The vice-presidency was formally (constitutionally) established under the 1935 Constitution, and the line of vice-presidents begins with Sergio Osmena, elected to the position in 1935 and again in 1941.

The list of vice-presidents is therefore 13: Sergio Osmeña, Elpidio Quirino, Fernando Lopez, Carlos P. Garcia, Diosdado Macapagal, Emmanuel Pelaez, Fernando Lopez, Salvador H. Laurel, Joseph Ejercito Estrada, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Teofisto Guingona Jr., Manuel de Castro Jr., and Jejomar Binay. Lopez was the third and seventh vice-president because he was elected to the position under two different administrations (in 1949 and 1965 and again in 1969). Binay would be the 14th Vice-President if the brief vice-presidency of Arturo M. Tolentino is recognized.

One vice-president, Osmeña, was elected twice, in 1935 and 1941; one vice-president, Lopez, was elected three times (but not in succession): he served as Quirino's vice-president from 1949-1953 and was elected Marcos' vice-president twice, in 1965 and 1969. One vice-president, Guingona, was never nationally-elected, only appointed (the first under the provisions of the 1987 Constitution).

Three vice-presidents became president upon the death of their predecessor: Osmena, Quirino, and Garcia; Osmena failed to obtain a presidential election, Quirino and Garcia succeeded but failed to be elected to a second presidential term.

Three vice presidents, Macapagal, Estrada, Macapagal-Arroyo were elected president in their own right after concluding their vice-presidential terms. Laurel was the only incumbent vice-president to fail in a bid for the presidency. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was the first child of a vice-president to hold the same vice-presidential office as a parent. Laurel was the first child of a president to become a vice-president.

Ten vice-presidents, Osmena, Quirino, Lopez, Garcia, Pelaez, Laurel, Estrada, Macapagal-Arroyo, Guingona Jr., de Castro Jr. all served in the senate prior to becoming vice-president. Osmena, Quirino, Garcia, Pelaez, Macapagal also served in the House of Representatives. Osmena and Garcia also served as governors, while Estrada and Binay have both been mayors and both have been succeeded as mayor by their sons (both served as municipal mayors; Binay is the first city mayor to be elected vice-president).

Only Estrada, Macapagal-Arroyo, and de Castro among the vice-presidents ware non-lawyers. All the rest, including Jejomar Binay, have been lawyers.

The vice-president can hold a cabinet portfolio but that is purely up to the president whether he gives the vice-president a cabinet portfolio or not.By tradition, the vice-president is given the premier cabinet portfolio. Before independence, that portfolio was Secretary of Public Instruction (now known as Secretary of Education), because prior to the Commonwealth it was the only cabinet portfolio reserved for a foreigner, the Vice Governor-General. This was held by the first vice-president, Sergio Osmena. After independence, the premier cabinet portfolio became (and remains) Secretary of Foreign Affairs. Elpidio Quirino, Carlos P. Garcia, Emmanuel Pelaez, Salvador H. Laurel and Teofisto Guingona Jr. have all been Vice-Presidents who were concurrent Secretaries of Foreign Affairs.

Fernando Lopez was the first Vice-President to decline the premier portfolio, opting to be Secretary of Agriculture instead in the Quirino and Marcos administrations. Arroyo was the first vice-president to opt to be Secretary of Social Welfare and Development; Estrada (Presidential Anti-Crime Commission), de Castro (urban housing) were the vice-presidents who never headed line departments. Diosdado Macapagal was the only vice-president not to be offered any executive appointment at all. In the Quezon War Cabinet, Sergio Osmena held the combined portfolios of Secretary of Public Instruction, Health, and Public Welfare.

Macapagal was also the first vice-president who was not the running mate of the elected president. He was also the first vice-president elected by plurality (46.55%). The highest percentage by a vice-president was Osmena in 1941 wiyh 92.1%; the lowest, Estrada in 1992 with 33%.

Osmena (running mate of Quezon), Quirino (running mate of Roxas), Lopez (running mate of Quirino), Garcia (running mate of Magsaysay), Pelaez (running mate of Macapagal), Lopez (running mate of Marcos), Laurel (running mate of Aquino), de Castro (running mate of Arroyo) all served with partymates or running mates; Macapagal, Estrada, Arroyo and Binay are the vice-presidents elected who were not running mates of the elected president.

From 1935 to 1972, the vice-president also held office in Malacanan Palace. After the position was abolished during martial law, the office of the vice-president was occupied by other executive officials. During the New Society and the 4th Republic, the Prime Minister held office in the old Legislative Building, which was renamed Executive House. Salvador H. Laurel held office there until the building became the National Museum. Today the Vice-President holds office in the Philippine International Convention Center.

Binay, at 66, is the oldest to be elected vice-president. Lopez in 1969 was 65 years old and Osmena in 1941 was 63 years old, the two oldest elected vice-presidents prior to Binay. However, Guingona was 73 years old when appointed vice-president in 2001, making him the oldest to take office as vice-president.

Veep percentages since 1987 multiparty system in place: Estrada 33%, Arroyo 49.56%, de Castro 49.6%, Binay 41.65%. Majority VP's: Osmena 87% 1935, 92.1% 1941, Quirino 52.3% 1946, Lopez 52.1% 1949, Garcia 62.9% 1957, Lopez 62.7% 1969, Laurel app. 52% 1986. Plurality VP's: Macapagal 46.5% 1957, Pelaez 37.7% 1961, Lopez 48.4% 1965, and all post-Edsa: Estrada, Arroyo, de Castro, Binay

At 41.65% Binay's winning percentage is between Macapagal's 46.5% in 1957 and Pelaez's 37.6% in 1961. Two closest VP races were Pelaez vs. Osmena in 1961 (204k votes) and Lopez vs. Roxas in 1965 (26,724 votes!)