Rachel Joy G.

Alferez
Juris Doctor 1-5
Introduction to Law

What is law?

Whenever the term "law" is heard or read, what probably comes to mind is a list of
what should be done and what should not be done to avoid respective consequences.
However, this also leads to further questions such as, 'who makes a law?'; 'what makes
of a law?'; 'how are laws applied?'; 'why is a law important?', and a lot of other things.
As defined by Merriam Webster, a law is "a binding custom or practice of a
community, a rule of conduct or action prescribed or formally recognized as binding or
enforced by a controlling authority". Looking back in its etymology, the word "law" comes
from the Old Norse term "lag" which is described as something that is "laid down, fixed or
set".
Having read such, one can easily say that a law is a shared custom or practice
that serves as a citizen's guide as to how one should behave in the community he or she
belongs to. Community not being only the physical place, but a group of people which
one associates himself or herself with. However, for a particular conduct or action to be
considered as a "law", this should be formally recognized by a controlling authority.
Authorities may be our parents, teachers, professors, supervisors, workplace
managers, the policemen, the legislators, or even the President. A "law" inside one's
home could consist of not going home later than ten o'clock in the evening. It may even
be about not drinking alcoholic beverages until one is considered of legal age, by which
in the Philippines is at eighteen. However, these "laws" set by one's parents, are only
considered within the community they are in authority of, whereas their respective
houses. And as these vary for each family, it could cause chaos as to which family's set
of rules is superficial to others. This is where a far powerful controlling authority is needed
to set the basic foundation of rules to be followed.
In the Philippines, this basic foundation of rules is written as our current
constitution, the 1987 Constitution, which consists of eighteen articles under which
definitions, principles, and procedures, among other things are explained. These are
supported by republic acts, penal laws and special laws, decisions of the Supreme Court
for a broader yet deeper understanding of how such laws are interpreted and applied in
real life situations.
The 1987 Constitution also provides under Article VI that the power to make
governing laws that the whole country should abide is vested unto the Legislative
Department. The Legislative Department, which is composed of the Senate and the
House of Representatives, is in charge of providing these guidelines that would serve as
our guide to be effective citizens of our country.
 For as the ways of the world progresses, laws present should be able to reflect the
way the citizens live. One relevant update for our set of laws is the Data Privacy Act of
2012, which requires all organizations which handle personal information to comply with
a number of important principles regarding privacy and disclosure. Anyone who
processes personal information must make sure that personal information is treated
confidential in nature, also fairly and lawfully processed. Despite being passed for about
six years now, became significant for the impact that the internet has today in one's
lifestyle, as the power of internet currently covers even our basic need for food, shelter,
and water.
One Latin phrase dura lex sed lex translates directly to the law is harsh, but it is
the law. Once a law has taken effect, it is not to be taken lightly. Though penalties vary
from monetary fines, to suspension from duty or line of work, up to an act of imprisonment
in different ranges of time, each law makes sure that once its conditions are breached,
persons at fault will be executed to the full extent of the law.
As laws are set by authorities to govern a community, these instructions are
expected to provide order and a system of doing things. These set of laws are present to
provide security for its citizens in order to achieve common good. Knowledge of the law
and its provisions makes one an active citizen of the community he or she belongs to,
and therefore contributes to the betterment of the public.