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Country name:
• conventional long form: Republic of the Philippines
• conventional short form: Philippines
• local long form: Republika ng Pilipinas
• local short form: Pilipinas

Government type: republic

Capital: Manila

Administrative divisions: 79 provinces and 117 chartered cities

Independence: 12 June 1898 (from Spain)

Constitution: 2 February 1987, effective 11 February 1987

Legal system: The Philipines’ legal system is based on Spanish and Anglo-American law. It accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations.

Suffrage: 18 years of age

Executive branch:
• chief of state: President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (since 20 January 2001); note - president is both chief of state and head of government
• head of government: President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (since 20 January 2001); note - president is both chief of state and head of government
• cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with consent of Commission of Appointments
• elections: president and vice president (Manuel "Noli" de Castro) elected on separate tickets by popular vote for six-year terms; election last held 10 May 2004 (next to be held in May 2010)

Legislative branch:
• Bi-cameral Congress or Kongreso consists of the Senate or Senado (24 seats - one-half elected every three years; members elected at large by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Kapulungan Ng Mga Kinatawan (212 members representing districts plus 24 sectoral party-list members; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms

Judicial branch:
• Supreme Court (15 justices are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial and Bar Council and serve until 70 years of age);
• Court of Appeals; Sandigan-bayan (special court for hearing corruption cases of government officials)

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