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Philippine Constitution

The document summarizes the constitutional history of the Philippines from the 1899 Malolos Constitution to the current 1987 Constitution. It describes how the Malolos Constitution established the First Philippine Republic and was replaced after the Philippine-American War. It then outlines several subsequent constitutions, including those under US rule and the independence-granting 1935 Constitution. The summary concludes by describing how the 1987 Constitution was drafted after the People Power Revolution to establish a democratic system of government with separate executive, legislative and judicial branches.

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Raynalyn Zaradulla
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245 views3 pages

Philippine Constitution

The document summarizes the constitutional history of the Philippines from the 1899 Malolos Constitution to the current 1987 Constitution. It describes how the Malolos Constitution established the First Philippine Republic and was replaced after the Philippine-American War. It then outlines several subsequent constitutions, including those under US rule and the independence-granting 1935 Constitution. The summary concludes by describing how the 1987 Constitution was drafted after the People Power Revolution to establish a democratic system of government with separate executive, legislative and judicial branches.

Uploaded by

Raynalyn Zaradulla
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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The Philippine Constitutional

The present Constitution of the Philippines:

Approved by the 1986 Constitutional Commission on October 12, 1986, the 1987
Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines was presented to President Corazon C.
Aquino on October 15, 1986. It was ratified on February 2, 1987 by a plebiscite. It was
proclaimed in force on February 11, 1987.

Former constitutions of the Philippines:

The 1986 Freedom Constitution: promulgated by Presidential Proclamation, March 25,


1986.

The 1973 Constitution: as Amended in October 16-17, 1976, on January 30, 1980, and
April 7, 1981.

The 1973 Constitution: draft presented to President Marcos by the 1971 Constitutional


Convention on December 1, 1972; deemed ratified by Citizens’ Assemblies held from
January 10 to 15, 1973, proclaimed in force by Proclamation by President Marcos,
January 17, 1973.

The 1943 Constitution: as approved by the Preparatory Committee on Philippine


Independence, September 4, 1943 and ratified by the KALIBAPI Convention, September
7, 1943.

The 1935 Constitution: as amended on June 18, 1940, and on March 11,  1947.

The 1935 Constitution: as approved by the 1934 Constitutional Convention on February


8, 1935, certified by the President of the United States on March 25, 1935, and ratified
by plebiscite on May 14, 1935.

The Jones Law of 1916: enacted into law by the United States Congress on August 29,
1916.

The Philippine Organic Act of 1902: enacted into law by the United States Congress on
July 1, 1902

The 1899 Malolos Constitution: approved by the Malolos Congress on November 29,


1898, draft returned by President Aguinaldo on December 1, 1898 for amendments,
which the Congress refused; approved by President Aguinaldo on December 23, 1898;
formally adopted by the Malolos Congress on January 20, 1899, promulgated by
President Emilio Aguinaldo on January 21, 1899.
Malolos Constitution

 Written by Felipe Calderon Y Roca


 Ratification and proclamation held at Barasoain Church in Malolos
 Created in accordance with the establishment of the First Republic, 1899.
 Lasted until the Philippine-American War.

The most important achievements of the Malolos Congress are the ff:

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 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.

The 1987 Constitution

The 1987 Constitution established a representative democracy with power divided among three separate and
independent branches of government: the Executive, a Bicameral Legislature, and the Judiciary. There were three
independent constitutional commission as well: The commission on Audit, the Civil Service Commission, and the
Commission on Elections. Integrated into the Constitution was a full Bill of Rights, which guaranteed fundamental
civil and political rights, and it provided for free, fair, and periodic elections. In comparison with the weak document
that had given Marcos a legal fiction behind which to hide, this Constitution seemed ideal to many Filipinos
emerging from 20 years of political repression and oppression.

Aquino began her term by repealing many of the Marcos-era regulations that had repressed the people for so long.
In March, she issued a unilateral proclamation establishing a provisional constitution. This constitution gave the
President broad powers and great authority, but Aquino promised to use them only to restore democracy under a
new constitution. This new constitution was drafted in 133 days by an appointed Constitutional Commission of 48
members and ratified by the people in a plebiscite held on February 2, 1987. It was largely modelled on the
American Constitution which had so greatly influenced the 1935 Constitution, but it also incorporated Roman,
Spanish, and Anglo law.

Timeline

1542 Spanish claim the islands


1898 Spain cedes the Philippines to the US
1902 US establishes civil government to replace military rule
1935 The Commonwealth of the Philippines is established under President Manuel Quezon and the US
promises independence in 10 years
1941 Japanese forces invade the islands
1944 The US retakes the islands
1946 The US grants the new Republic of the Philippines full independence
1965 Ferdinand Marcos becomes President
1969 Marcos is reelected despite allegations of elections fraud, Vietnam protests begin, Muslim separatists
begin guerrilla war in the south
1972 Marcos declares martial law, suspends parliaments, arrests opposition leaders, and imposes censorship
regulations
1973 New constitution adopted granting Marcos broad powers
1981 Marcos wins reelection, martial law lifted
1983 Opposition leader Benigno Aquino killed as he returns to the Philippines from exile
1986 Marcos opposed in elections by Aquino’s widow Corazon, mass protests of election results in favour of
Marcos forces him into exile
11 February New Constitution passed
1987

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