. The position is currently held by
. There is no material difference in the process of selecting a Chief Justice from that in the selection of
. As with the other Justices of the Supreme Court, the Chief Justice is obliged to retire upon reaching the age of 70, otherwise there is no term limit for the Chief Justice.
does not ascribe any formal role to the Chief Justice other than as an ex-officio Chairman of the
. The Chief Justice is also required to personally certify every decision that is rendered by the Court. He or she carries only 1 vote out of 15 in the Court, and is generally regarded, vis-a-vis the other Justices, as the
Still, the influence a Chief Justice may bear within the Court and judiciary, and on the national government cannot be underestimated. In the public eye, any particular Supreme Court is widely identified with the identity of the incumbent Chief Justice, hence appellations such as "The Concepcion Court", "The Fernando Court", or "The Puno Court". Moreover, the Chief Justice usually retains high public visibility, unlike the Associate Justices who tend to labor in relative anonymity, with exceptions such as Associate Justice J.B.L. Reyes in the 1950s to 1970s.
By tradition, it is also the Chief Justice who swears into office the President of the Philippines. One notable deviation from that tradition came in 1986. Due to the exceptional political circumstances culminating in the People Power Revolution, on February 25, 1986,
took her oath of office as President before then Associate Justice Claudio Teehankee in
. Marcos fled into exile later that night.
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| No. | Image | Chief Justice | Term of Office | Appointed as chief justice by | Law school |
| 1 |
 |
Cayetano ArellanoCayetano L. Arellano was the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines under the American Civil Government. He was Chief Justice from 1901 until his retirement on April 12, 1920, making him the longest serving Chief Justice.Born in Orion, Bataan, He started as a working student...
|
June 11, 1901 — April 1, 1920 |
William McKinleyWilliam McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
(RThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
) |
University of Santo TomasThe University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law or "UST Law" , is the law school of the University of Santo Tomas, the oldest and the largest Catholic university in Manila, Philippines....
|
| 2 |
|
Victorino Mapa Victorino Mapa was the second Chief Justice of the Philippines.-Career:He graduated his Bachelor of Laws and Jurisprudence from the University of Santo Tomas at the age of 25....
|
July 1, 1920 — October 31, 1921 |
Woodrow WilsonThomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
(DThe Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
) |
University of Santo TomasThe University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law or "UST Law" , is the law school of the University of Santo Tomas, the oldest and the largest Catholic university in Manila, Philippines....
|
| 3 |
|
Manuel Araullo Manuel Araullo was the third Chief Justice of the Philippines. He served from November 1, 1921 until his death on July 26, 1924.-Career:...
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November 1, 1921 — July 26, 1924 |
William Howard TaftWilliam Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
(RThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
) |
University of Santo TomasThe University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law or "UST Law" , is the law school of the University of Santo Tomas, the oldest and the largest Catholic university in Manila, Philippines....
|
| 4 |
|
Ramón Avanceña Ramón Avanceña was a Chief Justice of the Philippines. He served from 1925-1941, when he resigned during the nearing of the Japanese Occupation...
|
April 1, 1925 — December 24, 1941 |
Calvin CoolidgeJohn Calvin Coolidge, Jr. was the 30th President of the United States . A Republican lawyer from Vermont, Coolidge worked his way up the ladder of Massachusetts state politics, eventually becoming governor of that state...
(RThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
) |
University of Santo TomasThe University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law or "UST Law" , is the law school of the University of Santo Tomas, the oldest and the largest Catholic university in Manila, Philippines....
|
| 5 |
|
José Abad SantosIn 1919, Abad Santos would become instrumental in laying the legal groundwork as well as drafting the by-laws and constitution of the Philippine Women's University, the country's and Asia's first private non-sectarian institution for higher learning for women...
† |
December 24, 1941 — May 7, 1942 |
Manuel L. QuezonManuel Luis Quezón y Molina served as president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines from 1935 to 1944. He was the first Filipino to head a government of the Philippines...
(NP) |
Northwestern University The Northwestern University School of Law is a private American law school in Chicago, Illinois. The law school was founded in 1859 as the Union College of Law of the Old University of Chicago. The first law school established in Chicago, it became jointly controlled by Northwestern University in...
|
| 6 |
|
José Yulo José Yulo was the Chief Justice of the Philippines during the Japanese Occupation and was Speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives from 1939 until the World War II started in 1941.-Career:...
|
February 5, 1942 — July 9, 1945 |
Japanese Military Administration |
University of the PhilippinesUniversity of the Philippines College of Law or UP Law is the law school of the University of the Philippines. Since 1948, it has been located at the University of the Philippines Diliman in Quezon City, the flagship campus of UP's seven constituent universities. Until the 1970s, night classes of...
|
| 7 |
|
Manuel Moran Manuel Moran was the Chief Justice of the Philippines from July 9, 1945 until March 20, 1951. After leaving office, he became the first Philippine Ambassador to Spain and the Holy See...
|
July 9, 1945 — March 20, 1951 |
Sergio OsmeñaSergio Osmeña y Suico was a Filipino politician who served as the 4th President of the Philippines from 1944 to 1946. He was Vice President under Manuel L. Quezon, and rose to the presidency upon Quezon's death in 1944, being the oldest Philippine president to hold office at age 65...
(NP) |
Escuela de Derecho de Manila (present-day Manila Law College) |
| 8 |
|
Ricardo Paras Ricardo Paras was the Chief Justice of the Philippines from April 2, 1951 until February 17, 1961.-Career:...
|
April 2, 1951 — February 17, 1961 |
Elpidio Quirino Elpidio Rivera Quirino was a Filipino politician, and the sixth President of the Philippines.A lawyer by profession, Quirino entered politics when he became a representative of Ilocos Sur from 1919 to 1925. He was then elected as senator from 1925–1931...
(LPThe Liberal Party of the Philippines is a liberal party in the Philippines, founded by then senators Senate President Manuel Roxas, Senate President Pro-Tempore Elpidio Quirino, and former 9th Senatorial District Senator Jose Avelino, on November 24, 1945 by a breakaway Liberal group from the...
) |
University of the PhilippinesUniversity of the Philippines College of Law or UP Law is the law school of the University of the Philippines. Since 1948, it has been located at the University of the Philippines Diliman in Quezon City, the flagship campus of UP's seven constituent universities. Until the 1970s, night classes of...
|
| 9 |
|
César Bengzon César Bengzon was the Chief Justice of the Philippines from April 28, 1961 until May 29, 1966. In November 1966, a few months after his retirement, he became the first Filipino to be appointed to the International Court of Justice.-Judicial career:Bengzon earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from...
|
April 28, 1961 — May 29, 1966 |
Carlos P. GarciaCarlos Polistico García was a Filipino teacher, poet, orator, lawyer, public official, political economist and guerrilla leader...
(NP) |
University of the PhilippinesUniversity of the Philippines College of Law or UP Law is the law school of the University of the Philippines. Since 1948, it has been located at the University of the Philippines Diliman in Quezon City, the flagship campus of UP's seven constituent universities. Until the 1970s, night classes of...
|
| 10 |
|
Roberto Concepcion Roberto Concepción was the Chief Justice of the Philippines from June 17, 1966, until April 18, 1973. Apparently, he took a leave 50 days earlier from his scheduled mandatory retirement...
|
June 17, 1966 — April 18, 1973 |
Ferdinand MarcosFerdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...
(NP) |
University of Santo TomasThe University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law or "UST Law" , is the law school of the University of Santo Tomas, the oldest and the largest Catholic university in Manila, Philippines....
|
| 11 |
|
Querube Makalintal Querube C. Makalintal was the Chief Justice of the Philippines from Oct. 31, 1973 until December 22, 1975 and Speaker of the Interim Batasang Pambansa from June 12, 1978 to June 30, 1984.-Career:...
|
October 21, 1973 — December 22, 1975 |
Ferdinand MarcosFerdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...
(NPThe Nacionalista Party is the oldest political party in the Philippines today and was responsible for leading the country throughout the majority of the 20th century since its founding in 1907...
) |
University of the PhilippinesUniversity of the Philippines College of Law or UP Law is the law school of the University of the Philippines. Since 1948, it has been located at the University of the Philippines Diliman in Quezon City, the flagship campus of UP's seven constituent universities. Until the 1970s, night classes of...
|
| 12 |
|
Fred Ruiz Castro Fred Ruiz Castro was the Chief Justice of the Philippines from January 5, 1976 until his death on April 19, 1979 while on an official trip to India.-Personal life:...
|
January 5, 1976 — April 19, 1979 |
Ferdinand MarcosFerdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...
(KBLThe Kilusang Bagong Lipunan , formerly the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan ng Nagkakaisang Nacionalista, Liberal, at iba pa, , is a political party in the Philippines...
) |
University of the PhilippinesUniversity of the Philippines College of Law or UP Law is the law school of the University of the Philippines. Since 1948, it has been located at the University of the Philippines Diliman in Quezon City, the flagship campus of UP's seven constituent universities. Until the 1970s, night classes of...
|
| 13 |
|
Enrique FernandoEnrique M. Fernando was the 13th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. A noted constitutionalist and law professor, he served in the Supreme Court for 18 years, including 6 years as Chief Justice....
|
July 2, 1979 — July 24, 1985 |
Ferdinand MarcosFerdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...
(KBLThe Kilusang Bagong Lipunan , formerly the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan ng Nagkakaisang Nacionalista, Liberal, at iba pa, , is a political party in the Philippines...
) |
University of the PhilippinesUniversity of the Philippines College of Law or UP Law is the law school of the University of the Philippines. Since 1948, it has been located at the University of the Philippines Diliman in Quezon City, the flagship campus of UP's seven constituent universities. Until the 1970s, night classes of...
|
| 14 |
|
Felix MakasiarFelix V. Makasiar was the 14th Chief Justice of the Philippines, serving in that capacity for four months in 1985. His 85-day stint as Chief Justice, abbreviated only because of the rule requiring mandatory retirement upon reaching the age of 70, was the second-shortest such tenure in Philippine...
|
July 25, 1985 — November 19, 1985 |
Ferdinand MarcosFerdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...
(KBLThe Kilusang Bagong Lipunan , formerly the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan ng Nagkakaisang Nacionalista, Liberal, at iba pa, , is a political party in the Philippines...
) |
University of the PhilippinesUniversity of the Philippines College of Law or UP Law is the law school of the University of the Philippines. Since 1948, it has been located at the University of the Philippines Diliman in Quezon City, the flagship campus of UP's seven constituent universities. Until the 1970s, night classes of...
|
| 15 |
|
Ramon Aquino Ramon C. Aquino was the 15th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines.He was appointed on November 20, 1985, the last Chief Justice appointed by President Ferdinand Marcos.-Personal life:...
|
November 20, 1985 — March 6, 1986 |
Ferdinand MarcosFerdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...
(KBLThe Kilusang Bagong Lipunan , formerly the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan ng Nagkakaisang Nacionalista, Liberal, at iba pa, , is a political party in the Philippines...
) |
University of the PhilippinesUniversity of the Philippines College of Law or UP Law is the law school of the University of the Philippines. Since 1948, it has been located at the University of the Philippines Diliman in Quezon City, the flagship campus of UP's seven constituent universities. Until the 1970s, night classes of...
|
| 16 |
|
Claudio Teehankee |
April 2, 1986 — April 18, 1988 |
Corazon AquinoMaria Corazon Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino was the 11th President of the Philippines and the first woman to hold that office in Philippine history. She is best remembered for leading the 1986 People Power Revolution, which toppled Ferdinand Marcos and restored democracy in the Philippines...
(UNIDO) |
Ateneo de Manila University The Ateneo de Manila Law School is the law school of the Ateneo de Manila University, a private Jesuit university in the Philippines. It was founded in 1936, in the Padre Faura, Manila campus of the Ateneo, where it remained even after the college, graduate school, and basic education units moved...
|
| 17 |
|
Pedro Yap Pedro Yap was the Chief Justice of the Philippines in 1988. He briefly served for two and a half months from April 19, 1988 to June 30, 1988....
|
April 18 — July 1, 1988 |
Corazon AquinoMaria Corazon Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino was the 11th President of the Philippines and the first woman to hold that office in Philippine history. She is best remembered for leading the 1986 People Power Revolution, which toppled Ferdinand Marcos and restored democracy in the Philippines...
(UNIDO) |
University of the PhilippinesUniversity of the Philippines College of Law or UP Law is the law school of the University of the Philippines. Since 1948, it has been located at the University of the Philippines Diliman in Quezon City, the flagship campus of UP's seven constituent universities. Until the 1970s, night classes of...
|
| 18 |
|
Marcelo Fernan Marcelo "Celing" Briones Fernán was a Filipino lawyer and political figure. He is the only Filipino to have served as both Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and as Senate president...
|
July 1, 1988 — December 6, 1991 |
Corazon AquinoMaria Corazon Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino was the 11th President of the Philippines and the first woman to hold that office in Philippine history. She is best remembered for leading the 1986 People Power Revolution, which toppled Ferdinand Marcos and restored democracy in the Philippines...
(UNIDO) |
University of the PhilippinesUniversity of the Philippines College of Law or UP Law is the law school of the University of the Philippines. Since 1948, it has been located at the University of the Philippines Diliman in Quezon City, the flagship campus of UP's seven constituent universities. Until the 1970s, night classes of...
|
| 19 |
|
Andres NarvasaAndres dela Rosa Narvasa was the Chief Justice of the Philippines from December 1, 1991 to November 30, 1998.He served as Chairman of the Preparatory Commission for Constitutional Reform, a special agency tasked to look into potentially positive modifications in the Philippine Constitution, from...
|
December 8, 1991 — November 30, 1998 |
Corazon AquinoMaria Corazon Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino was the 11th President of the Philippines and the first woman to hold that office in Philippine history. She is best remembered for leading the 1986 People Power Revolution, which toppled Ferdinand Marcos and restored democracy in the Philippines...
(UNIDO) |
University of Santo TomasThe University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law or "UST Law" , is the law school of the University of Santo Tomas, the oldest and the largest Catholic university in Manila, Philippines....
|
| 20 |
 |
Hilario Davide, Jr.Hilario Gelbolingo Davide, Jr, GCSS is a former Ambassador/Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of the Philippines to the United Nations in New York City....
|
November 30, 1998 — December 20, 2005 |
Joseph EstradaJoseph "Erap" Ejercito Estrada was the 13th President of the Philippines, serving from 1998 until 2001. Estrada was the first person in the Post-EDSA era to be elected both to the presidency and vice-presidency.Estrada gained popularity as a film actor, playing the lead role in over 100 films in...
(LAMMPLaban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino was the umbrella political coalition party of the opposition during the 1998 Philippine Presidential Elections that led to the presidency of then Vice President Joseph Estrada...
) |
University of the PhilippinesUniversity of the Philippines College of Law or UP Law is the law school of the University of the Philippines. Since 1948, it has been located at the University of the Philippines Diliman in Quezon City, the flagship campus of UP's seven constituent universities. Until the 1970s, night classes of...
|
| 21 |
|
Artemio Panganiban Artemio V. Panganiban , "The Renaissance Jurist of the 21st Century" was the 21st Supreme Court Chief Justice of the Philippines.-Early life and education:...
|
December 20, 2005 — December 7, 2006 |
Gloria Macapagal-ArroyoGloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a Filipino politician who served as the 14th President of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010, as the 12th Vice President of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, and is currently a member of the House of Representatives representing the 2nd District of Pampanga...
(Lakas-CMD) |
Far Eastern UniversityFar Eastern University Institute of Law or FEU Law is the college of law of Far Eastern University in Manila, Philippines.-Historical background:...
|
| 22 |
|
Reynato PunoReynato Puno y Serrano was the 22nd Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. Appointed on December 8, 2006 by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, he was the 22nd person to serve as Chief Justice...
|
December 8, 2006 — May 17, 2010 |
Gloria Macapagal-ArroyoGloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a Filipino politician who served as the 14th President of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010, as the 12th Vice President of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, and is currently a member of the House of Representatives representing the 2nd District of Pampanga...
(Lakas-Kampi-CMDLakas Kampi CMD is a center-right political party in the Philippines and the current minority party in the country. Its ideology is heavily influenced by Christian and Islamic democracy...
) |
University of the PhilippinesUniversity of the Philippines College of Law or UP Law is the law school of the University of the Philippines. Since 1948, it has been located at the University of the Philippines Diliman in Quezon City, the flagship campus of UP's seven constituent universities. Until the 1970s, night classes of...
|
present>
| 23 |
|
Renato Corona Renato C. Corona is the incumbent Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. He was appointed to the Court on April 9, 2002 by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo...
|
May 17, 2010 — present |
Gloria Macapagal-ArroyoGloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a Filipino politician who served as the 14th President of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010, as the 12th Vice President of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, and is currently a member of the House of Representatives representing the 2nd District of Pampanga...
(Lakas-Kampi-CMDLakas Kampi CMD is a center-right political party in the Philippines and the current minority party in the country. Its ideology is heavily influenced by Christian and Islamic democracy...
) |
Ateneo de Manila University The Ateneo de Manila Law School is the law school of the Ateneo de Manila University, a private Jesuit university in the Philippines. It was founded in 1936, in the Padre Faura, Manila campus of the Ateneo, where it remained even after the college, graduate school, and basic education units moved...
|