<P> The Supreme Court of the Philippines (Filipino: Kataas - taasang Hukuman ng Pilipinas; colloquially referred to as Korte Suprema) is the highest court in the Philippines . It is presided over by a Chief Justice and is composed of fifteen (15) Justices, including the Chief Justice . Pursuant to the Constitution, the Supreme Court has "administrative supervision over all courts and the personnel thereof". </P> <P> The Supreme Court Complex, which was formerly the part of the University of the Philippines Manila campus, occupies the corner of Padre Faura Street and Taft Avenue in Manila, with the main building directly fronting the Philippine General Hospital . Until 1945, the Court met in Cavite . </P> <P> A person must meet the following requirements in order to be appointed to the Supreme Court: (1) natural - born citizenship; (2) at least 40 years old; and (3) must have been for fifteen years or more a judge of a lower court or engaged in the practice of law in the Philippines . An additional constitutional requirement, though less precise in nature, is that a judge "must be a person of proven competence, integrity, probity, and independence ." Upon a vacancy in the Court, whether for the position of Chief Justice or Associate Justice, the President fills the vacancy by appointing a person from a list of at least 3 nominees prepared by the Judicial and Bar Council . </P> <P> Beginning with the 1935 Constitution, Supreme Court Justices are obliged to retire upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70 . Some Justices had opted to retire before reaching the age of 70, such as Florentino Feliciano, who retired at 67 to accept appointment to the Appellate Body of the World Trade Organization and Ma . Alicia Austria - Martinez who retired at 68 due to health reasons . The 1987 Constitution of the Philippines provides that: "Section 11, Article VIII . The Members of the Supreme Court xxx shall hold office during good behavior until they reach the age of seventy years or become incapacitated to discharge the duties of their office ." (2) Since, 1901, it was only incumbent Associate Justice Alicia Austria - Martinez who resigned for health reasons . Thus, on September, 2008, Austria - Martinez, citing health reasons, filed a letter to the Court through Reynato Puno, tendering her resignation effective April 30, 2009, or 15 months before her compulsory retirement on December 19, 2010 . This was followed in 2016 however, by Justice Martin Villarama, who resigned in January 2016, due to health reasons . </P>

Qualification of the members of the supreme court in the philippines