# List of presidents of the Philippines

Under the Constitution of the Philippines, the president of the Philippines (Filipino: Pangulo ng Pilipinas) is both the head of state and government, and serves as the commander-in-chief of the country's armed forces. The president is directly elected by qualified voters to a six-year term and must be "a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, a registered voter, able to read and write, at least forty years of age on the day of the election, and a resident of the Philippines for at least ten years immediately preceding such election". No elected president can seek re-election. Upon resignation, or removal from the office, the vice president assumes the post. A president's successor who hasn't served for more than four years can still seek a full term for the presidency.

## History

Emilio Aguinaldo became the inaugural president of the Philippines under the Malolos Republic, which was considered the First Philippine Republic. He held that office until 1901 when he was captured by United States forces during the Philippine–American War (1899–1902). The American colonization of the Philippines abolished the First Republic, which led to an American governor-general exercising executive power.
In 1935, the United States, pursuant to its promise of full Philippine sovereignty, established the Commonwealth of the Philippines following the ratification of the 1935 Constitution, which also restored the presidency. The first national presidential election was held, and Manuel L. Quezon (1935–44) was elected to a six-year term with no provision for re-election as the second Philippine president and the first Commonwealth president. In 1940, however, the Constitution was amended to allow re-election but shortened the term to four years. However, a change in the government occurred three years later when the Second Philippine Republic was organized with the enactment of the 1943 Constitution, which Japan imposed after the occupied the Philippines in 1942 during World War II. José P. Laurel acted as puppet president of the new Japanese-sponsored government; his de facto presidency, not legally recognized until the 1960s, overlapped with that of the president of the Commonwealth, which went into exile. The Second Republic was dissolved after the Japan surrendered to the Allies in 1945; the Commonwealth was then restored in the Philippines in the same year with the election of Sergio Osmeña (1944–46) as president.
Manuel Roxas (1946–1948) then followed Osmeña when he won the first post-war election in 1946. He became the first president of the independent Philippines when the Commonwealth ended on July 4 of that year. The Third Republic was ushered in and would cover the administrations of the next five presidents, the last of which was Ferdinand Marcos (1965–86), who performed a self-coup by imposing martial law in 1972. The dictatorship of Marcos saw the birth of the New Society (Filipino: Bagong Lipunan) and the Fourth Republic. His tenure lasted until 1986 when he was deposed in the People Power Revolution. The current constitution came into effect in 1987, marking the beginning of the Fifth Republic.
Of the individuals elected as president, three died in office: two of natural causes (Manuel L. Quezon and Manuel Roxas) and one in a plane crash (Ramon Magsaysay, 1953–57). The longest-serving president is Ferdinand Marcos with 20 years and 57 days in office; he is the only president to have served more than two terms. The shortest is Sergio Osmeña, who spent 1 year and 300 days in office.
Two women have held the office: Corazon Aquino (1986–92), who ascended to the presidency upon the successful People Power Revolution of 1986, and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (2001–10), who, as vice president, ascended to the presidency upon Estrada's resignation and was elected to a full six-year term in 2004.

## Presidents

| No. | Portrait | Name(Lifespan) | Party | Party | Term | Election | Vice president | Era |
| 1 | | Emilio Aguinaldo (1869–1964) | | None | January 23, 1899 – April 19, 1901 (2 years, 86 days) | 1899 | None | First Republic |
| None | None | None | None | None | None | – | None | U.S. Military Government |
| None | None | None | None | None | None | – | None | U.S. Insular Government |
| 2 | | Manuel L. Quezon (1878–1944) | | Nacionalista | November 15, 1935 – August 1, 1944 (8 years, 260 days) | 1935 | Sergio Osmeña (Nacionalista) | Commonwealth |
| 2 | | Manuel L. Quezon (1878–1944) | | Nacionalista | November 15, 1935 – August 1, 1944 (8 years, 260 days) | 1941 | Sergio Osmeña (Nacionalista) | Commonwealth |
| 3 | | Jose P. Laurel (1891–1959) | | KALIBAPI | October 14, 1943 – August 17, 1945 (1 year, 307 days) | 1943 | None | Second Republic |
| 4 | | Sergio Osmeña (1878–1961) | | Nacionalista | August 1, 1944 – May 28, 1946 (1 year, 300 days) | 1941 | Vacant | Commonwealth |
| 5 | | Manuel Roxas (1892–1948) | | Liberal | May 28, 1946 – April 15, 1948 (1 year, 323 days) | 1946 | Elpidio Quirino (Liberal) | Commonwealth |
| 5 | | Manuel Roxas (1892–1948) | | Liberal | May 28, 1946 – April 15, 1948 (1 year, 323 days) | 1946 | Elpidio Quirino (Liberal) | Third Republic |
| 6 | | Elpidio Quirino (1890–1956) | | Liberal | April 17, 1948 – December 30, 1953 (5 years, 257 days) | 1946 | Vacant | Third Republic |
| 6 | | Elpidio Quirino (1890–1956) | | Liberal | April 17, 1948 – December 30, 1953 (5 years, 257 days) | 1949 | Fernando Lopez (Liberal) | Third Republic |
| 7 | | Ramon Magsaysay (1907–1957) | | Nacionalista | December 30, 1953 – March 17, 1957 (3 years, 77 days) | 1953 | Carlos P. Garcia (Nacionalista) | Third Republic |
| 8 | | Carlos P. Garcia (1896–1971) | | Nacionalista | March 18, 1957 – December 30, 1961 (4 years, 287 days) | 1953 | None | Third Republic |
| 8 | | Carlos P. Garcia (1896–1971) | | Nacionalista | March 18, 1957 – December 30, 1961 (4 years, 287 days) | 1957 | Diosdado Macapagal (Liberal) | Third Republic |
| 9 | | Diosdado Macapagal (1910–1997) | | Liberal | December 30, 1961 – December 30, 1965 (4 years) | 1961 | Emmanuel Pelaez (Liberal, later Nacionalista) | Third Republic |
| 10 | | Ferdinand Marcos (1917–1989) | | Nacionalista (until 1978) | December 30, 1965 – February 25, 1986 (20 years, 57 days) | 1965 | Fernando Lopez (Nacionalista) | Third Republic |
| 10 | | Ferdinand Marcos (1917–1989) | | Nacionalista (until 1978) | December 30, 1965 – February 25, 1986 (20 years, 57 days) | 1969 | Fernando Lopez (Nacionalista) | Third Republic |
| 10 | | Ferdinand Marcos (1917–1989) | | Nacionalista (until 1978) | December 30, 1965 – February 25, 1986 (20 years, 57 days) | 1969 | Fernando Lopez (Nacionalista) | Martial Law |
| 10 | | Ferdinand Marcos (1917–1989) | | Nacionalista (until 1978) | December 30, 1965 – February 25, 1986 (20 years, 57 days) | 1969 | None | Martial Law |
| 10 | | Ferdinand Marcos (1917–1989) | | Nacionalista (until 1978) | December 30, 1965 – February 25, 1986 (20 years, 57 days) | 1973 | None | Martial Law |
| 10 | | Ferdinand Marcos (1917–1989) | | Nacionalista (until 1978) | December 30, 1965 – February 25, 1986 (20 years, 57 days) | 1977 | None | Martial Law |
| 10 | | Ferdinand Marcos (1917–1989) | | KBL (from 1978) | December 30, 1965 – February 25, 1986 (20 years, 57 days) | 1977 | None | Martial Law |
| 10 | | Ferdinand Marcos (1917–1989) | | KBL (from 1978) | December 30, 1965 – February 25, 1986 (20 years, 57 days) | 1981 | None | Fourth Republic |
| 10 | | Ferdinand Marcos (1917–1989) | | KBL (from 1978) | December 30, 1965 – February 25, 1986 (20 years, 57 days) | 1981 | Vacant | Fourth Republic |
| 11 | | Corazon Aquino (1933–2009) | | UNIDO (until 1988) | February 25, 1986 – June 30, 1992 (6 years, 126 days) | 1986 | Salvador Laurel (UNIDO, later Nacionalista) | Provisional Government |
| 11 | | Corazon Aquino (1933–2009) | | UNIDO (until 1988) | February 25, 1986 – June 30, 1992 (6 years, 126 days) | 1986 | Salvador Laurel (UNIDO, later Nacionalista) | Fifth Republic |
| 11 | | Corazon Aquino (1933–2009) | | Independent (from 1988) | February 25, 1986 – June 30, 1992 (6 years, 126 days) | 1986 | Salvador Laurel (UNIDO, later Nacionalista) | Fifth Republic |
| 12 | | Fidel V. Ramos (1928–2022) | | Lakas–NUCD | June 30, 1992 – June 30, 1998 (6 years) | 1992 | Joseph Estrada (NPC, later LAMMP) | Fifth Republic |
| 13 | | Joseph Estrada (born 1937) | | LAMMP | June 30, 1998 – January 20, 2001 (2 years, 204 days) | 1998 | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (Lakas–NUCD) | Fifth Republic |
| 14 | | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (born 1947) | | Lakas–CMD | January 20, 2001 – June 30, 2010 (9 years, 161 days) | 1998 | Vacant | Fifth Republic |
| 14 | | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (born 1947) | | Lakas–CMD | January 20, 2001 – June 30, 2010 (9 years, 161 days) | 1998 | Teofisto Guingona Jr. (Lakas–NUCD, later independent) | Fifth Republic |
| 14 | | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (born 1947) | | Lakas–CMD | January 20, 2001 – June 30, 2010 (9 years, 161 days) | 2004 | Noli de Castro (independent) | Fifth Republic |
| 15 | | Benigno Aquino III (1960–2021) | | Liberal | June 30, 2010 – June 30, 2016 (6 years) | 2010 | Jejomar Binay (PDP–Laban, later UNA) | Fifth Republic |
| 16 | | Rodrigo Duterte (born 1945) | | PDP–Laban | June 30, 2016 – June 30, 2022 (6 years) | 2016 | Leni Robredo (Liberal) | Fifth Republic |
| 17 | | Bongbong Marcos (born 1957) | | PFP | June 30, 2022 – present (2 years, 261 days) | 2022 | Sara Duterte (Lakas–CMD, later HNP) | Fifth Republic |

### Timeline
## Unofficial presidents

Andrés Bonifacio is considered by some historians to be the first president of the Philippines. He was the third Supreme President (Spanish: Presidente Supremo; Tagalog: Kataastaasang Pangulo) of the Katipunan secret society. Its Supreme Council, led by the Supreme President, coordinated provincial and district councils. When the Katipunan went into open revolt in August 1896 (the Cry of Balintawak), Bonifacio transformed it into a revolutionary government with him as president. While the term Katipunan remained, Bonifacio's government was also known as the Tagalog Republic (Tagalog: Republika ng Katagalugan; Spanish: Republica Tagala). (Although the word Tagalog refers to a specific ethnicity, Bonifacio used it to denote all indigenous people in the Philippines in place of Filipino which had colonial origins.)
Some historians contend that including Bonifacio as a past president would imply that Macario Sakay and Miguel Malvar y Carpio should also be included. Miguel Malvar y Carpio continued Emilio Aguinaldo's leadership of the First Philippine Republic after the latter's capture until his own capture in 1902. Macario Sakay revived the Tagalog Republic in 1902 as a continuation of Bonifacio's Katipunan. They are still both considered by some scholars as "unofficial presidents". Along with Bonifacio, Malvar and Sakay are not recognized as presidents by the Philippine government.
Emilio Aguinaldo is officially recognized as the first president of the Philippines, but this is based on his term of office during the Malolos Republic, later known as the First Philippine Republic. Prior to this Aguinaldo had held the presidency of several revolutionary governments which are not counted in the succession of Philippine republics.
Manuel L. Quezon delegated his presidential duties to José Abad Santos, the then Chief Justice, when the former fled the Philippines amidst Japanese occupation of the islands to establish a government-in-exile. He is believed to have in effect become the acting president of the Philippine Commonwealth though no legal document has been retrieved detailing the official transfer of the title of President to Abad Santos.

### List

| Portrait | Name Lifespan | Party | Party | Term | Term | Vice President | Government |
| Portrait | Name Lifespan | Party | Party | Took office | Left office | Vice President | Government |
| | Andrés Bonifacio (1863–1897) | | None | August 24, 1896 | March 22, 1897 or May 10, 1897 | None | Sovereign Tagalog Nation |
| | Emilio Aguinaldo (1869–1964) | | None | March 22, 1897 | November 1, 1897 | Mariano Trias | Tejeros revolutionary government |
| | Emilio Aguinaldo (1869–1964) | | None | November 2, 1897 | December 14, 1897 | Mariano Trias | Republic of Biak-na-Bato |
| | Emilio Aguinaldo (1869–1964) | | None | May 24, 1898 | June 23, 1898 | Mariano Trias | Dictatorial Government |
| | Emilio Aguinaldo (1869–1964) | | None | June 23, 1898 | January 23, 1899 | Mariano Trias | Revolutionary Government |
| | Francisco Makabulos (1871–1922) | | None | April 17, 1898 | May 19, 1898 | None | Central Executive Committee |
| | Miguel Malvar (1865–1911) | | None | April 19, 1901 | April 16, 1902 | None | First Republic |
| | Macario Sakay (1870–1907) | | Katipunan (holdout/revival) | May 6, 1902 | July 14, 1906 | Francisco Carreón | Tagalog Republic |
| | José Abad Santos (1886–1942) | | Independent | March 17, 1942 | May 2, 1942 | None | Commonwealth |
| | Jorge B. Vargas (1890–1980) | | KALIBAPI Association for Service to the New Philippines | January 23, 1942 | October 14, 1943 | None | Philippine Executive Commission |
| | Arturo Tolentino (1910–2004) | | Kilusang Bagong Lipunan New Society Movement | July 6, 1986 | July 8, 1986 | None | Fourth Republic |

### Timeline
## List of presidents by age

| No. | President | Born | Age at start of presidency | Age at end of presidency | Post-presidency timespan | Cause of death | Lifespan | Lifespan |
| No. | President | Born | Age at start of presidency | Age at end of presidency | Post-presidency timespan | Cause of death | Died | Age |
| 1 | Emilio Aguinaldo | March 22, 1869 | 29 years, 10 months, 1 day January 23, 1899 | 32 years, 22 days March 23, 1901 | 62 years, 10 months, 14 days | Died due to Cardiovascular Diesease | February 6, 1964 | 94 years |
| 2 | Manuel Quezon | August 19, 1878 | 57 years, 2 months, 27 days February 15, 1935 | 65 years, 11 months, 13 days August 1, 1944 | Died in office | Died due to Tuberculosis | August 1, 1944 | 65 years |
| 3 | Jose P. Laurel | March 9, 1891 | 52 years, 7 months, 5 days October 14, 1943 | 54 years, 5 months, 8 days August 17, 1945 | 14 years, 2 months, 20 days | Died due to Myocardial Infarction | November 6, 1959 | 68 years |
| 4 | Sergio Osmeña | September 9, 1878 | 65 years, 10 months, 23 days August 1, 1944 | 67 years, 8 months, 19 days May 28, 1946 | 15 years, 4 months, 21 days | Died due to Pulmonary Edema | October 19, 1961 | 83 years |
| 5 | Manuel Roxas | January 1, 1892 | 54 years, 4 months, 27 days May 28, 1946 | 56 years, 3 months, 14 days April 15, 1948 | Died in office | Died due to Myocardial Infarction | April 15, 1948 | 56 years |
| 6 | Elpidio Quirino | November 16, 1890 | 57 years, 5 months, 1 day April 17, 1948 | 63 years, 1 month, 14 days December 30, 1953 | 2 years, 1 month, 30 days | Died due to Myocardial Infarction | February 29, 1956 | 65 years |
| 7 | Ramon Magsaysay | August 31, 1907 | 46 years, 3 months, 29 days December 30, 1953 | 49 years old, 6 months, 14 days March 17, 1957 | Died in office | Died in an aircraft disaster | March 17, 1957 | 49 years |
| 8 | Carlos P. Garcia | November 4, 1896 | 60 years, 5 months, 14 days March 18, 1957 | 65 years, 1 months, 26 days December 30, 1961 | 9 years, 5 months, 15 days | Died due to Heart Attack | June 14, 1971 | 74 years |
| 9 | Diosdado Macapagal | September 28, 1910 | 51 years, 3 months, 2 days December 30, 1961 | 55 years, 3 months, 2 days December 30, 1965 | 31 years, 3 months, 22 days | Died due to Pneumonia | April 21, 1997 | 86 years |
| 10 | Ferdinand E. Marcos | September 11, 1917 | 48 years, 3 months, 19 days December 30, 1965 | 68 years, 5 months, 14 days February 25, 1986 | 3 years, 7 months, 3 days | Died due to Kidney Failure | September 28, 1989 | 72 years |
| 11 | Corazon Aquino | January 25, 1933 | 53 years, 1 month February 25, 1986 | 59 years, 5 months, 5 days June 30, 1992 | 17 years, 1 months, 2 days | Died due to Colorectal Cancer | August 1, 2009 | 76 years |
| 12 | Fidel V. Ramos | March 18, 1928 | 64 years old, 3 months, 12 days June 30, 1992 | 70 years old, 3 months, 12 days June 30, 1998 | 24 years, 1 month, 1 day | Died due to Covid-19 | July 31, 2022 | 94 years |
| 13 | Joseph Estrada | April 19, 1937 | 61 years, 2 months, 11 days June 30, 1998 | 63 years, 9 months, 1 day January 20, 2001 | (Living) | (Living) | (Living) | 87 years, 333 days |
| 14 | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo | April 5, 1947 | 53 years, 9 months, 15 days January 20, 2001 | 63 years, 2 months, 25 days June 30, 2010 | (Living) | (Living) | (Living) | 77 years, 347 days |
| 15 | Benigno Aquino III | February 8, 1960 | 50 years, 4 months, 22 days June 30, 2010 | 56 years, 4 months, 22 days June 30, 2016 | 4 years, 21 months, 25 days | Died due to Diabetic Nephropathy | June 24, 2021 | 61 years |
| 16 | Rodrigo Duterte | March 28, 1945 | 71 years, 3 months, 2 days June 30, 2016 | 77 years, 3 months, 2 days June 30, 2022 | (Living) | (Living) | (Living) | 79 years, 355 days |
| 17 | Bongbong Marcos | September 13, 1957 | 64 years, 9 months, 3 days June 30, 2022 | (Incumbent) | (Incumbent) | (Incumbent) | (Living) | 67 years, 186 days |

## List of presidents by offices held before presidency
### Executive branch
#### Vice presidents

| Vice President | President served under | Year(s) served | Notes |
| Sergio Osmeña | Manuel L. Quezon | 1935–1944 | Osmeña succeeded Quezon, after the latter's death. |
| Elpidio Quirino | Manuel Roxas | 1946–1948 | Quirino succeeded Roxas, after the latter's death; Ran and won a full term in 1949. |
| Carlos P. Garcia | Ramon Magsaysay | 1953–1957 | Garcia succeeded Magsaysay, after the latter's death; Ran and won a full term in 1957. |
| Diosdado Macapagal | Carlos P. Garcia | 1957–1961 | Macapagal defeated Garcia in 1961. |
| Joseph Estrada | Fidel V. Ramos | 1992–1998 | Estrada ran for a full term in 1998. |
| Gloria Macapagal Arroyo | Joseph Estrada | 1998–2001 | Arroyo succeeded Estrada, after the latter's resignation; Ran and won a full term in 2004. |
3 other former vice presidents (S. Laurel, Binay, and Robredo) all made failed runs for the presidency.

#### Cabinet secretaries

The following cabinet secretaries are only served for fulltime. Vice Presidents served as cabinet secretary concurrently are not included.
| Secretary | Office | President served under | Year(s) served |
| Elpidio Quirino | Secretary of Finance | Manuel Quezon | 1934– 1936 |
| Elpidio Quirino | Secretary of Interior | Manuel Quezon | 1935–1938 |
| Manuel Roxas | Secretary of Interior | Manuel Quezon | 1941 |
| Ramon Magsaysay | Secretary of National Defense | Elpidio Quirino | 1935–1944 |
| Fidel V. Ramos | Secretary of National Defense | Corazon Aquino | 1988–1991 |

#### Other positions

| Name | Office | President served under | Year(s) served |
| Gloria Macapagal Arroyo | Undersecretary of the Department of Trade and Industry | Corazon Aquino | 1987–1992 |

### Legislative
#### Senators

| Senator | District | Year(s) served | Notes |
| Manuel L. Quezon | 5th | 1916–1935 | First president to serve as Senate President (1916–1935) |
| Jose P. Laurel | 5th | 1925–1931 | Only former president to serve as senator (1951–1957). Only senator served as Majority Floor Leader (1925–1931) |
| Sergio Osmeña | 10th | 1922–1935 | First president served as President pro tempore (1922–1934) |
| Manuel Roxas | At-large | 1945–1946 | Second president served as Senate President (1916–1935) |
| Elpidio Quirino | 1st | 1925–1935 | Second and last president served as President pro tempore (1945–1946) |
| Elpidio Quirino | At-large | 1945–1946 | Second and last president served as President pro tempore (1945–1946) |
| Carlos P. Garcia | At-large | 1945–1953 | First President served as Minority Floor Leader (1946–1953) |
| Ferdinand E. Marcos | At-large | 1959–1965 | Second President served as Minority Floor Leader (1960–1962). Third and last president served as Senate President (1963–1965) |
| Joseph Estrada | At-large | 1987–1992 | |
| Gloria Macapagal Arroyo | At-large | 1992–1998 | |
| Benigno Aquino III | At-large | 2007–2010 | Did not finish term, won presidency |
| Bongbong Marcos | At-large | 2010–2016 | |

#### Congressman/Representatives/Assemblyman

| Legislator | District | Lower House Name | Year(s) served | Notes |
| Manuel L. Quezon | Tayabas 1st | Philippine Assembly | 1907–1909 | First president to serve as Majority Floor Leader (1907–1909) |
| Sergio Osmeña | Cebu 2nd | Philippine Assembly | 1907–1916 | First President to serve as Speaker (1907–1916) |
| Sergio Osmeña | Cebu 2nd | House of Representatives | 1916–1922 | First President to serve as Speaker (1907–1916) |
| Manuel Roxas | Capiz 1st | House of Representatives | 1922–1935 | Second president to serve as Majority Floor Leader. Second president to serve as speaker (1922–1934) |
| Manuel Roxas | Capiz 1st | National Assembly | 1935–1938 | Second president to serve as Majority Floor Leader. Second president to serve as speaker (1922–1934) |
| Elpidio Quirino | Ilocos Sur 1st | House of Representatives | 1919–1925 | |
| Ramon Magsaysay | Zambales at-large | House of Representatives | 1946–1950 | |
| Carlos P. Garcia | Bohol 3rd | House of Representatives | 1925–1931 | |
| Diosdado Macapagal | Pampanga 1st | House of Representatives | 1949–1957 | |
| Ferdinand E. Marcos | Ilocos Norte 2nd | House of Representatives | 1949–1959 | |
| Benigno Aquino III | Tarlac 2nd | House of Representatives | 1998–2007 | The only president to serve as Deputy Speaker (2004–2006) |
| Rodrigo Duterte | Davao City 1st | House of Representatives | 1998–2001 | |
| Bongbong Marcos | Ilocos Norte 2nd | House of Representatives | 1992–1995; 2007– 2010 | |

### Local government
#### Governors

| Governor | Province | Year(s) served | Notes |
| Manuel Quezon | Tayabas | 1906–1907 | |
| Sergio Osmeña | Cebu | 1904–1907 | |
| Manuel Roxas | Capiz | 1919–1922 | |
| Carlos P. Garcia | Bohol | 1933–1941 | |
| Bongbong Marcos | Ilocos Norte | 1983–1986; 1998–2007 | Only president formerly served as Vice Governor (1980–1983) |

#### Mayors

| Mayor | City/Municipality | Year(s) served | Notes |
| Joseph Estrada | San Juan | 1969–1986 | Only former president served as mayor (2013–2019) |
| Rodrigo Duterte | Davao City | 1988–1998; 2001–2010; 2013–2016 | Only president served as Vice Mayor (1986–1987; 2010–2013) |

#### Municipal/City Councilors

| Name | Municipality/City | Province | Year(s) served |
| Manuel Quezon | Lucena | Tayabas | 1906 |
| Manuel Roxas | Capiz | Capiz | 1917–1919 |

### Judiciary

| Name | Position | Year(s) served | President | Notes |
| Jose P. Laurel | Associate Justice of the Supreme Court | 1936–1942 | Manuel Quezon | Only president served in the Supreme Court |

### International Affairs-related

| Name | Office | President served under | Year(s) served |
| Manuel Quezon | Resident Commissioner of the Philippines | None (Under American rule) | 1909–1916 |

### Presidents who had not previously held elective office
#### Without previous experience in government, but served in the military

| Name | Year(s) served |
| Emilio Aguinaldo | 1899–1901 |

#### Without previous experience in government or in the military

| Name | Year(s) served |
| Corazon Aquino | 1986–1992 |

## List of presidents by military service

| Name | Rank | Branch | Year(s) served | Notes |
| Emilio Aguinaldo | Generalissimo | Philippine Revolutionary Army | 1896–1901 | |
| Manuel Quezon | Major | Philippine Revolutionary Army | 1899–1900 | |
| Manuel Roxas | Brigadier General | Philippine Commonwealth Army | 1941–1945 | |
| Ramon Magsaysay | Captain | Philippine Commonwealth Army | 1942–1945 | |
| Ferdinand E. Marcos | 1st Lieutenant | USAFFE | 1942–1945 | |
| Ferdinand E. Marcos | Major | USAFIP-NL | 1942–1945 | |
| Fidel V. Ramos | General | Philippine Constabulary | 1950–1988 | Only former President served as Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces (1984–1985; 1986–1988), and commander of a service branch (1972–1986). |