Prime Minister of The Philippines - Powers and Duties

Powers and Duties

The office of the President of the Council of Government was created by 1899 Constitution of the Philippines on Title IX, with the role as the head of advisors to the President of the Republic. The first President of the Council was Apolinario Mabini, who also happened to be the finance minister. The President of the Council is equivalent to present-day prime minister.

The 1973 Constitution provided clear powers and duties of the Prime Minister starting at the dictatorship of Ferdinand E. Marcos. Article IX, section 3 of the 1973 Constitution describes the primary qualification of an individual to become the Prime Minister: he must be a member of the Interim Batasang Pambansa (National Assembly). To become a member of the Interim Batasang Pambansa, one must be a qualified citizen of the Republic and was elected by the popular district in which he will represent at the assembly. Though the appointment of the Prime Minister is exactly written on the Constitution, however, the Prime Minister is exempted from impeachment, thus paving way for whoever the Prime Minister will be, for an indefinite term. On the same hand, the Prime Minister and his deputy may leave office at their own will.

Apart being the head of government, the Prime Minister is also the head of his Cabinet. He has the power to appoint Cabinet members majority are from the National Assembly. Likewise, he also has the power from office to remove them upon his discretion.

He also has the following powers and duties:

• Appoint his own Deputy Prime Minister that will have powers vested by the Prime Minister;
• Present the program and state of the government to the National Assembly at the start of each regular session;
• Control all ministries provided by the law;
• Head the Armed Forces of the Philippines as their commander-in-chief;
• Appoint the head of government bureaus and offices and promote brigadier-generals and commodores of the Armed Forces;
• Grant reprieves, commutations, and pardons, remit fines and forfeitures after final conviction and amnesty with the permission of the National Assembly, except at the time of impeachment; and
• Guarantee foreign and local loans of the Republic.

In Section 16, it was also mentioned that all powers previously vested by the 1935 Constitution of the Philippines to the President of the Republic shall be transferred to the Prime Minister unless the National Assembly provides those. This includes the power of the Prime Minister to sign and create treaties and foreign agreements as well as appointment of ambassadors and consuls with the permission of the Commission on Appointments.