The office of vice president was initially created following the ratification of the 1935 Constitution of the Philippines, which states that the vice-president shall be elected by direct vote of the people.[3] Vice presidents during the Commonwealth of the Philippines were under American sovereignty,[4] and there was no office of vice president during the Second Republic,[5] which was considered to be a puppet state of Imperial Japan during World War II.[6] During the martial law declared by President Ferdinand Marcos from 1972 to 1981, the office of the vice-president was abolished and the sitting vice-president, Fernando Lopez, was removed from the office.[5] Though the 1973 Constitution initially did not provide for a vice president, subsequent amendments restored the office.[5] A vice president was appointed after the 1986 election when Marcos and Arturo Tolentino were proclaimed as winners by the Batasang Pambansa. However, in 1986, the People Power Revolution overthrew Marcos' dictatorship and repealed the 1973 Constitution.[5][7] In 2013, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines through Resolution No. 2, series of 2013 declared that Tolentino is not part of the official list of vice presidents of the Philippines.[8] The subsequently formed 1987 Constitution of the Philippines was established, which states that: "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."[9]
Before the ratification of the 1987 constitution, in case of an intra-term vacancy, there was no process to appoint a new vice president until after the next election.[5] However, after the ratification of the 1987 constitution, the president could nominate a vice president in case of an intra-term vacancy from a member of the congress, whom both houses vote separately for confirmation by a majority vote.[9] In 2001, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo became president after the Supreme Court of the Philippines ruled that President Joseph Estrada resigned.[10] A few days later, she appointed Teofisto Guingona as the vice president.[11] Guingona is the only person being unelected to the position.[12]
Three vice presidents have succeeded to the presidency due to the death of presidents: Sergio Osmeña in 1944,[13]Elpidio Quirino in 1948,[14] and Carlos P. Garcia in 1957.[15] Fernando Lopez was the longest-serving vice-president, who served for a combined total of almost 11 years. Elpidio Quirino served the shortest time as vice-president for approximately 1 year 11 months. Sara Duterte is the current vice president.[2]
Vice presidents
Timeline
Unofficial vice presidents
Historians and other figures have identified the following people as having held the vice-presidency of a government intended to represent the Philippines, but their terms of office are not counted by the Philippine government as part of the presidential succession.
The inclusion of Mariano Trías in the list is disputed, because Trias was chosen as vice-president at the Tejeros Convention, and again as vice-president for the short-lived Republic of Biak-na-Bato, which was dissolved after the signing of the Pact of Biak-na-Bato and Aguinaldo's exile. Neither the reassumption of power by Emilio Aguinaldo when the revolution was resumed in May 1898 nor his formal proclamation and inauguration as president under the First Philippine Republic in 1899 were regimes that provided for a vice-presidency.[31]
Vice presidents later served as president
Vice presidents
List of vice presidents by offices held before vice presidency
Executive branch
Cabinet secretaries (as full-time)
The following cabinet secretaries are only served for fulltime. Vice presidents served as cabinet secretary concurrently, and post-vice presidency positions are not included.
^Constitution of the Philippines (1935) § Article VII: Executive Department
^Ooi (2004), p. 387.
^ a b c d eVice president of the Philippines.
^Vellut (1964), p. 128.
^BBC News (2016).
^"Resolution Clarifying the Issue of Legitimacy of the Vice-Presidentcy of Arturo Tolentino in the 1986 Snap Elections" (PDF). National Historical Commission of the Philippines. March 11, 2023. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
^ a bConstitution of the Philippines (1987) § Article VII: Executive Department
^The Wall Street Journal (2001).
^Tehran Times (2001).
^Santos, Sammy. "Tito quits Lakas over slow reforms". Philstar.com. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
^Zaide (1999), pp. 348–349.
^Zaide (1999), p. 357.
^Zaide (1999), p. 361.
^Vice president of the Philippines; De Guzman & Reforma (1988), p. 42, 118; St. Louis Star-Times (1935); The Caledonian-Record (1935); Zaide (1999), p. 319.
^Vice president of the Philippines; De Guzman & Reforma (1988), p. 119–120; Spokane Chronicle (1946); The Courier-Journal (1948); Zaide (1999), p. 353.
^Vice president of the Philippines; The Californian (1949); Senate of the Philippines (a).
^Vice president of the Philippines; De Guzman & Reforma (1988), p. 120; The Spokesman-Review (1953); Fort Worth Star-Telegram (1957); Zaide (1999), p. 361.
^Vice president of the Philippines; De Guzman & Reforma (1988), pp. 121–122; The Honolulu Advertiser (1957); Calgary Herald (1961); Zaide (1999), p. 361.
^Vice president of the Philippines; Guam Daily News (1961); Senate of the Philippines (b); Zaide (1999), p. 362.
^Vice president of the Philippines; Chicago Tribune (1965); Senate of the Philippines (a); Zaide (1999), p. 363.
^Vice president of the Philippines; Hartford Courant (1986); The Windsor Star (1992); Zaide (1999), p. 400.
^Vice president of the Philippines; Encyclopædia Britannica & 2021(a); Senate of the Philippines (c); Economic and Political Weekly; Zaide (1999), p. 407.
^Vice president of the Philippines; Encyclopædia Britannica & 2021(b); Senate of the Philippines (d); Rodell (2002), p. 219; Zaide (1999), p. 411.
^Vice president of the Philippines; Senate of the Philippines (e); Gulf News (2001).
^Vice president of the Philippines; Rappler (2021); The New York Times (2004).
^Vice president of the Philippines; Rappler (2016); The New York Times (2013).
^Vice president of the Philippines; Rappler (2016); Reuters (2021).
^Reuters (2022).
^"Office of the Vice President". Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. Retrieved June 1, 2016.
^Zaide (1999), p. 247.
^National Historical Institute of the Philippines.
^ a b cLos Angeles Times (1943); The Decatur Daily (1945).
Works cited
Books and journals
De Guzman, Raul P.; Reforma, Mila A., eds. (1988). Government and politics of the Philippines. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-588871-3. LCCN 88001474. OL 2526300M.
"P.I. Congress Meeting Today To Canvass Election Returns". Guam Daily News. December 12, 1961. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
Felongco, Gilbert (February 10, 2001). "Guingona sworn in as vice president". Gulf News. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
Briscoe, David (February 26, 1986). "Aquino's New Challenged: Communism, Popular Expectation". Hartford Courant. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
"U.S. Disavows Jap Puppet Rule in Philippines". Los Angeles Times. October 23, 1943. Retrieved December 14, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
Cupin, Bea (June 27, 2016). "VP to VP: Binay, Robredo meet ahead of inauguration". Rappler. Archived from the original on October 11, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
"Powers and Duties: President, Vice President of the Philippines". Rappler. April 27, 2021. Archived from the original on October 15, 2021. Retrieved December 19, 2021.
Cupin, Bea (November 4, 2021). "After backing out of Senate run, Noli de Castro returns to ABS-CBN". Rappler. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
Morales, Neil Jerome; Lema, Karen (October 7, 2021). "Philippine Vice President Robredo joins race for president". Reuters. Archived from the original on October 7, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
"Tears and Joy as Philippines Become Free". Spokane Chronicle. July 4, 1946. Retrieved November 12, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
"Arroyo Chooses Guingona as Philippine VP". Tehran Times. February 7, 2001. Retrieved December 19, 2021.
Wilkins, Ford (November 14, 1935). "Quezon, Philippine Political Genius, President in All But Title Since 1916". The Caledonian-Record. Retrieved November 10, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
"Filipino President Pledges Nation to Fight Communism". The Californian. December 3, 1949. Retrieved November 14, 2021 – via Newspaper.com.
"President Roxas of Philippines Dies After Speech Assailing Red Aggression". The Courier-Journal. April 16, 1948. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved November 12, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
"MacArthur in Frank Works Warns Nation". The Decatur Daily. September 16, 1945. Retrieved December 14, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
"Ball at Royal Hawaiian Hotel To Mark Filipino Inauguration". The Honolulu Advertiser. December 27, 1957. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
Conde, Carlos H. (June 24, 2004). "Philippine Congress proclaims Arroyo winner". The New York Times. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
"Philippines: Rebels Agree to Cease-Fire". The New York Times. September 13, 2013. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
"Estrada Resigns as Philippine President; Vice President Is Immediately Sworn In". The Wall Street Journal. January 20, 2001. Retrieved December 19, 2021.
Wurfel, David (July 4, 1992). "Ramon Under The Gun As New President". The Windsor Star. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
Online sources
"Joseph Estrada". Encyclopædia Britannica. April 15, 2021. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
"Gloria Macapagal Arroyo". Encyclopædia Britannica. April 1, 2021. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
"The 1935 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines". Archived from the original on May 27, 2020. Retrieved December 19, 2021 – via Official Gazette( This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
"The 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines". Archived from the original on January 5, 2019. Retrieved December 19, 2021 – via Official Gazette( This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
"Emmanuel Pelaez". Senate of the Philippines. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
"Fernando Lopez". Senate of the Philippines. Archived from the original on September 21, 2020. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
"History – The History of the Philippine Vice Presidency – Chronology of Vice Presidents". Vice president of the Philippines. Retrieved November 12, 2021( This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)