of vice-president, the president will appoint any member of Congress (usually a party member) as the new vice president. The appointment must then be validated by a three-fourths vote of the Congress. The current president and vice president are Bongbong Marcos and Sara Duterte, respectively. National government President Vice President Cabinet secretaries Local government Regional chief minister Provincial governor Provincial vice governor City/Municipal mayor City/Municipal vice mayor Barangay chairman Judicial branch The judicial power is vested in the Supreme Court of the Philippines and lower courts established by law. The Supreme Court, which has a chief justice as its head and 14 associate justices, occupies the highest tier of the judiciary. The justices serve until the age of 70. The justices are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial and Bar Council of the Philippines. The sitting chief justice is Alexander Gesmundo, the 27th to serve in that position. Other court types of courts, of varying jurisdiction around the archipelago, are the following: Lower Collegiate Courts: Court of Appeals Court of Tax Appeals Sandiganbayan (a special appellate court) Regular Courts: Regional Trial Courts First-level courts: Metropolitan Trial Courts Municipal Trial Courts Municipal Trial Courts in Cities Municipal Circuit Trial Courts Sharia Courts: Sharia District Courts Sharia Circuit Courts Constitutional commissions Article 9 of the Constitution of the Philippines establishes three independent constitutional commissions: the Civil Service Commission, the Commission on Elections, and the Commission on Audit. The Civil Service Commission is the central personnel agency of the Philippine government. It is responsible for strengthening employment and a conducive work environment in the civil service sector and overseeing the Civil Service Exam, a civil service entrance examination to assess qualifications and work integrity for employment in the sector. The Commission on Elections enforces and administers all laws and regulations related to the conducting of elections, plebiscites, initiatives, referendums, and recalls. It decides on all decisions surrounding election protests and contests and has the right to deputize and take control of law enforcement and state security forces to ensure the free and orderly conduct of elections. The Commission on Audit is responsible for examining, auditing, and settling all revenues and expenditures of public funds and properties used by the government or its attached agencies. Office of the ombudsman The Philippine government or three of its branches are independently monitored by the office of the ombudsman (). The ombudsman is