of the Senate.
Section 22. The President shall submit to the Congress, within thirty days from the opening of
every regular session as the basis of the general appropriations bill, a budget of expenditures and
sources of financing, including receipts from existing and proposed revenue measures.

Section 23. The President shall address the Congress at the opening of its regular session. He
may also appear before it at any other time.