PREAMBLE

 
We, the sovereign Filipino people,
imploring the aid of Almighty God,
in order to build a just and humane society
and establish a Government
that shall embody our ideals and aspirations,
promote the common good,
conserve and develop our patrimony,
and secure to ourselves and our posterity
the blessings of independence and democracy
under the rule of law and a regime of truth, justice, freedom, love, equality, and peace,
do ordain and promulgate this Constitution.
 
ARTICLE I
 
National Territory
 
The national territory comprises
the Philippine archipelago,
with all the islands and waters embraced therein,
and all other territories over which the Philippines has sovereignty or jurisdiction,
consisting of its terrestrial, fluvial, and aerial domains,
including its territorial sea, the seabed, the subsoil,
the insular shelves, and other submarine areas.
The waters around, between, and connecting the islands of the archipelago,
regardless of their breadth and dimensions,
form part of the internal waters of the Philippines.
 
ARTICLE II
 
Declaration of Principles and State Policies
 
Principles Notes
 
SECTION  
1 The Philippines is a democratic and republican State.
Sovereignty resides in the people and all government
authority emanates from them.
2 The Philippines renounces war as an instrument of
national policy, adopts the generally accepted principles of
international law as part of the law of the land and
adheres to the policy of peace, equality, justice, freedom,
cooperation, and amity with all nations.
3 Civilian authority is, at all times, supreme over the
military. The Armed Forces of the Philippines is the
protector of the people and the State. Its goal is to secure
the sovereignty of the State and the integrity of the
national territory.
4 The prime duty of the Government is to serve and protect
 the people. The Government may call upon the people to
defend the State and, in the fulfillment thereof, all citizens
may be required, under conditions provided by law, to
render personal military or civil service.
5 The maintenance of peace and order, the protection of
life, liberty, and property, and the promotion of the
general welfare are essential for the enjoyment by all the
people of the blessings of democracy.
6 The separation of Church and State shall be inviolable.