The Philippines

The Republic of the Philippines – Overview & Geography

The Philippines is an island archipelago of 7,641 islands in Southeast Asia, grouped into three main geographic divisions: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. It is a democratic republic with the President serving as both head of state and head of government.

As of 2025, the Philippines is administratively divided as follows:

• 18 Regions – 17 are under the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), while the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) operates under its own regional government and reports directly to the Office of the President.
• 82 provinces
• 148 cities
• 1,486 municipalities
• 42,027 barangays

With a total land area of 300,000 sq km (about 115,831 sq mi), the archipelago is home to diverse terrain — about 65% mountainous — bordered by narrow to broad coastal lowlands and dotted with fertile plains. Its tropical maritime climate brings distinct wet and dry seasons, and it lies along the Pacific typhoon belt.

• Capital & Largest Metropolitan Area: Metro Manila — population ~13.5 million (2025 est.)

• Other Major Cities: Davao City (~1.9 million), Cebu City (~1 million)

• Water area: ~1,830 sq km

• Coastline: 36,289 km, one of the longest in the world

Major Bodies of Water

Surrounding and interlinking the islands are: Philippine Sea • South China Sea • Sulu Sea • Celebes Sea • Luzon Strait • Sibuyan Sea • Visayan Sea • Mindanao (Bohol) Sea • Moro Gulf • Manila Bay

Government of the Nation

Executive Branch

President

• Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. – Assumed office on June 30, 2022

• Serves as both head of state and head of government

• Elected to a single six‑year term (2022 – 2028), with no re‑election permitted

Vice President

• Sara Duterte – Assumed office on June 30, 2022

• Elected separately from the President

• Serves a six‑year term (2022 – 2028)

• Also held the position of Secretary of Education from 2022 to 2024

Senators of the 20th Congress (2025–2028)

Elected in 2025 (term ends 2031):

1. Christopher “Bong” Go – PDP–Laban

2. Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV – Katipunan ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KANP)

3. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa – PDP–Laban

4. Erwin Tulfo – Lakas–CMD

5. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan – Liberal Party

6. Rodante Marcoleta – Independent

7. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson – Independent

8. Vicente “Tito” Sotto III – Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC)

9. Pia Cayetano – Nacionalista Party

10. Camille Villar – Nacionalista Party

11. Lito Lapid – NPC

12. Imee Marcos – Nacionalista Party

Elected in 2022 (term ends 2028):

13. Alan Peter Cayetano – Nacionalista Party

14. JV Ejercito – NPC

15. Loren Legarda – NPC

16. Risa Hontiveros – Akbayan

17. Robinhood “Robin” Padilla – PDP–Laban

18. Sherwin Gatchalian – NPC

19. Francis “Chiz” Escudero – NPC

20. Mark Villar – Nacionalista Party

21. Joel Villanueva – Independent

22. Ronald “Ronnie” Ong – Lakas–CMD

23. Nancy Binay – United Nationalist Alliance (UNA)

24. Raffy Tulfo – Independent

Decentralization in the Philippines: A Reality Since 1991

Contrary to popular belief, the Philippines has operated under a decentralized system of government since 1991. This shift was formalized through the enactment of Republic Act 7160, commonly known as the Local Government Code of 1991. The law mandates that each Local Government Unit (LGU)—from provinces and cities down to the smallest barangay—is responsible for managing its own affairs, including budget preparation and resource allocation.

Under this system, each LGU formulates and submits its own budget based on local priorities and needs. Importantly, barangays are no longer mere recipients of funds from higher levels of government; they have the authority to create and manage their own budgets, fostering greater local autonomy and accountability.

The notion of an “Imperial Manila” controlling all local budgets and decisions is a myth in today’s Philippine governance landscape. The budget formulation and planning process have been decentralized, empowering LGUs across the country to directly address their constituents’ needs and development goals.

It is the responsibility of LGUs to comply with budget submission requirements. Failure to do so, rather than a lack of decentralization, is often the cause of delays or issues in funding approval.

People of the Philippines

With improved road networks and greater access to rural communities, census counts in the Philippines have become more accurate. In certain remote or conflict‑affected areas, however, figures remain estimates, as enumerators may require security escorts to conduct surveys.

Population

• Annual Growth Rate (2025): ~0.81%

• Nationality: Noun – Filipino(s); Adjective – Philippine

Ethnic Groups The population is predominantly Austronesian (Malay) in heritage, with significant minorities of Chinese, Spanish, and mixed ancestry. Major ethnolinguistic groups include Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon, Bikol, Waray, Kapampangan, Maranao, and others.

Religion

The Philippines is predominantly Christian, with roughly 80.6% identifying as Roman Catholic. Other Christian denominations collectively make up about 11%, including Evangelical, Iglesia ni Cristo, Aglipayan, and Protestant communities. Muslims comprise about 5.6%, concentrated in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and parts of the Sulu Archipelago. Other faiths, those with no religion, and unspecified affiliations account for approximately 2.8% combined.

Separation of Church and State While the Constitution mandates separation of church and state, in practice, the government allocates funding to the Muslim community through BARMM and the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF). No other religion receives comparable direct annual budgetary support.

Languages

• Filipino (based on Tagalog) – official national language

• English – co‑official, widely used in government, business, education, and media

• Around 87 languages and dialects are spoken nationwide, most belonging to the Austronesian (Malay‑Polynesian) family. Eight major languages — Cebuano, Tagalog, Ilocano, Hiligaynon, Bikol, Waray, Kapampangan, and Maranao — account for the majority of speakers.

• Hokkien (Fukienese) and Mandarin are used within Chinese‑Filipino communities; Spanish remains rare and is spoken by only a small number of families.

Education

• Primary education: 6 years, free and compulsory

• Secondary education: 4 years, free but not compulsory

• Literacy rate: ~97% (2020 Census)

• Both Filipino and English are taught nationwide, with English serving as the main medium of instruction in most high schools, colleges, and universities.

Health

• Infant mortality rate: ~21 per 1,000 live births (2023 est.)

• Life expectancy: ~69 years for males, ~75 years for females (2023 est.)

Workforce

• Labor force (2024 est.): ~50 million

• Sector composition: Services ~60%, Agriculture ~23%, Industry ~17%

Cultural Heritage and Diversity

Filipinos are largely descendants of Austronesian peoples who arrived in successive migration waves over many centuries, integrating with or displacing earlier aboriginal groups. The largest ethnic minority is of Chinese descent, historically influential in trade and commerce. Other minorities include those of Spanish, American, Arab, and Indian ancestry, often the result of long‑standing trade and intermarriage.

Over 90% of the population is Christian, a legacy of nearly four centuries of Spanish and American rule. Distinct non‑Hispanicized communities remain, including:

• Muslims in the Sulu Archipelago and parts of Mindanao

• Indigenous highland groups of northern Luzon

• Small forest tribes in remote areas of Mindanao