Government and power in the Philippines
Who leads the Philippines, how the World Bank's governance indicators score it, how many women sit in parliament and government, what the state spends and taxes, and the official bodies that hold power to account. System of government: Unitary presidential republic.
Who leads the Philippines?
- Head of state: Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. (President of the Republic of the Philippines)
- Head of government: No Prime Minister
- Foreign minister: Ma. Theresa Lazaro (Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines)
Source: Heads of State, Heads of Government, Ministers for Foreign Affairs: Public List (United Nations Protocol and Liaison Service), list dated 15 October 2026. All world leaders.
Governance scores
The World Bank's Worldwide Governance Indicators combine surveys of households and firms with assessments by public, private and non-governmental bodies. Each score runs from 0 to 100; higher means the sources rate governance better. They measure perceptions, and each has a margin of error.
- Voice and accountability
- Measures how far citizens can choose their government, and freedom of expression, association and the media.
- Political stability and absence of violence
- Measures the likelihood of political instability or politically motivated violence, including terrorism.
- Government effectiveness
- Measures the quality of public services and the civil service, and how independent they are from political pressure.
- Regulatory quality
- Measures the government's ability to make and carry out policies that let the private sector develop.
- Rule of law
- Measures confidence in and respect for the rules of society, including contract enforcement, property rights, the police and the courts.
- Control of corruption
- Measures how far public power is used for private gain, including petty and grand corruption and "capture" of the state by elites.
How does the Philippines score on voice and accountability?
Voice and accountability: 53 out of 100 in 2025, 108th highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 65.7). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 60.1.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does the Philippines score on political stability?
Political stability and absence of violence: 51 out of 100 in 2025, 158th highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 81.7). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 49.2.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does the Philippines score on government effectiveness?
Government effectiveness: 56.3 out of 100 in 2025, 81st highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 54.5). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 61.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does the Philippines score on regulatory quality?
Regulatory quality: 58.5 out of 100 in 2025, 71st highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 53.6). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 57.7.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does the Philippines score on the rule of law?
Rule of law: 50.9 out of 100 in 2025, 119th highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 65.5). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 52.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does the Philippines score on control of corruption?
Control of corruption: 36.5 out of 100 in 2025, 127th highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 54). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 36.1.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow many women are in the Philippines's parliament?
Women held 28.3% of seats in the national parliament (single or lower chamber) in 2025, 86th highest of 184 countries with data. Source: Inter-Parliamentary Union, via the World Bank.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow many of the Philippines's ministers are women?
Women held 17.4% of ministerial posts in 2025, 116th highest of 190.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow much does the government of the Philippines spend?
Central government spending (expense) was 16.9% of GDP in 2023.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow much tax does the government of the Philippines collect?
Central government tax revenue was 14.4% of GDP in 2024, 65th highest of 92.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow much does the Philippines spend on the military?
Military spending was 1.3% of GDP in 2025, 94th highest of 149 (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, via the World Bank).
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow big are the armed forces of the Philippines?
Armed forces personnel numbered 157,000 in 2020.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow good are the Philippines's official statistics?
The World Bank's Statistical Performance Indicator, which scores how well a country's official statistics system works, was 83.8 out of 100 in 2024, 46th highest of 187.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow many births are registered in the Philippines?
91.8% of births of children under 5 were registered with a civil authority (2017).
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow many people in the Philippines use the internet?
67.3% of people used the internet in 2024.
Source: World Bank · saved copyOfficial bodies that hold power in the Philippines
Parliament
- House of RepresentativesBills, journals, committee reports and members of the House.
- Senate of the PhilippinesBills, journals, committee reports and senators.
Elections
- Commission on ElectionsElection results, voter registration statistics, resolutions and candidate lists.
Courts
- Supreme Court of the PhilippinesDecisions, resolutions, court circulars and bar matters.
Public audit
- Commission on AuditAnnual audit reports on national agencies, local governments and government-owned corporations.
Ombudsman
- Office of the OmbudsmanCase decisions and resolutions on complaints against public officials, and annual reports.
Access to information
- Freedom of Information Program (eFOI portal)The online portal for freedom of information requests to executive-branch agencies, with published requests and responses.
Public contracts
- Philippine Government Electronic Procurement SystemBid notices, award notices and supplier registration for Philippine government procurement.
Laws and the official gazette
- Official Gazette of the Republic of the PhilippinesRepublic acts, executive orders, proclamations and presidential speeches.
Government below the national level
- Autonomous region: BARMM (Bangsamoro): Bangsamoro Transition Authority (80 members appointed by the President) pending the first parliamentary election; a Chief Minister leads the government
- Provinces (82): Governor, vice-governor and provincial board (Sangguniang Panlalawigan) elected for three years
- Cities (146) and municipalities (1,488) (2022 figures): Mayor, vice-mayor and council (Sangguniang Panlungsod or Bayan) elected for three years
- Barangays (about 42,000): Punong barangay (barangay captain) and seven councillors (kagawad) elected on a non-party basis for four years under RA 12232 (2025); youth council (Sangguniang Kabataan) elected by 15–30-year-olds
How local power works in the Philippines
Places in the Philippines
Sources
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Voice and accountability (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 70f2804fd1e2…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Political stability and absence of violence (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1317de0c85e1…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Government effectiveness (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a775e808dc65…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Regulatory quality (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 83b57e36ff8c…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Rule of law (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0bccc3c054e8…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Control of corruption (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3b15a5340cdd…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Seats held by women in national parliament (SG.GEN.PARL.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1ae1dc13981a…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Women in ministerial positions (SG.GEN.MNST.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a4e448a5b8bd…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Central government spending (GC.XPN.TOTL.GD.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 808094019f50…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Tax revenue (GC.TAX.TOTL.GD.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 08c94b750f31…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Military spending (MS.MIL.XPND.GD.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a7f6913a783b…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Armed forces personnel (MS.MIL.TOTL.P1), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 fa4663c743ba…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Statistical Performance Indicator (overall score) (IQ.SPI.OVRL), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 08ac7cde9129…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Births registered (SP.REG.BRTH.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 f8d443034ba7…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: People using the internet (IT.NET.USER.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0d78dc658329…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.