Address

New Constitution
of President Marcos at the presentation of the draft of the
December 1, 1972

Address
of
His Excellency Ferdinand E. Marcos
President of the Philippines
At the presentation of the draft of the New Constitution

[Delivered in Malacañang, December 1, 1972]

A Testament to the Future

I AM INDEED glad and proud to participate in this historic ceremony. President Macapagal
has referred to this document as “the formulation of the aspirations of the Filipino people.” I
see written on every face of the delegates to the Constitutional Convention the mark of
accomplishment and the authority of success, for truly the Convention has just performed an
epic task of which it can be justly proud — the drafting and the writing of a new Constitution,
a testament to the future of the Republic of the Philippines.

Today we mark such a success, for you have worked against great odds. You have worked
against the very tide of history itself, the tide that has brought us through one of the most
turbulent periods our country has ever known. We are much too close to our times and,
perhaps, we shall not appreciate fully the weight, the nature and the magnitude of this
achievement. But in time, as the days and the years recede and a historical perspective
emerges, we shall know the full scope of your efforts, the extent of your labors, and the
achievement of the Constitutional Convention of 1971.

It is not my intention here to discuss the merits of the Constitution, for indeed we must still
submit this proposed Constitution to the people, the final repository of power and authority
in this democratic polity. It is the people who must speak.

The Constitutional Convention has been given this commission to write a Constitution, which
actually is a draft and a proposal. But as the great thinkers of the world have said — the
leaders may lead, they may guide, they may set the principles and blaze new trails, but no
one shall save the people except the people themselves. We may propose but the people must
decide. This we will do on the day set for the plebiscite. I am certain that when we do, we
shall act in unity and thus, it is my hope that our people shall debate this proposed
Constitution, and that such a debate will indeed be done with complete liberty.

I hereby direct the military to see to it that no man shall be harassed, molested or questioned
on anything said for or against the Constitution and that this order shall stand during and
after such debate.

I call upon every Filipino to participate in this historic discourse. Democracy is marked by
dialogue, but dialogue cannot exist if it is one-sided. And notwithstanding the unusual
circumstances under which we labor in view of the proclamation of martial law, it is my
directive and my wish that for all purposes and for this particular occasion, the strictness of
martial law, be set aside in order that the full discourse and dialogue under our democratic
ideals may be attained.

We hope, of course, in accordance with the new standards, that there shall be less of the
corrosive spirit of faction and partisanship; but even this, my friends, we must tolerate
during this period.

The President of the Constitutional Convention has quoted me when on June 1st I appeared
before you. Let me quote another paragraph from that statement and observation. I said
then:

“For as our forebears in the past sought to establish the first Republic in Asia, so now, you,
their children, must test a democratic principle, for you must test whether democracy is self-
rejuvenating, self-recuperating, and set healing. Even if an unjust social and economic order
shall impose itself upon democratic community and corrupt it, the people if they so will can
rectify this error. But the people must act through their duly chosen representatives and this
is the Congress and you. Now we can say you have acted and now we must ask the people to
act, for if democracy is indeed self-rejuvenating we can initiate an action. No leader, no
matter how vast his authority may be, can succeed unless the people support that action or
his action.”

No matter what the Constitutional Convention may do, no matter what Congress may do, no
matter what the President may do, if the people do not support our actions, then we fail in
the effort of reformation and the establishment of a new society.

I am indeed happy to note that as this new Constitution is founded on the age-old and time-
tested principles of democracy and freedom, it, too, has imbibed the idealism and the vision
of the New Society, for these reforms that we have initiated are embodied in the letter of this
proposed Constitution.

I am indeed happy that this new Constitution notwith- has been finalized standing the fact
that for a time the Constitutional Convention and, for matter, our entire government and
society, mirrored the virulence and confusion of our times. It may be said that we have
passed the crisis. The Convention itself faced the prospect of being overtaken and
overwhelmed by cataclysm, while the Republic was challenged as to its stability and even its
existence. That both the Republic and the Constitutional Convention have survived such a
test is indeed proof of the capacity of a democratic organization like ours for self-
rejuvenation and self-healing.

By the guidance of the Almighty we shall succeed and we shall prevail.

The drastic reforms that have been set off pertaining to the rights of every man, no matter
how long it took to be recognized, are now enshrined in this Constitution. This Constitution
shall be the anchor of every Filipino and shall be his hope. The Constitution shall be the basis
 for the ultimate redemption of every man and slave whether by the soil or by his past, and
this proven resiliency of our democracy just proves that society can be revolutionized by
constitutional means.

You have reaffirmed the guiding faith of our people. I am glad you have completed this task
and I extend you my personal congratulations and the appreciation of all our people.

In behalf of all the officials who are present here today, and in behalf of the millions who wait
with expectation, I accept this proposed Constitution for submission to our people in a
national plebiscite.

I, therefore, announce that in accordance with this process of ratification, I hereby sign in
your presence a decree calling a plebiscite on January 15 for the final ratification of this
proposed Constitution.

Along with this decree, I shall sign the order directing all persons in authority, especially the
Secretary of National Defense and the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines,
to see to it that the people shall be accorded the fullest opportunity to freely and publicly
discuss and debate its various provisions.

I also hereby direct that the cases of all members of the Constitutional Convention who are
under detention be now processed, to pave the way for the release of those who have not
actually been connected with subversion.

I also hereby direct that the members of the Constitutional Convention who are under
detention be forthwith released, unless they are facing criminal charges.

Again, my thanks and congratulations to all of you. With the guidance of Divine Providence,
I know that we shall succeed in our efforts to establish a new Philippines.

Source: National Library of the Philippines

Marcos, F. E. (1978). Presidential speeches(Vol. 4). [Manila : Office of the President of the
Philippines].