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
(1869–1964)
None January 23, 1899

March 23, 1901
(2 years, 59 days)
1899 None First Republic
None None U.S. Military Government
U.S. Insular Government
2 Manuel L. Quezon
(1878–1944)
Nacionalista November 15, 1935

August 1, 1944
(8 years, 260 days)
1935 Sergio Osmeña Commonwealth
1941
3 Jose P. Laurel
(1891–1959)
KALIBAPI October 14, 1943

August 17, 1945
(1 year, 307 days)
1943 None Second Republic
4 Sergio Osmeña
(1878–1961)
Nacionalista August 1, 1944

May 28, 1946
(1 year, 300 days)
1941 Vacant Commonwealth
5 Manuel Roxas
(1892–1948)
Liberal May 28, 1946

April 15, 1948
(1 year, 323 days)
1946 Elpidio Quirino
Third Republic
6 Elpidio Quirino
(1890–1956)
Liberal April 17, 1948

December 30, 1953
(5 years, 257 days)
Vacant
1949 Fernando Lopez
7 Ramon Magsaysay
(1907–1957)
Nacionalista December 30, 1953

March 17, 1957
(3 years, 77 days)
1953 Carlos P. Garcia
8 Carlos P. Garcia
(1896–1971)
Nacionalista March 18, 1957

December 30, 1961
(4 years, 287 days)
None
1957 Diosdado Macapagal
9 Diosdado Macapagal
(1910–1997)
Liberal December 30, 1961

December 30, 1965
(4 years)
1961 Emmanuel Pelaez
10 Ferdinand Marcos
(1917–1989)
Nacionalista
(until 1978)
December 30, 1965

February 25, 1986
(20 years, 57 days)
1965 Fernando Lopez
1969
Martial Law
None
1973
1977
KBL
(from 1978)
1981 Fourth Republic
Vacant
11 Corazon Aquino
(1933–2009)
UNIDO
(until 1988)
February 25, 1986

June 30, 1992
(6 years, 126 days)
1986 Salvador Laurel Provisional Government
Fifth Republic
Independent
(from 1988)
12 Fidel V. Ramos
(1928–2022)
Lakas–NUCD June 30, 1992

June 30, 1998
(6 years)
1992 Joseph Estrada
13 Joseph Estrada
(born 1937)
LAMMP June 30, 1998

January 20, 2001
(2 years, 204 days)
1998 Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
14 Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
(born 1947)
Lakas–CMD January 20, 2001

June 30, 2010
(9 years, 161 days)
Vacant
Teofisto Guingona Jr.
2004 Noli de Castro
15 Benigno Aquino III
(1960–2021)
Liberal June 30, 2010

June 30, 2016
(6 years)
2010 Jejomar Binay
16 Rodrigo Duterte
(born 1945)
PDP–Laban June 30, 2016

June 30, 2022
(6 years)
2016 Leni Robredo
17 Bongbong Marcos
(born 1957)
PFP June 30, 2022

present
(1 year, 270 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
(1863–1897)
None August 24, 1896 March 22, 1897
or
May 10, 1897
None Sovereign Tagalog Nation
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 Sakay
(1870–1907)
Katipunan
(holdout/revival)
May 6, 1902 July 14, 1906 Francisco Carreón Tagalog Republic
José Abad Santos
(1886–1942)
Independent March 17, 1942 May 2, 1942 None Commonwealth
Jorge B. Vargas
(1890–1980)
KALIBAPI
Association for Service to the New Philippines
January 23, 1942 October 14, 1943 None Philippine Executive Commission
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 Death and age
1 Emilio Aguinaldo Mar 22, 1869 29 years, 307 days

(29.84 years)
Jan 23, 1899

32 years, 1 day

(32 years)
Mar 23, 1901

62 years, 320 days Feb 6, 1964

94 years, 321 days (94.88 years)

2 Manuel Quezon Aug19, 1878 57 years, 88 days

(57.24 years)
Nov 15, 1935

65 years, 348 days

(65.95 years)
Aug 1, 1944

Died in office Aug 1, 1944

65 years, 348 days (65.95 years)

3 Jose P. Laurel Mar 9, 1891 52 years, 219 days

(52.6 years)
Oct 14, 1943

54 years, 161 days

(54.44 years)
Aug 17, 1945

14 years, 80 days Nov 6, 1959

68 years, 242 days (68.66 years)

4 Sergio Osmeña Sep 9, 1878 65 years, 328 days

(65.89 years)
Aug 1, 1944

69 years, 263 days

(69.72 years)
May 28, 1946

15 years, 144 days Oct 19, 1961

83 years, 41 days (83.11 years)

5 Manuel Roxas Jan 1, 1892 56 years, 148 days

(56.4 years)
May 28, 1946

56 years, 105 days

(65.89 years)
April 15, 1948

Died in office Apr 15, 1948

56 years, 105 days (56.29 years)

6 Elpidio Quirino Nov 16, 1890 57 years, 153 days

(57.41 years)
Apr 17, 1948

65 years, 328 days

(63.12 years)
Dec 30, 1953

2 years, 50 days Feb 29, 1956

65 years, 105 days (65.29 years)

7 Ramon Magsaysay Aug 31, 1907 46 years, 121 days

(46.33 years)
Dec 30, 1953

49 years, 198 days

(49.55 years)
March 17, 1957

Died in office March 17, 1957

49 years, 198 days

(49.55 years)

8 Carlos P. Garcia Nov 4, 1896 60 years, 134 days

(56.37 years)
Mar 18, 1957

65 years, 56 days

(65.15 years)
Dec 30, 1961

9 years, 166 days Jun 14, 1971

74 years, 222 days (74.61 years)

9 Diosdado Macapagal Sep 28, 1910 51 years, 93 days

(51.26 years)
Dec 30, 1961

55 years, 93 days

(55.26 years)
Dec 30, 1965

31 years, 112 days Apr 21, 1997

86 years, 205 days (86.56 years)

10 Ferdinand E. Marcos Sep 11, 1917 48 years, 110 days

(48.3 years)
Dec 30, 1965

68 years, 167 days

(68.46 years)
February 25 1986

3 years, 215 days September 28, 1989

72 years, 17 days

(72.05 years)

11 Corazon Aquino Jan 25, 1933 53 years, 31 days

(53.09 years)
Feb 25, 1986

48 years, 110 days

(59.43 years)
June 30, 1992

17 years, 3 days Aug 1, 2009

76 years, 188 days (76.52 years)

12 Fidel V. Ramos Mar 18, 1928 64 years, 104 days

(64.29 years)
Jun 30, 1992

70 years, 104 days

(70.28 years)
Jun 30, 1998

24 years, 31 days

(24.09 years)

Jul 31, 2022

94 years, 135 days (94.37 years)

13 Joseph Estrada Apr 19, 1937 61 years, 72 days

(61.2 years)
Jun 30, 1998

63 years, 276 days

(63.76 years)
Jan 20, 2001

23 years, 66 days

(23.18 years)

86 years, 342 days

(86.94 years)

14 Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Apr 5, 1947 53 years, 290 days

(51.24 years)
Jan 20, 2001

63 years, 86 days

(63.24 years)
Jun 30, 2010

13 years, 270 days

(13.74 years)

76 years, 356 days

(76.98 years)

15 Benigno Aquino III Feb 8, 1960 50 years, 142 days

(50.39 years)
Jun 30, 2010

56 years, 143 days

(56.39 years)
Jun 30, 2016

4 years, 359 days

(4.98 years)

Jun 24, 2021

61 years, 136 days

(61.38 years)

16 Rodrigo Duterte Mar 28, 1945 71 years, 94 days

(71.26 years)
Jan 20, 2016

63 years, 86 days

(77.26 years)
Jun 30, 2022

13 years, 270 days

(13.74 years)

78 years, 364 days

(79 years)

17 Bongbong Marcos Sep 13, 1957 64 years, 290 days

(64.8 years)
Jun 30, 2022

Incumbent

1 year, 270 days (66.52 years)

(1.74 years)

66 years, 195 days

(66.53 years)

Graphical Representation

This is a graphical lifespan timeline of the presidents of the United States. They are listed in order of office, with Grover Cleveland listed in the order of his first presidency.

Bongbong MarcosRodrigo DuterteBenigno Aquino IIIGloria Macapagal-ArroyoJoseph EstradaFidel V. ramosCorazon AquinoFerdinand MarcosDiosdado MacapagalCarlos P. GarciaRamon MagsaysayElpidio QuirinoManuel RoxasJose P. LaurelSergio OsmeñaManuel L. QuezonEmilio Aguinaldo

The following chart shows presidents by their age (living presidents in green), with the years of their presidency in blue. The vertical blue line at 25 years indicates the minimum age to be president.

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.
Carlos P. Garcia Ramon Magsaysay 1953–1957 Garcia succeeded Magsaysay, after the latter's death; Ran and won a full term in 1957.
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; Ran and won a full term in 2004

3 other former vice presidents (Salvador Laurel, Jejomar Binay, and Leni 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 Department President served under Year(s) served
Elpidio Quirino Finance Manuel Quezon 1934– 1936
Interior Manuel Quezon 1935–1938
Manuel Roxas Interior Manuel Quezon 1941
Ramon Magsaysay Defense Elpidio Quirino 1935–1944
Fidel V. Ramos Defense 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 5th 1925–1931 Only senator served as Majority Floor Leader (1925–1931)

First and only President to Serve in the Supreme Court (1936–1942); Only former president to serve as senator (1951–1957);

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

At-large

1925–1935

1945–1946

Second and last president to serve as President pro tempore (1945–1946)
Carlos P. Garcia At-large 1945–1953 First President to serve as Minority Floor Leader (1946–1953)
Ferdinand E. Marcos At-large 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 At-large 1987–1992
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo At-large 1992–1998
Benigno Aquino III At-large 2007–2010 Did not finished term, won presidency
Bongbong Marcos At-large 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

House of Representatives

1907–1916 First President to serve as speaker (1907–1916)
Manuel Roxas Capiz 1st House of Representatives

National Assembly

1922–1938 Second president to serve as Majority Floor Leader;

Second president to serve as speaker (1922–1934)

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

Major

USAFFE

USAFIP-NL

1942–1945
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 2024-03-27 09:04 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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