TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
SENATE
S. No. 858
25 AUG-4 P5:41
RECEIVED BY:
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
AN ACT
PRESCRIBING THE ORDER OF PRESIDENTIAL SUCCESSION
EXPLANATORY NOTE
According to Article VII Section 1 of the 1987 Constitution, "Executive power 
shall be vested in the President of the Philippines." As such, the President leads the 
Executive Department, which makes sure that laws are faithfully carried out and that 
they are followed. Additionally, he serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the Philippine 
Armed Forces.
It is therefore imperative that the state ensures the continuity and stability of 
the operations in government no matter the circumstances, as it is also constitutionally 
provided who shall succeed the President in the event that he is unable to discharge 
the duties of his office, for the following reasons: death, disability, removal, or 
resignation from office.
Section 8, Article VII of the 1987 Philippine Constitution provides a framework 
for presidential succession in cases of death, permanent disability, removai from office, 
or resignation of the President and Vice President. However, it mandates Congress to 
enact a law detailing the line of succession beyond these two highest offices. To date, 
such comprehensive legislation remains absent.


As inferred from the foregoing, the legislature is tasked to enact a law to 
enumerate those who will succeed him in such cases when he may no longer discharge 
the functions of his office, whether voluntarily or not, until his duly elected successor 
has been chosen and is eligible to serve as the next President, or Vice-President, as 
the case may be.
This bill suggests the natural order of presidential succession as it may be based 
on a thorough assessment of the roles played by each branch of government, which 
fully establishes the necessity of having an acting president in any situation and 
ensures a seamless transition from an ad interim to a legitimate, qualified, and duly 
elected President. This measure ensures that, in the event of simultaneous vacancies 
or incapacities in the offices of the President and Vice President, the functions of the 
executive branch continue without interruption. By legislating a clear hierarchy, this 
measure ensures uninterrupted governance and reinforces public confidence in our 
democratic institutions.
A similar version of this measure was filed by Sen. Maria Lourdes Nancy S. 
Binay during the Nineteenth Congress. Hence, the immediate passage of this bill is 
highly recommended.
'JINGteOY EJERCITO ESTRADA


TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
of t!)?
25 AUG “4 P5:41
SENATE 
S. No. S58
RhT’-'IVtD BY;
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
AN ACT
PRESCRIBING THE ORDER OF PRESIDENTIAL SUCCESSION
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. In case of death, permanent disability, removal from office, or
2 
resignation of both the President and Vice-President, the President of the Senate or,
3 
in case of his inabiiity, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, shall serve as the
4 
Acting President until the President or Vice-President shall have been elected and
5 
qualified.
6 
Sec. 2. In the event of permanent disability, death, removal from office or
7 
resignation of the Acting President before the President or Vice-President shall have
8 
been elected and qualified, the following elected and appointed officers of the Republic
9 
of the Philippines and who is not under any disability to discharge the powers and
10 
duties of the Office of the President shall act as President in the following order:
11 
(l)the most senior Senator based on the length of service in the Senate or if
12 
there be none, or in the event of his removal, death, resignation or of his
13 
inability to act as President,
14 
(2) the most senior Representative based on the length of service in the House
15 
of Representatives or if there be none, or in the event of his removal, death,
16 
resignation or of his inability to act as President,
17 
(3) the member of the Cabinet designated by the President.


1 
Prior to any public or private activity, event or function with the attendance of
2 
the President, Vice President and other high-ranking officials which may include those
3 
mentioned in Sections 1 and 2 of this Act, the President shall designate a member of
4 
the Cabinet to be sequestered in a secret and secure location. In the event of an
5 
extraordinary circumstance resulting in the death or permanent disability of the
6 
President, Vice President and the officials mentioned in Sections 1 and 2 of this Act,
7 
the designated member of the cabinet shall act as the President.
8 
Sec. 3. Official actions of the Acting President pertaining to the day-to-day
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operation of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines shall remain effective
10 
unless revoked by the elected President within ninety (90) days from his or her
11 
assumption or reassumption of office.
12 
Sec. 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
Approved,