The aftermath of the Marcos dictatorship's downfall in the Philippines in 1986 has been referred to, rightly or wrongly, as a period of re-democratization. The Aquino government restored 'democratic space' and produced a new Constitution providing for the return of free and fair elections. On 11 May 1998, Joseph Ejercito Estrada was elected to succeed Fidel Ramos as president of the country. This essay reflects on the 1998 election season and examines how it measures up to the standards and values of a re-democratized polity.