The Philippine Presidency

About the Book

This book, The Philippine Presidency, is a comparative study of four successive presidents between 1965 and 2001. The period coincides with two People Power Revolutions. The first brought to power in 1986 President Corazon Aquino, the wife of the assassinated opposition leader, Benigno “Ninoy” S. Aquino. The second removed President Joseph Estrada from office in 2001. In the intervening period served President Fidel Ramos, who complemented Aquino’s efforts to lead the Philippines into social and economic reform, and from the economic doldrums of the years under President Ferdinand Marcos to prosperity.

This book comparatively examines the four successive presidencies to expose discernible patterns of leadership in the presidents’ grapple to attain and retain power, to deal with social and economic ills, and to suppress multifarious rebellions.

The relevant constitutions (1935, 1973, and 1987) within the period were compared to identify priority issues of the administrations and provisions that applied to the presidents during their tenures. Marcos was seen as having manipulated the constitutional provisions of martial law to retain power. The attempt to impeach Estrada stalemated, and the added pressure from the People Power Revolution removed him from office.

On the whole, it is concluded that the personal attributes of the presidents were the most important factors (variables) in explaining state postures during the respective tenures of the four successive presidents of the Philippines examined here.

About the Author

Dr. Udo Moses Williams is a Nigerian with a BA sociology from Paine College, Augusta, and an MA and PhD in political science from the Ohio State University, Columbus. His work experience commenced in 1978 as lecturer of political science at the University of Calabar, Nigeria. He joined the Nigerian Foreign Service in 1981 and has served in various capacities, including as liaison officer for the United Nations Disarmament Program for Africa, as director of the European Affairs Division, and in numerous foreign postings, including as ambassador-extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the Republic of Congo. He is an experienced diplomat with a strong background in international relations, comparative politics, foreign policy, management, and administrative concepts. He has also written two books: The Nigerian Diplomatic Practice: A Guide (2004) and The Nigerian Diplomatic Practice: A Revision (2005).