The Senate of the Philippines () is the

upper house An upper house is one of two Legislative chamber, chambers of a bicameralism, bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house. The house formally designated as the upper house is usually smaller and often has more restricted p ...

Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...

, the bicameral

legislature A legislature (, ) is a deliberative assembly with the legal authority to make laws for a political entity such as a country, nation or city on behalf of the people therein. They are often contrasted with the executive and judicial power ...

of the

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

, with the

House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entities. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often ...

as the

lower house A lower house is the lower chamber of a bicameral legislature, where the other chamber is the upper house. Although styled as "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide, the lower house has come to wield more power or otherwise e ...

. The Senate is composed of 24

senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or Legislative chamber, chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior ...

s who are elected

at-large At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather tha ...

(the country forms one district in senatorial elections) under a plurality-at-large voting system. Senators serve six-year terms with a maximum of two consecutive terms, with half of the senators elected in

staggered elections Staggered elections are elections where only some of the places in an elected body are up for election at the same time. For example, United States senators have a six-year term, but they are not all elected at the same time. Rather, elections ...

every three years. When the Senate was restored by the

1987 Constitution The Constitution of the Philippines ( Filipino: ''Saligang Batas ng Pilipinas'' or ''Konstitusyon ng Pilipinas'') is the supreme law of the Philippines. Its final draft was completed by the Constitutional Commission on October 12, 1986, and rat ...

, the 24 senators who were elected in 1987 served until 1992. In 1992, the 12 candidates for the Senate obtaining the highest number of votes served until 1998, while the next 12 served until 1995. This is in accordance with the transitory provisions of the Constitution. Thereafter, each senator elected serves the full six years. From 1945 to 1972, the Senate was a continuing body, with only eight seats up every two years. Aside from having its concurrence on every bill in order to be passed for the

president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

's signature to become a law, the Senate is the only body that can concur with

treaties A treaty is a formal, legally binding written agreement between sovereign states and/or international organizations that is governed by international law. A treaty may also be known as an international agreement, protocol, covenant, convention ...

and try

impeachment Impeachment is a process by which a legislative body or other legally constituted tribunal initiates charges against a public official for misconduct. It may be understood as a unique process involving both political and legal elements. In Eur ...

cases. The

president of the Senate President of the Senate is a title often given to the presiding officer of a senate. It corresponds to the Speaker (politics), speaker in some other assemblies. The senate president often ranks high in a jurisdiction's Order of succession, succes ...

is the presiding officer and highest-ranking official of the Senate. They are elected by the entire body to be their leader and are second in the Philippine presidential line of succession. The current officeholder is

Francis Escudero Francis Joseph "Chiz" Guevara Escudero (, born October 10, 1969) is a Filipino politician and lawyer who has served as the 25th president of the Senate of the Philippines since May 20, 2024. Escudero has served as a Senate of the Philippines, s ...

History

The Senate has its roots in the

Philippine Commission The Philippine Commission was the name of two bodies, both appointed by the president of the United States, to assist with governing the Philippines. The First Philippine Commission, also known as the Schurman Commission, was appointed by Pre ...

of the

Insular Government The Philippine Insular GovernmentThis form of the name appeared in the titles of US Supreme Court cases, but was otherwise rarely used. See Costas v. Government of the Philippine Islands, 221 U.S. 623, 1911. The Administrative Code of the Phil ...

. Under the Philippine Organic Act, from 1907 to 1916, the

headed by the

governor-general of the Philippines The governor-general of the Philippines (; ; ) was the title of the Executive (government), government executive during the colonial period of the Philippines, first by History of the Philippines (1521–1898), the Spanish in Mexico City and l ...

served as the upper chamber of the

Philippine Legislature The Philippine Legislature was the legislature of the Philippines from 1907 to 1935, during the American colonial period, and predecessor of the current Congress of the Philippines. It was bicameral and the legislative branch of the Insular ...

, with the

Philippine Assembly The Philippine Assembly (sometimes called the Philippine National Assembly) was the lower house of the Philippine Legislature from 1907 to 1916, when it was renamed the House of Representatives of the Philippines. The Philippine Assembly ...

as the elected

. At the same time the governor-general also exercised executive powers. In August 1916 the

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...

enacted the

Philippine Autonomy Act The Jones Law (, also known as the Jones Act, the Philippine Autonomy Act, and the Act of Congress of August 29, 1916) was an Organic Act passed by the United States Congress. The law replaced the Philippine Organic Act of 1902 and act ...

or popularly known as the "Jones Law", which created an elected bicameral

with the Senate as the

upper chamber An upper house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house. The house formally designated as the upper house is usually smaller and often has more restricted power than the lower house. A legis ...

and with the

House of Representatives of the Philippines The House of Representatives (; '','' thus commonly referred to as ''Kamara'') is the lower house of Congress of the Philippines, Congress, the bicameral legislature of the Philippines, with the Senate of the Philippines as the upper house. The ...

, previously called the Philippine Assembly, as the

lower chamber A lower house is the lower chamber of a bicameral legislature, where the other chamber is the upper house. Although styled as "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide, the lower house has come to wield more power or otherwise exe ...

. The governor-general continued to be the head of the

executive branch The executive branch is the part of government which executes or enforces the law. Function The scope of executive power varies greatly depending on the political context in which it emerges, and it can change over time in a given country. In ...

of the Insular Government. Senators then were elected via senatorial districts via

plurality-at-large voting Plurality block voting is a type of block voting method for multi-winner elections. Each voter may cast as many votes as the number of seats to be filled. The candidates with the most votes are elected. The usual result when the candidates div ...

; each district grouped several provinces and each elected two senators except for "non-Christian" provinces where the governor-general of the Philippines appointed the senators for the district. Future president

Manuel L. Quezon Manuel Luis Quezon y Molina (, , , ; 19 August 1878 – 1 August 1944), also known by his initials MLQ, was a Filipino people, Filipino lawyer, statesman, soldier, and politician who was president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines from 1 ...

, who was then Philippine Resident Commissioner, encouraged future president

Sergio Osmeña Sergio Osmeña Sr. (, ; zh, c=吳文釗, poj=Gô͘ Bûn-chiau; September 9, 1878 – October 19, 1961) was a Filipino people, Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the List of presidents of the Philippines, fourth president of the Ph ...

, then Speaker of the House, to run for the leadership of the Senate, but Osmeña preferred to continue leading the lower house. Quezon then ran for the Senate and became Senate President serving for 19 years (1916–1935). This setup continued until 1935, when the

Philippine Independence Act The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of 7,641 islands, with a total area of roughly 300,000 square kilometers, which ar ...

or the "Tydings–McDuffie Act" was passed by the

U.S. Congress The United States Congress is the legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a bicameral legislature, including a lower body, the U.S. House of Representatives, and an upper body, the U.S. Senate. They both ...

which granted the Filipinos the right to frame their own constitution in preparation for their independence, wherein they established a unicameral

National Assembly of the Philippines The National Assembly of the Philippines (, ) refers to the legislature of the Commonwealth of the Philippines from 1935 to 1941, and of the Second Philippine Republic during the Japanese occupation. The National Assembly of the Commonwealth w ...

, effectively abolishing the Senate. Not long after the adoption of the 1935 Constitution several amendments began to be proposed. By 1938, the National Assembly began consideration of these proposals, which included restoring the Senate as the upper chamber of Congress. The amendment of the 1935 Constitution to have a bicameral legislature was approved in 1940 and the first biennial elections for the restored upper house was held in November 1941. Instead of the old senatorial districts, senators were elected via the entire country serving as an

district, although still under plurality-at-large voting, with voters voting up to eight candidates, and the eight candidates with the highest number of votes being elected. While the Senate from 1916 to 1935 had exclusive confirmation rights over executive appointments, as part of the compromises that restored the Senate in 1941, the power of confirming executive appointments has been exercised by a joint

Commission on Appointments The Commission on Appointments (, abbreviated as CA) is a constitutional body which confirms or rejects certain political appointments made by the President of the Philippines. The current commission was created by the 1987 Constitution. Whil ...

composed of members of both houses. However, the Senate since its restoration and the independence of the Philippines in 1946 has the power to ratify treaties. The Senate finally convened in 1945 and served as the upper chamber of Congress from thereon until the declaration of

martial law Martial law is the replacement of civilian government by military rule and the suspension of civilian legal processes for military powers. Martial law can continue for a specified amount of time, or indefinitely, and standard civil liberties ...

by President

Ferdinand Marcos Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr. (September 11, 1917 – September 28, 1989) was a Filipino lawyer, politician, dictator, and Kleptocracy, kleptocrat who served as the tenth president of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He ruled the c ...

in 1972, which shut down Congress. The Senate was resurrected in 1987 upon the ratification of the

. However, instead of eight senators being replaced after every election, it was changed to twelve. In the Senate, the officers include the Senate president, Senate president pro tempore, majority floor leader, minority floor leader, Senate secretary, and Senate sergeant-at-arms. The secretary and sergeant-at-arms are elected by the senators from among the employees and staff of the Senate. Meanwhile, the Senate president, Senate president pro tempore, the majority floor leader, and the minority floor leader are elected from among the senators themselves.

Composition

Article VI, Section 2 of the

1987 Philippine Constitution The Constitution of the Philippines ( Filipino: ''Saligang Batas ng Pilipinas'' or ''Konstitusyon ng Pilipinas'') is the supreme law of the Philippines. Its final draft was completed by the Constitutional Commission on October 12, 1986, and rati ...

provides that the Senate shall be composed of 24 senators who shall be elected at-large by the qualified voters of the

, as may be provided by law. The composition of the Senate is smaller in number as compared to the

. The members of this chamber are elected at large by the entire electorate. The rationale for this rule intends to make the Senate a training ground for national leaders and possibly a springboard for the

presidency A presidency is an administration or the executive, the collective administrative and governmental entity that exists around an office of president of a state or nation. Although often the executive branch of government, and often personified b ...

. It follows also that the senator will have a broader outlook of the problems of the country, instead of being restricted by narrow viewpoints and interests by having a national rather than only a district constituency. The

Senate Electoral Tribunal The Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) is an electoral tribunal that decides election protests in the Senate of the Philippines. It consists of 6 senators nominated by the Senate, and 3 justices of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, who are desig ...

(SET) composed of three

Supreme Court In most legal jurisdictions, a supreme court, also known as a court of last resort, apex court, high (or final) court of appeal, and court of final appeal, is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...

justices and six senators determines election protests on already-seated senators. There had been three instances where the SET has replaced senators due to election protests, the last of which was in 2011 when the tribunal awarded the protest of

Koko Pimentel Aquilino Martin "Koko" de la Llana Pimentel III (; born January 20, 1964) is a Filipino politician and lawyer who has served as a senator of the Philippines since 2011. He has served as Senate minority leader since 2022 and previously served a ...

against

Migz Zubiri Juan Miguel "Migz" Fernandez Zubiri (; born April 13, 1969) is a Filipino politician serving as a Senator of the Philippines. He was the 24th President of the Senate of the Philippines, Senate President of the Philippines from July 25, 2022 t ...

Qualifications

The qualifications for membership in the Senate are expressly stated in Section 3, Article VI of the

, as follows: *No person shall be a Senator unless he is a natural-born citizen of the

, and on the day of the election, is at least 35 years of age, able to read and write, a registered voter, and a resident of the

for not less than two years immediately preceding the day of the election. *The age is fixed at 35 and must be possessed on the day of the elections, that is, when the polls are opened and the votes cast, and not on the day of the proclamation of the winners by the board of canvassers. *With regard to the residence requirements, it was ruled in the case of ''Lim v. Pelaez'' that it must be the place where one habitually resides and to which he, after absence, has the intention of returning. *The enumeration laid down by the

is exclusive under the Latin principle of '' expressio unius est exclusio alterius''. This means that

cannot anymore add additional qualifications other than those provided by the

Organization

Under the

Constitution A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organization or other type of entity, and commonly determines how that entity is to be governed. When these pri ...

, "

shall convene once every year on the fourth Monday of July for its regular session...". During this time, the Senate is organized to elect its officers. Specifically, the

provides a definite statement to it: By virtue of these provisions of the

, the Senate adopts its own rules, otherwise known as the "Rules of the Senate." The Rules of the Senate provide the following officers: a

, a president pro tempore, a

secretary A secretary, administrative assistant, executive assistant, personal secretary, or other similar titles is an individual whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, program evalu ...

and a

sergeant-at-arms A serjeant-at-arms or sergeant-at-arms is an officer appointed by a deliberative body, usually a legislature, to keep order during its meetings. The word "serjeant" is derived from the Latin , which means "servant". Historically, serjeants-at-a ...

. Following this set of officers, the Senate as an institution can then be grouped into the Senate Proper and the Secretariat. The former belongs exclusively to the members of the Senate as well as its committees, while the latter renders support services to the members of the Senate.

Powers

The Senate was modeled upon the

United States Senate The United States Senate is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and ...

; the two chambers of Congress have roughly equal powers, and every bill or resolution that has to go through both houses needs the consent of both chambers before being passed for the president's signature. Once a bill is defeated in the Senate, it is lost. Once a bill is approved by the Senate on

third reading A reading of a bill is a stage of debate on the bill held by a general body of a legislature. In the Westminster system, developed in the United Kingdom, there are generally three readings of a bill as it passes through the stages of becoming ...

, the bill is passed to the House of Representatives, unless an identical bill has also been passed by the lower house. When a counterpart bill in the lower house is different from the one passed by the Senate, either a bicameral conference committee is created consisting of members from both chambers of Congress to reconcile the differences, or either chamber may instead approve the other chamber's version. While franchise and

money bill In the Westminster system (and, colloquially, in the United States), a money bill or supply bill is a bill that solely concerns taxation or government spending (also known as appropriation of money), as opposed to changes in public law. Con ...

s originate in the House of Representatives, the Senate may still propose or concur with amendments. Only the Senate has the power to approve, via a two-thirds supermajority, or denounce treaties, and the power to try and convict, via a two-thirds supermajority, an impeached official.

Current members

Senate of the Philippines traditional photo 19th Congress

Leadership

*Senate President:

*Senate President pro tempore:

Jinggoy Estrada Jose Pimentel Ejercito Jr. (born February 17, 1963), better known as Jinggoy Estrada or Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada, is a Filipino politician and film actor serving as a senator since 2022 and previously from 2004 to 2016. He is the current presi ...

*Senate Majority Leader:

Francis Tolentino Francis Ng Tolentino (, born January 2, 1960) is a Filipino politician and lawyer serving as a senator since 2019. He has been the Senate Majority Leader since 2024 and was formerly the chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee from 2022 t ...

**Deputy Majority Leader:

JV Ejercito Joseph Victor Gomez Ejercito (; born December 26, 1969), also known as JV Ejercito Estrada or simply JV Ejercito, is a Filipino politician and businessman serving as a Senate of the Philippines, Senator since 2022 and previously from 2013 to 20 ...

*Senate Minority Leader:

**Deputy Minority Leader:

Risa Hontiveros Ana Theresia "Risa" Navarro Hontiveros Baraquel (; born February 24, 1966) is a Filipino politician who has served as a senator of the Philippines since 2016. A member of the progressive Akbayan party, she previously served as its party-list ...

*Secretary: Renato N. Bantug Jr. *Sergeant-at-Arms: Roberto T. Ancan Jr.

Members

Per bloc and party

Seat

The Senate currently meets at the

GSIS Building The GSIS Building is the headquarters of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), the corporation that handles social security of the employees of the government of the Philippines. Located in Pasay, it is also the seat of the Senate. ...

along Jose W. Diokno Boulevard in

Pasay Pasay, officially the City of Pasay (; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Metro Manila, National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 Philippine census, 2020 census, it has a ...

. Built on land reclaimed from

Manila Bay Manila Bay (; ) is a natural harbor that serves the Port of Manila (on Luzon), in the Philippines. Strategically located around the Manila, capital city of the Philippines, Manila Bay facilitated commerce and trade between the Philippines and ...

, the Senate shares the complex with the

Government Service Insurance System The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS; ) is a government-owned and controlled corporation (GOCC) in the Philippines that serves ''de jure'' government employees. Established by Commonwealth Act No. 186 and Republic Act No. 8291 (the G ...

(GSIS). The Senate previously met at the Old Legislative Building in

Manila Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...

until May 1997. The Senate occupied the upper floors (the Session Hall now restored to its semi-former glory) while the House of Representatives occupied the lower floors (now occupied by the permanent exhibit of

Juan Luna Juan Luna de San Pedro y Novicio (, ; October 25, 1857 – December 7, 1899) was a Filipino painter, sculptor and a political activism, activist of the Philippine Revolution during the late 19th century. He became one of the first recog ...

Spoliarium The ''Spoliarium'' is a painting by Filipino people, Filipino painter Juan Luna. Luna, working on canvas, spent eight months completing the painting which depicts dying gladiators. The painting was submitted by Luna to the ''Exposición Nacion ...

as the museum's centerpiece), with the

National Library A national library is a library established by a government as a country's preeminent repository of information. Unlike public library, public libraries, these rarely allow citizens to borrow books. Often, they include numerous rare, valuable, ...

at the basement. When the Legislative Building was ruined in World War II, the House of Representatives temporarily met at the Old Japanese Schoolhouse at Lepanto Street (modern-day S. H. Loyola Street), while the Senate's temporary headquarters was at the half-ruined

Manila City Hall The Manila City Hall () is the official seat of government of the City of Manila, located in the historic center of Ermita, Manila. It is where the Mayor of Manila holds office and the chambers of the Manila City Council is located. It was or ...

. Congress then returned to the Legislative Building in 1950 upon its reconstruction. When President

dissolved Congress in 1972, he built a new legislative complex in

Quezon City Quezon City (, ; ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read and pronounced in Filipino language, Filipino as Kyusi), is the richest and List of cities in the Philippines, most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 c ...

. The unicameral parliament known as the

Batasang Pambansa The Batasang Pambansa Complex, or simply the Batasan (), is the seat of the House of Representatives of the Philippines. It is located along the Batasan Road in Batasan Hills, Quezon City. The complex was initially the home of the Batasang Pa ...

eventually met there in 1978. With the restoration of the bicameral legislature in 1987, the House of Representatives inherited the complex at Quezon City, now called the

Batasang Pambansa Complex The Batasang Pambansa Complex, or simply the Batasan (), is the seat of the House of Representatives of the Philippines. It is located along the Batasan Road in Batasan Hills, Quezon City. The complex was initially the home of the Batasang ...

, while the Senate returned to the Congress Building, until the GSIS Building was finished in 1997. Thus, the country's two houses of Congress meet at different places in

Metro Manila Metropolitan Manila ( ), commonly shortened to Metro Manila and formally the National Capital Region (NCR; ), is the capital region and largest List of metropolitan areas in the Philippines, metropolitan area of the Philippines. Located ...

. The Senate would eventually move to the New Senate Building at the Navy Village in

Fort Bonifacio Fort Andres Bonifacio (formerly Fort William McKinley) is the site of the national headquarters of the Philippine Army (Headquarters Philippine Army or HPA) located in Taguig, Philippines. The camp is named after Andres Bonifacio, the revolutio ...

Taguig Taguig (), officially the City of Taguig (), is the List of cities in the Philippines, fifth-most populous city in the Philippines situated on the eastern shores of Metro Manila, the national capital region. It is a center for culture, finance ...

by 2025 at the earliest. As the Senate has rented GSIS for the office space, it asked the

Bases Conversion and Development Authority The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA; ) is a government-owned and controlled corporation under the Office of the President of the Philippines. It is a government instrumentality vested with corporate powers under Republic Ac ...

(BCDA) to present suitable sites for it to move to, with the Senate eyeing the Navy Village property along Lawton Avenue as its favored site. In 2018, a building designed by

AECOM AECOM (, ; formerly AECOM Technology Corporation; stylised A''Ξ''COM) is an American multinational infrastructure consulting firm headquartered in Dallas, Texas. The company's official name from 1990–2015 was AECOM Technology Corporation, ...

was chosen as winner for the new home for the Senate and was expected to be built by 2022. Civil works to erect the building had been awarded to Hilmarcs Construction Corporation, the same company the Senate investigated for alleged overpriced construction of the

Makati Makati ( ; ), officially the City of Makati (), is a highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines, known for being one of the leading financial centers in the country. As of 2013, the city has the highest concent ...

City Hall Parking Building II in 2015. The reception to the design was mixed, with some Filipino netizens comparing it to a garbage can. By early 2021, the New Senate Building's construction was delayed due to the

COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines The COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines was a part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 () caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (). As of , there have been reported cases, and reported deaths, the fift ...

Recent elections

These are the two recent elections that determined the current membership of the

19th Congress of the Philippines The 19th Congress of the Philippines (), composed of the Philippine Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines, House of Representatives, met from July 25, 2022, until June 11, 2025, during the first three years of Bongbong Marcos's ...

2025

2022

Historical makeup

This is how the Senate looked like after the beginning of every Congress under the 1987 constitution. The parties are arranged alphabetically, with independents at the rightmost side. Vacancies are denoted by dashes after the independents. Senators may switch parties or become independents mid-term. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Prominent senators

Presidents

– 2nd President and 1st Senate President; lobbied for a nationally elected Senate, which was established in 1940 *

Jose P. Laurel José Paciano Laurel y García (March 9, 1891 – November 6, 1959) was a Filipino politician, lawyer, and judge, who served as the President of the Second Philippine Republic from 1943 to 1945, which was a Japanese ally during World War II. ...

– 3rd President (Japanese-sponsored republic) *

– 1st Speaker of the House of Representatives, 1st Vice President, and 4th President *

Manuel Roxas Manuel Acuña Roxas (; January 1, 1892 – April 15, 1948) was a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the fifth president of the Philippines from 1946 until his death in 1948. He served briefly as the third and last President of the ...

– 5th President, 2nd Senate President, and 2nd Speaker of the House of Representatives; first Filipino to have served as chief of both the upper and lower house; recipient of the

Quezon Service Cross The Quezon Service Cross () is the highest order of the Republic of the Philippines. It has been awarded to only a handful of Filipinos since its creation in 1946. Background The award was created by ''Joint Resolution No. 4'' dated October ...

Elpidio Quirino Elpidio Rivera Quirino (; November 16, 1890 – February 29, 1956) was a Philippine nationality law, Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 6th President of the Philippines from 1948 to 1953. A lawyer by profession, Quirino entered p ...

– 2nd Vice President and 6th President *

Carlos P. Garcia Carlos Polestico Garcia (; November 4, 1896 – June 14, 1971), often referred to by his initials CPG, was a Filipino teacher, poet, orator, lawyer, public official, political economist, guerrilla and Commonwealth military leader who was the ...

– 4th Vice President and 8th President *

– 10th President and 9th Senate President *

Joseph Estrada Joseph Ejercito Estrada (; born Jose Marcelo Ejercito; April 19, 1937), also known by the nickname Erap, is a Filipino politician and former actor, who served as the 13th president of the Philippines from 1998 until his resignation in 2001. ...

– 9th Vice President and 13th President *

Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal-Arroyo (; born April 5, 1947), often referred to as PGMA or GMA, is a Filipino academic and politician who served as the 14th president of the Philippines from Presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, 2001 to 2010 ...

– 10th and first female Vice President and 14th President; first female Speaker of the House of Representatives *

Benigno Aquino III Benigno Simeon Aquino III (; born Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III; February 8, 1960 – June 24, 2021), also known as Noynoy Aquino and colloquially as PNoy, was a Filipino politician who served as the 15th president of the Philippines ...

– 15th President *

Bongbong Marcos Ferdinand "Bongbong" Romualdez Marcos Jr. (, , ; born September 13, 1957), commonly referred to by the initials BBM or PBBM, is a Filipino politician who has served as the 17th president of the Philippines since 2022. He is the second child ...

– 17th President

Vice Presidents

Fernando Lopez Fernando "Nanding" Hofileña Lopez Sr. (April 13, 1904May 26, 1993) was a Filipino statesman. A member of the influential López family of Iloilo, he served as vice president of the Philippines under Presidents Elpidio Quirino from 1949 to ...

– 3rd and 7th Vice President *

Emmanuel Pelaez Emmanuel Neri Pelaez (November 30, 1915 – July 27, 2003) was a Filipino public servant and politician who served as the 6th Vice President of the Philippines from 1961 to 1965. Early life and career Pelaez was born in Medina, Misamis (now pa ...

– 6th Vice President *

Salvador Laurel Salvador Roman Hidalgo Laurel (, November 18, 1928 – January 27, 2004), also known as Doy Laurel, was a Filipino people, Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the Vice President of the Philippines from 1986 to 1992 under President Cor ...

– 8th Vice President *

Teofisto Guingona Jr. Teofisto "Tito" Tayko Guingona Jr. (born July 4, 1928) is a Filipino politician and diplomat who served as the 11th vice president of the Philippines from 2001 to 2004, during the first term of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Born in San ...

– 11th Vice President *

Noli de Castro Manuel "Noli" Eleuterio de Castro Jr. (; born July 6, 1949) is a Filipino broadcaster, journalist politician and singer. who served as the 12th Vice President of the Philippines from 2004 until 2010, under the second full term of President ...

– 12th Vice President

Speakers of the House of Representatives

* Quintín Paredes – 5th Senate President and 3rd Speaker of the House of Representatives *

Gil Montilla Gil Miranda Montilla (September 11, 1876 – July 20, 1946) was a Filipino politician and businessman who served as speaker of the National Assembly from 1935 to 1938, and a member of the Philippine Senate from 1931 to 1935. Early life Montill ...

– businessman and 4th Speaker of the House of Representatives *

Benigno Aquino Sr. Benigno Simeón Aquino y Quiambao (September 3, 1894 – December 20, 1947) was a Filipino politician who served as speaker of the National Assembly of the Japanese-sponsored puppet state in the Philippines from 1943 to 1944. He was the Direc ...

– former Speaker of the

National Assembly (Second Philippine Republic) The National Assembly was the legislature of the Second Philippine Republic from September 25, 1943, to February 2, 1944. Half of the membership of the assembly consisted of provincial governors or city mayors acting in an ''ex officio'' capaci ...

* Jose Zulueta – 8th Senate President and 8th Speaker of the House of Representatives *

Manny Villar Manuel "Manny" Bamba Villar Jr. (; born December 13, 1949) is a Filipino businessman and former politician. He previously served as senator from 2001 to 2013 and as the 20th President of the Senate of the Philippines from 2006 to 2008. Before ...

– 20th Senate President and 16th Speaker of the House of Representatives *

Alan Peter Cayetano Alan Peter Schramm Cayetano ( Tagalog pronunciation: ajɛˈtano born October 28, 1970) is a Filipino lawyer, diplomat, and politician serving as a senator since 2022 and previously from 2007 to 2017. He was the Senate Minority Leader from 2 ...

– former Secretary of Foreign Affairs and 22nd Speaker of the House of Representatives

Chief Justices

José Yulo José Yulo Yulo Sr. (September 24, 1894 – October 27, 1976) was the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines (May 7, 1942 – July 9, 1945) during the Japanese Occupation and was Speaker of the National Assembly of the Philippines ...

– 6th Chief Justice and former Speaker of the

Marcelo Fernan Marcelo "Celing" Briones Fernan (October 24, 1927 – July 11, 1999) was a Filipino lawyer and political figure. He is the only Filipino to have served as both Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and as Senate President. He is also the t ...

– 18th Chief Justice and 16th Senate president; only Filipino to have served as chief of the Senate and the judiciary

First Lady

Loi Ejercito Luisa Pimentel Ejército–Estrada (; born June 2, 1930), commonly known as Loi Ejército, is a Filipina politician and physician who last served as a Senator of the Philippines from 2001 to 2007. She is married to former Philippines, Philippine ...

– physician and the first, and to date only, former

First Lady of the Philippines The first lady or first gentleman of the Philippines () is the courtesy title given to the host or hostess of Malacañang Palace, the residence of the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The title is traditionally held by t ...

to win a seat in the Senate

Framers of the
1987 Philippine Constitution The Constitution of the Philippines ( Filipino: ''Saligang Batas ng Pilipinas'' or ''Konstitusyon ng Pilipinas'') is the supreme law of the Philippines. Its final draft was completed by the Constitutional Commission on October 12, 1986, and rati ...

* Ambrosio Padilla– vice president of the 1986 Philippine Constitutional Commission *

Lorenzo Sumulong Lorenzo Sumulong Sr. (September 5, 1905 – October 21, 1997) was a Filipino lawyer and politician who served in the Philippine Senate for four decades, and as a delegate of his country to the United Nations. He was noted for having engaged in ...

– former Senate President pro tempore of the Philippines * Decoroso Rosales – member of the 1986 Philippine Constitutional Commission * Soc Rodrigo – playwright, poet, journalist, broadcaster, lawyer, and Marcos-era opposition leader *

Domocao Alonto Ahmad Domocao "Domie" Alangadi Alonto Sr. (August 1, 1914 – December 11, 2002) was a Filipino Muslim lawyer, educator, author, traditional leader, and Islamic figure from Lanao del Sur. He served as a Senator of the Philippines and was electe ...

– Muslim-Filipino lawyer, educator, author, traditional leader, and Islamic figure from Lanao del Sur *

Blas Ople Blas Fajardo Ople (February 3, 1927 – December 14, 2003) was a Filipino journalist and politician who held several high-ranking positions in the Executive Departments of the Philippines, executive and Congress of the Philippines, legislative b ...

– president of the 60th International Labour Conference of the

International Labour Organization The International Labour Organization (ILO) is a United Nations agency whose mandate is to advance social and economic justice by setting international labour standards. Founded in October 1919 under the League of Nations, it is one of the firs ...

(ILO) and former Secretary of Foreign Affairs

Recipients of the
Quezon Service Cross The Quezon Service Cross () is the highest order of the Republic of the Philippines. It has been awarded to only a handful of Filipinos since its creation in 1946. Background The award was created by ''Joint Resolution No. 4'' dated October ...

Benigno Aquino Jr. Benigno "Ninoy" Simeón Aquino Jr., (, ; November 27, 1932 – August 21, 1983) was a Filipino politician who served as a senator of the Philippines (1967–1972) and governor of the province of Tarlac (1963–1967). Aquino was the husband ...

– Marcos-era opposition leader, husband of the 11th president

Corazon C. Aquino María Corazón "Cory" Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino (; January 25, 1933 – August 1, 2009) was a Filipino politician who served as the 11th president of the Philippines and the first woman president in the country, from 1986 to 1992. She was ...

, and father of the 15th President Benigno S. Aquino III *

Miriam Defensor Santiago Miriam Palma Defensor-Santiago (June 15, 1945 – September 29, 2016) was a Filipino scholar, academic, lawyer, judge, author, stateswoman, and politician who served in all three branches of the Philippine government: judicial, executive, and l ...

– first Filipino to be elected as

International Criminal Court The International Criminal Court (ICC) is an intergovernmental organization and International court, international tribunal seated in The Hague, Netherlands. It is the first and only permanent international court with jurisdiction to prosecute ...

judge,

Ramon Magsaysay Award The Ramon Magsaysay Award (Filipino language, Filipino: ''Gawad Ramon Magsaysay'') is an annual award established to perpetuate former Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay's example of integrity in governance, courageous service to the people, ...

recipient, member of the

International Development Law Organization The International Development Law Organization (IDLO) is an intergovernmental organization dedicated to the promotion of the rule of law. With a joint focus on the promotion of rule of law and development, it works to empower people and commun ...

International Advisory Council, and former presidential candidate.

Notable senators

Isabelo de los Reyes Isabelo de los Reyes y Florentino, also known as Don Belong (July 7, 1864 – October 10, 1938), was a prominent Filipino patriot, politician, writer, journalist, and labor activist in the 19th and 20th centuries. He was the original founder a ...

– nationalist, journalist and historian known as the "Father of the Philippine Labor Movement" *

Teodoro Sandiko Teodoro Sandiko y Santa Ana (March 31, 1860 – October 19, 1939) was a Filipino lawyer and former senator of the Philippines. Sandiko played important roles in Philippine history when he held various posts in the Aguinaldo cabinet. After the ...

– propagandist, revolutionary, and former member of Aguinaldo cabinet *

José Alejandrino José Cándido Alejandrino y Magdangal (December 1, 1870 – June 1, 1951) was a Philippine Republican Army general during the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine–American War. He was also a senator from the Twelfth Senatorial District ...

– propagandist, revolutionary general during the

Philippine Revolution The Philippine Revolution ( or ; or ) was a war of independence waged by the revolutionary organization Katipunan against the Spanish Empire from 1896 to 1898. It was the culmination of the 333-year History of the Philippines (1565–1898), ...

and the

Philippine–American War The Philippine–American War, known alternatively as the Philippine Insurrection, Filipino–American War, or Tagalog Insurgency, emerged following the conclusion of the Spanish–American War in December 1898 when the United States annexed th ...

* Hadji Butu – first Muslim senator in Philippine history *

Lope K. Santos Lope K. Santos (born Lope Santos y Canseco, September 25, 1879 – May 1, 1963) was a Filipino people, Filipino Tagalog language, Tagalog-language writer and former List of Senators of the Philippines, senator of the Philippines. He is best kn ...

– senator from the 12th district, known as "Father of the Filipino Grammar" *

Rafael Palma Rafael Palma y Velásquez (: October 24, 1874 May 24, 1939) was a Filipino politician, Rizalian, writer, educator and a famous Freemason. He was a senator from 1916 to 1921 and was the fourth president of the University of the Philippines. ...

– revolutionary writer, educator and 4th

President of the University of the Philippines The president of the University of the Philippines ( Filipino: ''Pangulo ng'' ''Unibersidad ng Pilipinas'') is the chief administrator and principal executive officer of the University of the Philippines. The president is elected for a single six ...

* Claro M. Recto – nationalist, writer and poet, and president of the 1934 Philippine Constitutional Convention *

Vicente Sotto Vicente Yap Sotto, Sr. (; April 18, 1877 – May 28, 1950) was a Filipino playwright, journalist, and politician who served as a Senate of the Philippines, senator from 1946 to 1950. He also served in the 6th Philippine Legislature, House of Rep ...

– journalist and known as the "Father of Cebuano Journalism" *

Camilo Osías Camilo Olaviano Osías Sr. (born Camilo Osías y Olaviano; March 23, 1889 – May 20, 1976), was a Filipino people, Filipino politician, twice for a short time President of the Senate of the Philippines. Along with American Mary A. Lane, Osías ...

– educator and writer who, for a short time, service twice as Senate President * Geronima Pecson – educator, suffragette, and social worker who became the first woman senator of the

Eulogio Rodriguez Eulogio "Amang" Adona Rodriguez Sr. (born Eulogio Rodríguez y Adona; January 21, 1883 – December 9, 1964) was a Filipino politician who twice served as President of the Senate of the Philippines. He was known for vehemently confronting corru ...

– 7th Senate President *

Lorenzo Tañada Lorenzo Martinez "Ka Tanny" Tañada Sr. (, August 10, 1898 – May 28, 1992) was a Filipino statesman, lawyer, human and civil rights defender, and national athlete. He is often referred to as the "Grand Old Man of Philippine Politics." He s ...

– Marcos-era opposition leader, and longest-serving senator of 24 years tied with

Franklin Drilon Franklin Magtunao Drilon (; born November 28, 1945) is a Filipino lawyer and former politician. He has served thrice as president of the Senate: in 2000, from 2001 to 2006, and from 2013 to 2016. Having also served as Senate president pro te ...

from 1947 to 1972; dubbed "The Grand Old Man of Philippine Politics" *

Jovito Salonga Jovito Reyes Salonga, Knights of Rizal, KGCR (; June 22, 1920 – March 10, 2016) also called "Ka Jovy," was a Filipino people, Filipino lawyer and politician, as well as a leading opposition leader during the regime of Ferdinand Marcos from th ...

– 12th Senate President, Marcos-era opposition leader, and former Chairman of the

Presidential Commission on Good Government The Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) is a quasi-judicial government agency of the Philippines whose primary mandate is to recover the ill-gotten wealth accumulated by Ferdinand Marcos, his immediate family, relatives, subordi ...

(PCGG). * Gil J. Puyat – 11th Senate President * Jose W. Diokno – father of human rights, Marcos-era co-opposition leader, nationalist, former Secretary of Justice, Bar topnotcher, and founder of the

Free Legal Assistance Group The Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) is a nationwide organization of human rights lawyers in the Philippines. It was founded in 1974 by Senate of the Philippines, Sen. Jose W. Diokno, Lorenzo Tañada, J.B.L. Reyes, and Joker Arroyo during th ...

and the

Commission on Human Rights A human rights commission, also known as a human relations commission, is a body set up to investigate, promote or protect human rights. The term may refer to international, national or subnational bodies set up for this purpose, such as nationa ...

Tecla San Andres Ziga Tecla Ravago San Andres Ziga (August 23, 1906 – August 17, 1992) was a female senator in the Philippines notable for being the first woman in the country to top the bar examination for law-degree graduates. Biography Early years She was bo ...

– first woman Bar topnotcher in the Philippines * Eva Estrada Kalaw – Marcos-era opposition leader, and the first woman senator to be re-elected * Helena Benitez – Filipina academic and administrator of the

Philippine Women's University Philippine Women's University (PWU) is a coeducational tertiary education school which has its main campus in Manila, Philippines. An all girls school, institution exclusive for girls from its inception until the 1970s, the PWU now admits both ...

Raul Manglapus Raul Sevilla Manglapus (October 20, 1918 – July 25, 1999) was a prominent post–World War II Filipino politician and songwriter. He co-founded the reformist Progressive Party of the Philippines and the Christian Democratic Socialist Movement ...

– Marcos-era opposition leader, former Secretary of Foreign Affairs, and a former presidential candidate * Aquilino Pimentel Jr. – Marcos-era co-opposition leader, 19th Senate President, and former PDP–Laban chairman *

Santanina Rasul Santanina Tillah Rasul (born Santanina Centi Tillah; September 14, 1930 – November 28, 2024) was a Filipina politician and the first Muslim woman member of the Senate of the Philippines. Early life and education Rasul was born in Siasi, Su ...

– first Muslim woman elected to the Senate *

Leticia Ramos-Shahani Leticia Valdez Ramos-Shahani (September 30, 1929 – March 20, 2017) was a Filipino senator, diplomat, and writer. She was the younger sister of Fidel V. Ramos, the 12th president of the Philippines. Early life She was born on September ...

– former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, and former UN Assistant Secretary-General for Social and Humanitarian Affairs *

Rene Saguisag Rene Augusto Verceluz Saguisag (; August 14, 1939 – April 24, 2024) was a Filipino lawyer and politician. He served as a Senator from 1987 until 1992. Saguisag became a human rights lawyer from 1972 to 1986 during the Martial Law period and ...

– human rights lawyer during the Marcos dictatorship *

Neptali Gonzales Neptali Alvaro Gonzales (June 10, 1923 – September 16, 2001), better known as Neptali Gonzales, Sr., was a Filipino politician who served as the President of the Philippine Senate from 1992 to 1993, 1995 to 1996, and 1998. Early life and ...

– elected three times as Senate president, former Minister of Justice, member of Batasang Pambansa, Vice Governor of Rizal, and dean of the College of Law of the

Far Eastern University Far Eastern University (), also referred to by its acronym FEU, is a Private university, private research non-sectarian university in Manila, Philippines. Created by the merger of Far Eastern College and the Institute of Accounts, Business and ...

– 18th Senate President, former Liberal Party chairman, and tied with Lorenzo Tañada for the longest tenure as elected senator *

Juan Flavier Juan Martin Flavier (; June 23, 1935 – October 30, 2014) was a Filipino physician and politician. He served as the Secretary of Health under President Fidel V. Ramos from 1992 to 1995, and was later elected to the Senate, serving from 1995 to ...

– 18th

Secretary of Health A health minister is the member of a country's government typically responsible for protecting and promoting public health and providing welfare spending and other social security services. Some governments have separate Minister of Mental Health, ...

Raul Roco Raul Sagarbarria Roco (October 26, 1941 – August 5, 2005) was a Filipino politician. He was the founder and presidential nominee of '' Aksyon Demokratiko'', which he founded in 1997 as a vehicle for his presidential bid in 1998 and his second ...

– 1998 and 2004 presidential candidate; former Secretary of Education, Culture and Sports *

Rodolfo Biazon Rodolfo "Pong" Gaspar Biazon (, April 14, 1935 – June 12, 2023) was a Filipino politician and Philippine Marine Corps general. He was the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in early 1991 and then served as a Senato ...

– 21st

Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines The Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (CSAFP) is the highest-ranking military officer (except for the President of the Philippines, who holds the position of Commander-in-Chief equivalent to a five-star general) and the he ...

Joker Arroyo Ceferino "Joker" Paz Arroyo Jr. (; January 5, 1927 – October 5, 2015) was a Filipino statesman and key figure in the 1986 EDSA Revolution, EDSA People Power Revolution that ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos. He was a Congressman for Makati fr ...

– human rights lawyer during the Marcos dictatorship * Leila de Lima –

human rights activist A human rights defender or human rights activist is a person who, individually or with others, acts to promote or protect human rights. They can be journalists, environmentalists, whistleblowers, trade unionists, lawyers, teachers, housing campai ...

and

law professor A jurist is a person with expert knowledge of law; someone who analyzes and comments on law. This person is usually a specialist legal scholar, mostly (but not always) with a formal education in law (a law degree) and often a legal practition ...

who previously served as chairperson of the

and Secretary of Justice *

Loren Legarda Lorna Regina "Loren" Bautista Legarda (born January 28, 1960) is a Filipina politician, environmentalist, cultural worker, and former journalist who is currently serving as a Senator and served as the president pro tempore of the Senate of the ...

– first female Senate Majority Leader and the first female Senate President Pro Tempore *

– first democratic socialist politician ever elected to the Senate and the first female Senate Deputy Minority Leader *

Tito Sotto Vicente Castelo Sotto, III (; born August 24, 1948), is a Filipino politician and television personality who is a Senate of the Philippines, senator-elect of the Philippines. He is the longest-serving senator in the history of the upper chamb ...

– first five-term senator, former chairman of the

Dangerous Drugs Board The Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB; ) is a government agency tasked with creating policies in dealing with illegal drugs in the Philippines. Background At the time when the Republic Act 6425, also known as the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1972, was approve ...

, and former Vice Mayor of Quezon City

References

External links

*
Official WebsiteOfficial Government Portal
{{National upper houses 1916 establishments in the Philippines