Following World War II the Philippines gained independence from the United States of America in 1946. It retained close ties with the former colonial power, including through a Mutual Defence treaty and, until 1992, the presence of US military bases in the Philippines.  Philippine political, administrative and legislative structures are closely based on their American counterparts. However politicians are drawn almost exclusively from the wealthy elite, many of them descended from Spanish settlers, and beneath the democratic veneer many aspects of the Spanish-era feudal structure remain.

 

In 1972 President Marcos, then nearing the end of his second elected term, declared Martial Law. The pretext was a series of bombings in Manila, some of which were later alleged to have been staged. During the next 14 years cronyism, corruption and patronage – never far from the surface in Philippine politics – became blatant. Marcos remained in power until 1986, when he was overthrown by the non-violent People Power Revolution – also known as the EDSA Revolution after the highway where protestors gathered. Marcos fled to Hawaii, where he died in 1989.

 

Marcos was succeeded by President Corazon Aquino, whose husband and vocal opponent of Marcos, Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, was assassinated in 1983. President Aquino supervised the introduction of a new constitution and the restoration of democratic politics, but she failed to tackle the vested interests of the political elite. Her Presidency was characterised by repeated coup attempts. The long running communist insurgency continued, as did the armed struggle for an independent Moro nation on the southern island of Mindanao. However Aquino’s term did see agreement reached with the US to withdraw from their military bases in the Philippines.  

 

President Aquino’s successor, Fidel V. Ramos, was an ex-General whose switch of allegiance played a key role in the People Power Revolution. His Presidency (1992-1998) was characterised by relative peace and prosperity until the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, which affected the Philippines along with neighbours including Thailand and Indonesia. Ramos reoriented the Philippines towards Asia in general and ASEAN in particular. He initiated successful peace talks with the Moro National Liberation Front (although splinter group the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) continued the armed struggle) and began talks with the communists.

 

Joseph Estrada, an ex-movie star with a populist pro-poor manifesto, was elected President in 1998. He quickly gained a reputation for corruption and incompetence. Impeachment proceedings brought against him by the House of Representatives were blocked by the Senate, leading to massive street protests (known as EDSA II). Estrada was ousted in January 2001 and was later charged with plunder. His conviction in 2007 was followed swiftly by a pardon.

 

Following Estrada’s removal and in line with the Constitution, Vice-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was sworn in as President. She was subsequently elected for a full term in 2004, although allegations that these elections were rigged dogged her term in office.

 

Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, son of the late former President Cory Aquino, won the 2010 presidential elections.  He was inaugurated on 30 June marking a smooth transition of power to a popularly elected president.