The Philippines was under a state of emergency, announced by presidential spokesperson Ignacio Bunye on the morning of February 24, 2006, by the virtue of Proclamation No. 1017. This occurred after the government claimed that it foiled an alleged coup d'tat attempt against the rule of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo earlier that same day. State security services also claimed that it had arrested a general who was involved in the coup attempt. President Arroyo lifted the state of emergency on March 3, 2006, by the virtue of Proclamation No. 1021.

The state of national emergency also led to a temporary suspension of lower-level education classes and an immediate revocation on all licenses and permits to hold demonstrations and protests. The government also suspended all public activities on the same day and even on succeeding days. Under the provisions of the 1987 Constitution, the government was allowed at the moment to detain anyone indefinitely without the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus.

President Arroyo assured Filipinos that the situation was under control and the state of emergency would not be abused.Arroyo had justified the declaration of a state of emergency with her statement of "clear and present danger to our Republic that we have discovered and thwarted." Critics claimed that this was an attempt by Arroyo to seize political power due to her sagging influence and popularity, and some drew similarities to the actions of her predecessor, Ferdinand Marcos, when he declared martial law in 1972.

On March 3, 2006 (one week after the proclamation), by the virtue of Proclamation No. 1021, the President lifted the state of emergency.

The president of the Philippines (Filipino: pangulo ng Pilipinas, sometimes referred to as presidente ng Pilipinas) is the head of state and the head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The president is directly elected by the people, and is one of only two nationally elected executive officials, the other being the vice president of the Philippines. However, four vice presidents have assumed the presidency without having been elected to the office, by virtue of a president's intra-term death or resignation.Filipinos generally refer to their president as pangulo or presidente in their local language. The president is limited to a single six-year term. No one who has served more than four years of a presidential term is allowed to run or serve again. On June 30, 2016, Rodrigo Duterte was sworn in as the 16th and current president.