Uniqueness

*Provincial
governments
Executive
(alcalde,
National
corregimiento)
Gobernador-
and city
Heneral
government
- The king’s (ayuntamiento)
Spanish representative Legislative
- 1521 – - Has power to None Judiciary *Spreading of
1898 appoint and - Laws were Royal Catholicism,
(Monarchy dismiss absorbed Audiencia oneness of
) officials from Spain Church and
State
Local
Alcalde Mayor *Social classes
Corregidor based on your
level of
Spanish-ness

- In Spanish era, Gobernador Heneral’s most likely the highest position (controlled by
king) Unlike today that all three branches of the government are already co-equal
Historical Background before the 1987 Philippine Constitution
• Republic was revived after EDSA Revolution
• Corazon C. Aquino and Salvador H. Laurel took their oath of office as President
and Vice President of the Philippine Republic
• Freedom Constitution provided for a new government
• Constitutional Commission was mandated to draft a constitution
• enacted in 1987 during the administration of President Corazon Aquino
Constitution - A system for government, codified as written document, which contains
fundamental laws and principles. It usually contains fundamental political principles, and
establishes the structure, procedures, powers and duties, of the government.
Philippine Perspective of Political System:
Article II, Section I of the 1987 Constitution
- The Philippines is a democratic and republican state. Sovereignty resides in the people
and all government authority emanates from them.
Democracy
- derived from the Greek dēmokratiā
- dēmos (“people”)
- kratos (“rule”)
"a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them
directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free
elections" (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)
Republic
- a government in which supreme power resides in a body of citizens entitled to vote and is
exercised by elected officers and representatives responsible to them and governing
according to law (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

Sovereignty resides in the Filipino People:

- supreme power to govern and of the state to command and enforce obedience from all
people within its territorial jurisdiction.
- exercised in elections
- system of initiative and referendum
Accountability of Public Officers:
 • government employees are to conduct themselves in accordance with certain normative
prescriptions and ethical standards
Unitary presidential constitutional republic
– Unitary: the control of national and local affairs is under the central or national
government
– Presidential: the president is both the head of the state and the government
– Constitutional: the power of those who rule are defined by the constitution
– Republic: the power is exercised by a group of persons chosen by the people to
act as their representatives
– Prime duty of the government is to serve and protect the people
– Armed Forces exist to protect the people and the state
Renunciation of War and Commitment to International Law:
– Offensive- Philippines cannot declare war on another country
– Defensive- the country can only declare an existing state of war
– International laws forms part of the country's own laws
Separation of Power: (Kinda same sa Spanish Era) Equal Power
• Executive
• Legislative
• Judiciary
Separation of Church and State
• inviolable
• the government cannot establish, endorse, or favor any religion