<Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> <P> Depending on the definition chosen for these terms, a number of persons could alternatively be considered the inaugural holder of the office . Andrés Bonifacio could be considered the first President of a united Philippines since he was the third Supreme President (Spanish: Presidente Supremo; Filipino: Kataas - taasang Pangulo) of the Katipunan, a secret revolutionary society . Its Supreme Council, led by the Supreme President, coordinated provincial and district councils . When the Katipunan started an open revolt against the Spanish colonial government in August 1896, Bonifacio transformed the society into a revolutionary government with him as its head . While the term Katipunan remained, Bonifacio's government was also known as the Tagalog Republic (Spanish: República Tagala; Filipino: Republikang Tagalog). Although the word Tagalog refers to the Tagalog people, a specific ethno - linguistic group, Bonifacio used it to denote all non-Spanish peoples of the Philippines in place of Filipinos, which had colonial origins . Bonifacio's revolutionary government never controlled much territory for any significant period . Some historians contend that including Bonifacio as a past president would imply that Macario Sacay and Miguel Malvar should also be included . </P> <P> In March 1897, during the Philippine Revolution against Spain Emilio Aguinaldo was elected president of the revolutionary government at the Tejeros Convention . The new government was meant to replace the Katipunan, though the latter was not formally abolished until 1899 . Aguinaldo was again elected President at Biak - na - Bato in November, leading the Republic of Biak - na - Bato . Aguinaldo therefore signed the Pact of Biak - na - Bato and went into exile in Hong Kong at the end of 1897 . </P> <P> In April 1898, the Spanish--American War broke out, and the Asiatic Squadron of the United States Navy sailed for the Philippines . At the Battle of Manila Bay on May 1, 1898 the American Navy decisively defeated the Spanish Navy effectively ending Spanish rule in the Philippines . Aquinaldo subsequently returned to the Philippines aboard a U.S. Navy vessel and renewed the revolution . He formed a dictatorial government on May 24, 1898 and issued the Philippine Declaration of Independence on June 12, 1898 . On June 23, 1898, Aguinaldo transformed his dictatorial government into a revolutionary government . On January 23, 1899, he was then elected President of the First Philippine Republic, a government constituted by the Malolos Congress under the Malolos Constitution . Consequently, this government is also called the Malolos Republic . </P>

Military powers of the president of the philippines