The judiciary is overseen by the Supreme Court of the Philippines and has extensive review jurisdiction over judgments issued by other governmental and administrative institutions.

[10]: 284–285  In addition to being able to use such funds to curry favor or gain support, politicians can personally benefit from kickbacks, which are often directly used for re-election campaigns.

Considerable power lies with the position to request information and direct public officials to carry out certain tasks as required by law.

Such considerations influenced the 1987 constitution; while it maintained the unitary state, it included provisions for autonomous regions and for stronger local government.

[32][41] The constitution grants the Supreme Court the power of judicial review, through which it can "determine whether or not there has been a grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction on the part of any branch or instrumentality of the Government".

[56] A group participating in the party-list system (which may not be running in any single-member constituencies) must receive 2% of votes cast to enter congress, and can win a maximum of three seats.

In 1992 COMELEC adopted a strategic plan to modernize voting, and the first electronic vote-counting pilot test took place in the 1996 Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao general election.

[67] The National Capital Region has a unique governing body, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, which carries out some region-equivalent functions.

[73] There are several examples of mass direct action throughout history, including the long-running communist rebellion in the Philippines and the multiple "People Power" events.

[71]: 125 [79][80] This failure to achieve significant land reform is thought to have restricted the growth of the Philippine economy, and is linked to continuing political inequality.

[83][84] Notably, the role they played in the People Power Revolution led to a brief political consensus towards a more technocratic and relatively economically liberal state.

[18]: 102  In urban areas, where established patron-client links are weaker, patronage takes the form of machine politics, being more specific and short-term.

[76]: 118 [86]: 42, 87 National structures were established shortly after independence,[78]: 50  and the Church became directly involved in elections, both through its administrative hierarchy and through the actions of individual clergy.

[10]: 220 Public political opposition from individual clergy members eventually shifted the opinion of the Church hierarchy, who supported the candidacy of Corazon Aquino and the subsequent People Power Revolution.

[10]: 275 Religious orders, such as the Society of Jesus and Opus Dei, run private educational establishments for law, medicine, and business.

[91] The political influence of the Church has decreased in the 21st century, following sexual abuse revelations and the death of the prominent Cardinal Jaime Sin.

[9]: 86–87  However, the military has remained more involved in politics than it was before martial law, playing a role in the 2001 Second EDSA Revolution which overthrew President Estrada.

[9]: 86 The practice of recruiting retired military officers for some executive branch roles, such as ambassadorships, or within cabinet, was started by Marcos and continued after the restoration of democracy.

[78]: 24–25  In the context of the Cold War, direct and indirect influence was leveraged in the early days of independence to reinforce democratic institutions.

[105]: 200 The influence of the United States decreased in the 1990s, when agreements to host American military bases ended and the country increased the regional aspects of its foreign policy.

[10]: 11  Following the September 11 attacks in the United States, security ties deepened once more, as the Moro insurgency became linked with the global War on Terror.

[105]: 221 Before the onset of Spanish rule in the 16th century, the Philippines was split into numerous barangays, which were small entities while being part of region-wide trade networks.

[106]: 1076 Spain gradually conquered the majority of the modern Philippines, although full control was never established over some Muslims areas in the south and in the Cordillera highlands.

[10]: 53  Ultimate power was held by the King and the Council of the Indies, with the Philippines being part of New Spain,[106]: 1077  although the islands functioned practically autonomously.

[110][111]: 16–17  Over time, this elite class became more culturally distinct, gaining an education unavailable to most and intermarrying with Spanish officials and Chinese merchants.

[77]: 42  In some rural areas opposition to American rule persisted among the poorer population,[74]: 128–130  and the development of class consciousness-based political organization led to peasant revolts in the 1930s.

[127]: 14–15 [132][72] In rural areas, a sudden vacuum of elite power led to the formation of new local governments by the remaining populace, beginning the Hukbalahap Rebellion.

[133]: 145  A left-wing political movement that spawned from the Hukbalahap fight against the Japanese was suppressed by the former elite with American support, leading to the continuation of the rebellion against the new government.

[133]: 145 The impact of the war led to a weaker civil service and a reduction in the dominance of Manila, with provincial politicians gaining political power and in some cases de facto autonomy.

[75]: 437  Marcos ended martial law in 1981, shortly before a visit to the Philippines by Pope John Paul II, although he retained immense executive powers.