SEMI FINALS

Lesson 3
THE PHILIPPINE
CONSTITUTION
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
By the end of this lesson, students will have
completed the following objectives:
1. Define constitution.
2. Discuss the earlier constitutions attempted by
Filipinos in the struggle to break free from the
colonization.
3. Understand the methods by which the
constitution can be changed or amended.
What is Constitution?
A constitution is primarily a set of
rules and principles specifying how a
country should be governed, how
power is distributed and controlled, and
what rights citizens possess.
Evolution of the Philippine Constitution
1897: Constitution of Biak-na-Bato
Emilio Aguinaldo established his headquarters in Biak-na-Bato in Bulacan
province. The news immediately spread throughout the country, and the
revolutionaries were once more in high spirits. General llanera, who was in
Nueva Ecija, declared his support for Aguinaldo. In July 1897, Aguinaldo
established the Biak-na-Bato Republic and issued a proclamation stating the
following demands:
1. Expulsion of the friars and the return of the friar lands to the Filipinos
2. Representation of the Philippines in the Spanish Cortes
3. Freedom of the press and of religion
4. Abolition of the government’s power to banish Filipinos
5. Equality for all before the law
Facts about Biak-na-Bato Constitution
The Constitution of Biak-na-Bato was the provisionary Constitution of the
Philippine Republic during the Philippine Revolution
It was promulgated by the Philippine Revolutionary Government on 1
November 1897.
The Constitution was written by Isabelo Artacho and Felix Ferrer in Spanish
The organs of the government under the Constitution were:
1. the Supreme Council
2. the Consejo Supremo de Gracia Y Justicia
3. the Asamblea de Representantes
The Filipino’s and the Spaniards did not trust each other. As a result,
periodic clashes between the two groups still took place even after
Aguinaldo’s departure from the country. The Spanish did not pay the entire
agreed amount.
Preamble of the Biak-na-Bato Constitution
The separation of the Philippines from the Spanish
monarchy and their formation into an independent state with
its own government called the Philippine Republic has been
the end sought by the Revolution in the existing war, begun
on the 24th of August, 1896; and therefore, in its name and
by the power delegated by the Filipino people, interpreting
faithfully their desires and ambitions, we the representatives
of the Revolution, in a meeting at Biak-na-Bato, November 1,
1897, unanimously adopted the following articles for the
constitution of the State.
1899: Malolos Constitution
Emilio Aguinaldo issued a decree on July 18, 1898 asking for the election of
delegates to the revolutionary congress, another decree was promulgated five
days later, which declared that Aguinaldo would appoint representative of
congress because holding elections is not practical at that time. The following
were among the most important achievements of the Malolos Congress:
1. In September 29, 1898, ratified the declaration of Philippine
independence held at Kawit, Cavite on June 12, 1898
2. Passage of a law that allowed the Philippines to borrow P 20 million from
banks for government expenses
3. Establishment of the Universidad Literatura de Filipinas and other schools
4. Drafting of the Philippine Constitution
5. Declaring war against the United States on June 12, 1899
Preamble of the Political Constitution of 1899
We, the Representatives of the Filipino People, lawfully
convened, in order to establish justice, provide for common
defense, promote the general welfare and insure the
benefits of liberty, imploring the aid of the Sovereign
Legislator of the Universe for the attainment of these ends,
have voted, decreed, and sanctioned the following political
constitution.
1935: The Commonwealth Constitution
The Commonwealth era is the 10-year transitional period in Philippine history from 1935
to 1945 in preparation for independence from the United States as provided for under the
Philippine Independence Act or more popularly known as the Tydings-McDuffie Law. The
Commonwealth government was headed by Manuel L. Quezon and Sergio S. Osmeña.
Facts about Commonwealth Constitution
The Constitution was crafted to meet the approval of the United States government,
and to ensure that the United States would live up to its promise to grant independence
to the Philippines.
Commonwealth is a traditional administration to prepare the country toward its full
achievement of independence. It originally provided for a unicameral National
Assembly with a President and Vice President elected to a six-year term without re-
election.
The draft of the constitution was approved by the constitutional convention on 8
February 1935, and ratified by then U.S. President Franklin B. Roosevelt on 25 March
1935.
The Commonwealth was briefly interrupted by the events of the World War II, with
the Japanese occupying the Philippines.
Preamble of the 1935 Commonwealth
The Filipino people, imploring the aid of Divine
Providence, in order to establish a government that
shall embody their ideals, conserve and develop the
patrimony of the nation, promote the general
welfare, and secure to themselves and their
posterity the blessings of independence under a
regime of justice, liberty, and democracy, do ordain
and promulgate this constitution.
1987: Constitution after Martial Law
The Constitution begins with a preamble and eighteen self-contained articles. It
established the Philippines as a “democratic republican State” where
“sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from
them”. It allocates governmental powers among the executive, legislative and
judicial branches of the government.
Facts about the 1987 Constitution
The constitution begins with a Preamble, a short statement the purpose of which
is to neatly summarize and crystallize the values and principles a nation hopes
to embody and wishes to project to the rest of the world. They are aspirational
and often quite vague statements intended to inspire citizens and shape a
positive national identity and political culture. In this way, a constitution goes to
the heart not only of a country’s system of government but also to its image of
itself.
PREAMBLE
ARTICLE I National Territory
ARTICLE II Declaration of Principles and State Policies
ARTICLE III Bill of Rights
ARTICLE IV Citizenship
ARTICLE V Suffrage
ARTICLE VI Legislative Department
ARTICLE VII Executive Department
ARTICLE VIII Judicial Department
ARTICLE IX Constitutional Commissions
ARTICLE X Local Government
ARTICLE XI Accountability of Public Officers
ARTICLE XII National Economy and Patrimony
ARTICLE XIII Social Justice and Human Rights
ARTICLE XIV Education, Science and Technology, Arts, Culture and Sports
ARTICLE XV The Family
ARTICLE XVI General Provisions
ARTICLE XVII Amendments or Revisions
ARTICLE XVIII Transitory Provisions
Methods by which the Constitution can be changed or amended
1. Con-as (Constituent Assembly)
Congress or House of representatives and Senate may convene as a Con-
Ass to propose amendments to the Constitution. It is not clear, however, if
Congress is to vote as a single body or separately
2. Con-con (Constitutional Convention)
Congress, upon a vote of two-thirds of all its members, calls for a
constitutional convention. In a con-con, delegates will propose
amendments or revisions to the Constitution.
3. PI (People’s Initiative)
In this method, amendments to the Constitution may be proposed by the people
upon a petition of at least 12% of the total number of registered voters. No
amendment is allowed more than once every five years since a successful
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