At stake in this election:

• 24 seats in the Senate (Senado)

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO *
• Head of Government: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO
• Assembly: Philippines has a bicameral Congress (Kongreso) consisting of the Senate (Senado) with 24 seats and the House of Representatives (Kapulungan Ng Mga Kinatawan) with 214 seats.

* ARROYO became president on January 20, 2001 after former President Joseph Ejercito ESTRADA was removed from office on corruption charges.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by popular vote to serve a 6-year term.
• In the Senate (Senado) 24 members are elected by popular vote to serve 6-year terms*. In the House of Representatives (Kapulungan Ng Mga Kinatawan) 214 members are elected by popular vote to serve 3-year terms.**

* One-half of the members are elected every three years.

** The Constitution prohibits the House of Representatives from having more than 250 members.

Main parties in the electoral race:

• Party: National Union of Christian Democrats / Lakas ng Edsa or Lakas-CMD
  • Leader: Jose DE VENECIA
  • Seats won in last Senate election: 13
  • Seats won in last House of Representatives election: 86
• Party: Nationalist People's Coalition / (NPC)
  • Leader: Eduardo COJUANGO
  • Seats won in last Senate election: 0
  • Seats won in last House of Representatives election: 54
• Party: Struggle for Democratic Filipinos / Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP)***
  • Leader: Edgardo ANGARA
  • Seats won in last Senate election: 11
  • Seats won in last House of Representatives election: 21
• Party: Liberal Party (LP)
  • Leader: Florencio ABAD
  • Seats won in last Senate election: 0
  • Seats won in last House of Representatives election: 20

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 84,596,249 (2004)
• Registered Voters: 43,536,028 (2004)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 42,093,350 (2004)

·         Is Philippines a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (15 July 1980)

·         Has Philippines ratified CEDAW: Yes (5 August 1981)

·         Gender Quota: No (there are some political parties that have adopted voluntary gender quotas)

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 37 (House of Representatives); 4 (Senate) following the 2001 elections)

·         Human Development Index Position: 115 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: Medium (2014)

Disability Data:

·         Is Philippines a signatory to CRPD: Yes (25 September 2007)

·         Has Philippines ratified CRPD: Yes (15 April 2008)

·         Population with a disability: 12,689,437 (est.)