Republic Act No. 181, enacted on June 21, 1947, establishes the order of presidential succession in the Philippines. It stipulates that if neither the President-elect nor the Vice-President-elect is qualified, or in cases of their removal, death, resignation, or inability to perform their duties, the President of the Senate shall assume the presidency. If the Senate President is unavailable, the Speaker of the House of Representatives will take over, followed by a Senator or Representative elected by Congress in joint session, until a new President is qualified. The Act also repeals Commonwealth Act No. 68 and Executive Order No. 390, and it took effect upon approval.
June 21, 1947
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 181
AN ACT PRESCRIBING THE ORDER OF PRESIDENTIAL SUCCESSION
SECTION 1. When neither the President-elect nor the Vice-President-elect shall have qualified, or in the event of the removal, death, or resignation of both the President and the Vice-President, or of the inability of both of them to discharge, the powers and duties of the office of President, the President of the Senate, or if there be none, or in the event of his removal, death, resignation, or of his inability to act as President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, or if there be none, or in the event of his removal, death, resignation, or of his inability to act as President, the Senator or Representative elected by the Members of the Congress in joint session shall act as President of the Philippines until the President or President-elect or the Vice-President or Vice-President-elect shall have qualified, or until their disability shall be removed, or a President shall have been elected and shall have qualified.
SECTION 2. Commonwealth Act Numbered Sixty-eight and Executive Order Numbered Three hundred and ninety are repealed.
SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
Approved: June 21, 1947
Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 43, No. 7, p. 2843 in July 1947