An election for the president of the Senate of the Philippines is held when the Senate convenes at the opening of a new Congress; when the incumbent president is ousted from the position through a motion of no confidence, declaring the presidency as vacant, or a resolution containing the signatures of a majority of senators supporting another senator as Senate president; dies in office; or resigns. The Senate President is the highest-ranking official of the upper chamber as its presiding officer.

Elections for the Senate presidency are held at least every three years, and have been held 56 times since the establishment of the office in 1916. Prior to the emergence of the multi-party system in the Philippines after the reestablishment of the bicameral legislature in 1987, major political parties in the Senate selected a candidate for the body's presidency from among its members as their nominee. In recent decades, where multiple parties are represented in the Senate, internal alliances between different parties are formed to create a bloc that enables its members to choose a candidate for Senate president. The votes are traditionally cast by roll call, or, if there is only one nominee for the position, the candidate is elected by acclamation. Thirteen votes out of the full membership of the Senate are required to elect a president, although past elections held in rump sessions were conducted with the minimum number of members in session for a quorum. Only senators who are present are eligible to vote and to become candidates for the presidency of the Senate.

In elections in which no candidate receives a majority of the votes, the roll call is repeated until the Senate elects a president.

Altogether, 27 individuals have served as Senate president throughout Philippine legislative history, five of whom served non-consecutive terms and twelve of whom served tenures across two or more legislatures or Congresses. The first and longest-serving president of the Senate, Manuel L. Quezon, who served for 16 consecutive years from 1916 to 1935, holds the record for most electoral victories, having been elected seven times to the Senate presidency.

Elections from 1916 to 1935 October 1916 The first election for the president of the Senate took place on October 16, 1916, the day when the Philippine Senate was established and when the 4th Legislature began, following the 1916 elections in which members of the Nacionalista Party won a majority of the seats. Manuel L. Quezon, a senator from the fifth district, was elected president of the Senate by acclamation.

+ 1916 election for president of the SenatePartyCandidateVotes% Nacionalista Manuel L. Quezon (5th district) 24 100.00 Total votes 24 100.00

October 1919 An election for the president of the Senate took place on October 16, 1919, at the start of the 5th Legislature, following the 1919 elections in which members of the Nacionalista Party won a majority of the seats. Manuel L. Quezon was re-elected president of the Senate.

+ 1919 election for president of the SenatePartyCandidateVotes% Nacionalista Manuel L. Quezon (5th district) (incumbent) ≥13 Total votes (?) 100.00

October 1922 An election for the president of the Senate took place on October 16, 1922, at the start of the 6th Legislature, following the 1922 elections in which members of the Colectivista faction of the Nacionalista Party won a majority of the seats. Manuel L. Quezon was re-elected president of the Senate.

+ 1922 election for president of the SenatePartyCandidateVotes% Nacionalista Colectivista Manuel L. Quezon (5th district) (incumbent) ≥13 Total votes (?) 100.00

July 1925 An election for the president of the Senate took place on October 16, 1919, at the start of the 7th Legislature, following the 1925 elections in which members of the Nacionalista Consolidado Party won a majority of the seats. Manuel L. Quezon was re-elected president of the Senate.

+ 1925 election for president of the SenatePartyCandidateVotes% Nacionalista Consolidado Manuel L. Quezon (5th district) (incumbent) ≥13 Total votes (?) 100.00

July 1928 An election for the president of the Senate took place on July 16, 1928, at the start of the 8th Legislature, following the 1928 elections in which members of the Nacionalista Consolidado Party won a majority of the seats. Manuel L. Quezon was re-elected president of the Senate.

+ 1928 election for president of the SenatePartyCandidateVotes% Nacionalista Consolidado Manuel L. Quezon (5th district) (incumbent) ≥13 Total votes (?) 100.00

July 1931 An election for the president of the Senate took place on July 16, 1931, at the start of the 9th Legislature, following the 1931 elections in which members of the Nacionalista Consolidado Party won a majority of the seats. Manuel L. Quezon was re-elected president of the Senate.

+ 1931 election for president of the SenatePartyCandidateVotes% Nacionalista Consolidado Manuel L. Quezon (5th district) (incumbent) ≥13 Total votes (?) 100.00

July 1934 An election for the president of the Senate took place on July 16, 1934, at the start of the 10th Legislature, following the 1934 elections in which members of the Democratico faction of the Nacionalista Party won a majority of the seats. Manuel L. Quezon was re-elected president of the Senate.

+ 1934 election for president of the SenatePartyCandidateVotes% Nacionalista Democratico Manuel L. Quezon (5th district) (incumbent) 14 Nacionalista Democrata Pro-Independencia Sergio Osmeña (10th district) 4 Total votes 18+ 100.00

Elections from 1945 to 1972 June 1945 An election for the president of the Senate took place on June 9, 1945, when the 1st Commonwealth Congress finally convened after the end of World War II which had prevented senators elected in 1941 from taking office, following the 1941 elections in which members of the Nacionalista Party won all twenty-four Senate seats. Manuel Roxas was elected president of the Senate.

+ 1945 election for president of the SenatePartyCandidateVotes% Nacionalista Manuel Roxas ≥13 Total votes (?) 100.00

May 1946 On May 25, 1946, on the opening day of the 2nd Commonwealth Congress, senators from the minority walked out of session after the majority argued that a majority vote shall be enough for the chamber to organize itself. The minority senators, led by Tomás Confesor, insisted that the rules of the pre-World War II Senate should apply. An election for the president of the Senate took place three days later on May 28, 1946, following the 1946 elections in which members of the Liberal Party won a majority of the seats. José Avelino was elected president of the Senate.

+ 1946 election for president of the SenatePartyCandidateVotes% Liberal José Avelino ≥13 Total votes (?) 100.00

January 1948 An election for the president of the Senate took place on January 26, 1948, at the opening of the third regular session of the 1st Congress, following the 1947 elections in which members of the Liberal won a majority of the seats. José Avelino was re-elected president of the Senate.

+ 1948 election for president of the SenatePartyCandidateVotes% Liberal José Avelino (incumbent) ≥13 Total votes (?) 100.00

February 1949 On February 21, 1949, José Avelino was ousted from the Senate presidency after Avelino and nine of his supporters walked out of session. Consequently, an intra-term election for a new Senate president was held on the same day, during the 1st Congress. Mariano Jesús Cuenco was elected president of the Senate. Avelino branded the subsequent session, his ouster and Cuenco's election as illegal, while President Elpidio Quirino recognized Cuenco as the new Senate president.

+ February 1949 election for president of the SenatePartyCandidateVotes% Liberal Mariano Jesús Cuenco 12 100.00 Total votes 12 100.00

December 1949 An election for the president of the Senate took place on December 30, 1949, at the start of the 2nd Congress, following the 1949 elections in which members of the Liberal Party won a majority of the seats. Mariano Jesús Cuenco was re-elected president of the Senate.

+ December 1949 election for president of the SenatePartyCandidateVotes% Liberal Mariano Jesús Cuenco (incumbent) ≥13 Total votes (?) 100.00

March 1952 An election for the president of the Senate took place on March 5, 1952, at the resumption of session of the 2nd Congress, wherein both the Nacionalista Party and Liberal Party had twelve senators each. 35 days after the opening of the third regular session on January 28, Felisberto Verano of the Nacionalista Party crossed the floor and broke the tie for the Liberals. Quintín Paredes was elected president of the Senate.

+ March 1952 election for president of the SenatePartyCandidateVotes% Liberal Quintín Paredes 13 Nacionalista Eulogio Rodriguez 11 Total votes 24 100.00

April 17, 1952 On April 17, 1952, Quintín Paredes resigned from the Senate presidency. Consequently, an intra-term election for a new Senate president was held on the same day, during the 2nd Congress. Camilo Osías was elected president of the Senate.

+ April 17, 1952 election for president of the SenatePartyCandidateVotes% Nacionalista Camilo Osías ≥13 Total votes (?) 100.00

April 30, 1952 On April 30, 1952, Camilo Osías was ousted from the Senate presidency through a motion to vacate. Consequently, an intra-term election for a new Senate president was held on the same day, during the 2nd Congress. Eulogio Rodriguez was elected president of the Senate.

+ April 30, 1952 election for president of the SenatePartyCandidateVotes% Nacionalista Eulogio Rodriguez 21 Against 1 Total votes 22 100.00

April 17, 1953 On April 17, 1953, Eulogio Rodriguez was ousted from the Senate presidency. Consequently, an intra-term election for a new Senate president was held on the same day, during the 2nd Congress. Camilo Osías was elected president of the Senate.

+ April 17, 1953 election for president of the SenatePartyCandidateVotes% Nacionalista Camilo Osías ≥13 Total votes (?) 100.00

April 30, 1953 On April 30, 1953, Camilo Osías was ousted from the Senate presidency. Consequently, an intra-term election for a new Senate president was held on the same day, during the 2nd Congress. Jose Zulueta was elected president of the Senate.

+ April 30, 1953 election for president of the SenatePartyCandidateVotes% Liberal Jose Zulueta ≥13 Total votes (?) 100.00

May 1953 On May 20, 1953, Jose Zulueta resigned from the Senate presidency. Consequently, an intra-term election for a new Senate president was held on the same day, during the 2nd Congress. Eulogio Rodriguez was elected president of the Senate by acclamation.

+ May 1953 election for president of the SenatePartyCandidateVotes% Nacionalista Eulogio Rodriguez Unanimous 100.00 Total votes 13+ 100.00

January 1954 An election for the president of the Senate took place on January 25, 1954, at the start of the 3rd Congress, following the 1953 elections in which members of the Nacionalista Party won a majority of the seats. Eulogio Rodriguez was re-elected president of the Senate.

+ 1954 election for president of the SenatePartyCandidateVotes% Nacionalista Eulogio Rodriguez (incumbent) 20 Liberal Quintín Paredes 1 Liberal Macario Peralta Jr. 1 Abstention 1 Total votes 24 100.00

January 1956 An election for the president of the Senate took place on January 23, 1956, at the opening of the third regular session of the 3rd Congress, following the 1955 elections in which members of the Nacionalista Party won a majority of the seats. Eulogio Rodriguez was re-elected president of the Senate by acclamation.

+ 1956 election for president of the SenatePartyCandidateVotes% Nacionalista Eulogio Rodriguez (incumbent) 22 100.00 Total votes 22 100.00

January 1958