Const

it
uti
onalPr
ovi
sions.

Ar
t.I
I

Sect
ion22.

TheSt
aterecogni
zesandpromotestheright
sofi
ndi
genouscul
tur
alcommuni
ti
eswi
thi
nthe
fr
ameworkofnati
onaluni
tyanddevelopment.

Ar
tXI

Sect
ion1

Thegoal
soft henationaleconomyar eamoreequi
tabl
edistr
ibut
ionofopport
uni
ti
es,i
ncome,
andweal
th;asust ai
nedincreaseintheamountofgoodsandservicespr
oducedbythenat
ion
fort
hebenefitofthepeople;andanexpandi
ngproducti
vi
tyasthekeytorai
singt
hequali
tyof
l
ifef
oral
l,especial
lytheunderpri
vi
leged.

TheSt ateshall
promoteindustri
ali
zat
ionandf ullemploymentbasedonsoundagr icul
tur
al
devel
opmentandagr ari
anreform,thr
oughindustr i
esthatmakefullofeffi
cientuseofhuman
andnat uralr
esources,
andwhi charecompetitiv
ei nbothdomest i
candf oreignmarkets.
Howev er,theStat
eshallpr
otectFil
ipi
noenterpri
sesagai nstunf
airfor
eigncompet i
tionandt
rade
pract
ices.

I
nthepur
suitofthesegoals,al
lsectorsoft
heeconomyandal l r
egi
onsofthecountryshal
lbe
gi
venopt
imum opportuni
tytodev el
op.Pri
vateent
erpri
ses,i
ncludi
ngcorpor
ati
ons,cooper
ati
ves,
andsi
mil
arcoll
ecti
veorganizat
ions,shal
lbeencouragedtobroadenthebaseofthei
rownershi
p.

Ar
ti
cleXI
II

Sect
ion4.

TheStateshal l
,bylaw,under takeanagr ari
anreform program foundedont herightoffarmer
s
andregularfarmwor kerswhoar elandless,toowndi rectlyorcollecti
velythelandstheytil
lor
,in
thecaseofot herfarmwor kers,toreceiveaj ustshareoft hefrui
tst hereof.Tothisend,theSt
ate
shal
lencour ageandunder taket hejustdi st
ri
butionofal lagri
cul
tural l
ands,subjecttosuch
pri
ori
ti
esandr easonableretentionli
mi tsast heCongr essmaypr escri
be, t
akingint
oaccount
ecol
ogical,developmental,orequi t
yconsi derati
ons,andsubj ecttot hepay mentofjust
compensat i
on.Indet er
miningr etenti
onl imit
s,theStat eshallr
espectt her i
ghtofsmall
l
andowner s.TheSt ateshallfurtherprovideincenti
vesf orv ol
untaryland-shari
ng.
Sect
ion5.

TheSt at
eshal lr
ecognizetherightoffarmers,
farmworkers,andlandowners,
aswel las
cooperati
ves,andot heri
ndependentf armer
s'organi
zati
onst opart
ici
pateint
hepl anni
ng,
organi
zation,andmanagementoft heprogr
am, andshal
lprovidesupportt
oagr i
cult
urethr
ough
appropri
atetechnologyandr esearch,andadequatefi
nancial
,product
ion,market
ing,andother
supportservi
ces.

Sect
ion6.

TheSt ateshallapplytheprinci
plesofagr ar
ianr ef
orm orst ewar dship,whenev erapplicablei n
accordancewi thlaw,inthedispositionoruti
lizati
onofot hernaturalresources,incl
udi nglands
ofthepublicdomai nunderl easeorconcessi onsui t
abl etoagr i
culture,
subjectt opri
orr ights,
homest eadrightsofsmal lsett
lers,andtherightsofi ndigenouscommuni t
iest otheirancest ral
l
ands.TheSt atemayr eset
tlelandlessfarmersandf armwor kersini t
sownagr icult
ural estates
whichshallbedi str
ibutedtothem int hemannerpr ov idedbyl aw.

Sect
ion7.

TheSt ateshal lprot

ecttheright sofsubsistencef i
shermen, especial
lyoflocal communi ties,to
theprefer enti
aluseoft hecommunal marineandf i
shingr esources,bothinlandandof f
shor e.It
shall
pr ov idesupporttosuchf i
sherment hroughappr opr i
atet echnol
ogyandr esearch,adequat e
fi
nancial, producti
on,andmar keti
ngassistance, andot herser vi
ces.TheSt ateshal l
alsopr otect
,
devel
op, andconser vesuchr esources.Thepr ot
ectionshal lextendtooffshor efishi
nggr ounds
ofsubsi stencef i
shermenagai nstf
oreignintrusi
on.Fishwor kersshallr
eceiveaj ustsharef rom
thei
rlabori ntheuti
li
zationofmar i
neandf ishingresour ces.

Sect
ion8.

TheStateshal
lprovideincenti
vestol
andowner
stoinvesttheproceedsoftheagr
ari
anreform
progr
am topromot eindustr
ial
i
zati
on,empl
oymentcreat
ion,andpriv
ati
zati
onofpubl
icsector
enter
pri
ses.Fi
nancialinst
rumentsusedaspaymentforthei
rlandsshall
behonoredasequityin
enter
pri
sesoftheirchoice
MAXI
MOCALALANG,
Pet
it
ioner
,v.A.D.WI
LLI
AMS,
ETAL.
,Respondent
s.

Maxi
moCal
alangi
nhi
sownbehal
f.

Soli
cit
orGeneralOzaet
aandAssi
stantSol
ici
torGener
alAmpar
oforr
espondent
sWi
ll
iams,
FraganteandBayan

Ci
tyFi
scalMabanagf
ort
heot
herr
espondent
s.

SYLLABUS

1.CONSTI TUTI ONALLAW; CONSTI TUTI ONALI TYOFCOMMONWEALTHACTNo.648;

DELEGATI ONOFLEGI SLATI VEPOWER; AUTHORI TYOFDI RECTOROFPUBLI CWORKSAND
SECRETARYOFPUBLI CWORKSANDCOMMUNI CATIONSTOPROMULGATERULESAND
REGULATI ONS.—Thepr ov isionsofsect ion1ofCommonweal thActNo.648donotconf er
l
egisl ati
vepowerupont heDi rectorofPubl icWor ksandt heSecr etaryofPubl icWor ksand
Communi cations.Theaut hor i
tyther ei
nconf er r
edupont hem andunderwhi chtheypr omul gated
ther ulesandr egul ati
onsnowcompl ainedofi snott odet erminewhatpubl i
cpol icydemands
butmer elytocar ryoutt hel egisl
at i
v epolicyl aiddownbyt heNat ional Assembl yinsai dAct ,to
wit,"topr omot esaf etransi tupon, andav oidobst ructionson, roadsandst reetsdesi gnat edas
national roadsbyact soft heNat ional Assembl yorbyexecut iveor der soft hePr esidentoft he
Phili
ppi nes"andt ocl oset hem t empor ari
lyt oanyoral lcl
assesoft r
af f
ic" whenev erthe
condi ti
onoft her oadort het raff
ict hereonmakessuchact i
onnecessar yoradv isabl ei nthe
publicconv enienceandi nter est."Thedel egat edpower ,i
fatall,therefor e,isnott he
deter minationofwhatt hel awshal lbe, butmer elytheascer t
ainmentoft hef actsand
cir
cumst ancesuponwhi cht heappl icati
onofsai dlawi stobepr edicat ed.Topr omul gat er ules
andr egul ati
onsont heuseofnat i
onal roadsandt odet erminewhenandhowl onganat i
onal
roadshoul dbecl osedt ot r affic,i
nv i
ewoft hecondi t
ionoft her oadort het raffi
ct her eonand
ther equirement sofpubl icconv enienceandi nterest,i
sanadmi nistrativefunct i
onwhi chcannot
bedi rectlydischar gedbyt heNat ional Assembl y.Itmustdependont hedi screti
onofsome
othergov ernmentof ficialtowhom i sconf i
dedt hedut yofdet ermi ni
ngwhet herthepr oper
occasi onexi stsf orexecut ingt hel aw.Buti tcannotbesai dt hattheexer ciseofsuchdi scretion
i
st hemaki ngoft hel aw.
2.ID.;I
D. ;POLICEPOWER; PERSONALLI BERTY; GOVERNMENTALAUTHORI TY.—
Commonweal thActNo.548waspassedbyt heNat ionalAssembl yint heexer ciseoft he
paramountpol icepoweroft hest ate.Sai dAct ,byv irtueofwhi cht her ulesandr egulations
compl ainedofwer epr omul gat ed, aimst opr omot esaf etransi tuponandav oidobst ruct ionson
nationalroads, inthei nterestandconv enienceoft hepubl ic.I nenact i
ngsai dlaw, theref ore,the
Nat i
onal Assembl ywaspr ompt edbyconsi der ationsofpubl icconv enienceandwel fare.I twas
i
nspi r
edbyadesi r
et or eliev econgest i
onoft raf fic,whi chis, tosayt hel east ,amenacet opubl ic
safety.Publicwel fare,then, l
iesatt hebot tom oft heenact mentofsai dl aw, andt hest atei n
ordertopr omot ethegener alwel faremayi nter ferewi thper sonal li
ber ty,wi thpr oper ty, andwi t
h
businessandoccupat i
ons.Per sonsandpr oper tymaybesubj ect edt oal lkindsofr estr aintsand
burdens, inordertosecur et hegener alcomf or t
, heal th,andpr osper i
tyoft hest ate( U.S.v .
GomerJesus, 31Phi l.,218) .Tot hisf undament al aim ofourGov ernmentt her ight soft he
i
ndi vi
dual ar
esubor dinated.Li ber tyisabl essi ngwi thoutwhi chl ifei sami sery, butl i
ber tyshoul d
notbemadet opr evail overaut hor itybecauset hensoci etywi l
lfal li
ntoanar chy .Nei thershoul d
authorit
ybemadet opr ev ailov erl i
ber t
ybecauset hent hei ndi vi
dual will fallintosl av ery.The
cit
izenshoul dachi ev ether equi redbal anceofl iber tyandaut horityi nhismi ndt hrough
educat i
onand, personal di scipline, sot hatt her emaybeest abl i
shedt her esul tantequi l
ibr i
um,
whichmeanspeaceandor derandhappi nessf oral l.Themomentgr eat eraut hor i
tyisconf err
ed
upont hegov ernment ,logical l
ysomuchi swi t hdr awnf rom t her esi duum ofl i
ber tywhi chr esides
i
nt hepeopl e.Thepar adoxl i
esi nt hef actt hatt heappar entcur tailmentofl iber t
yi spr ecisel ythe
verymeansofi nsuringi tspr eser vat i
on.

3.ID. ;
ID.;SOCI ALJUSTI CE.—Soci aljust iceis" neithercommuni sm, nordespot i
sm, nor
atomi sm, noranar chy ,
"butt hehumani zat ionofl awsandt heequal i
zat i
onofsoci aland
economi cfor cesbyt heSt atesot hatj usticei nitsr ati
onal andobj ect ivelysecularconcept ion
mayatl eastbeappr oximat ed.Soci aljust i
cemeanst hepr omot ionoft hewel fareofal l
the
peopl e,theadopt ionbyt heGov ernmentofmeasur escal cul
at edtoi nsur eeconomi cstabil
ityof
allthecompet entel ement sofsoci ety ,t
hr ought hemai ntenanceofapr opereconomi cand
social equil
ibr i
um i nthei nterr
elati
onsoft hemember soft hecommuni ty,constituti
onall
y,
throught headopt i
onofmeasur esl egallyj usti
fiable,orext ra-const i
tuti
onal ly
,throught he
exer ci
seofpower sunder lyi
ngt heexi stenceofal lgov ernment sont het ime-honor edprincipl
eof
saluspopul i estsupr emal ex.Soci alj
ust ice, t
her efore, mustbef oundedont her ecogniti
onof
thenecessi tyofi nt erdependenceamongdi versanddi verseuni tsofasoci et
yandoft he
protect i
onthatshoul dbeequal l
yandev enl yextendedt oal lgroupsasacombi nedf or
cei nour
social andeconomi cl i
fe,consistentwi t
ht hefundament alandpar amountobj ect i
veoft hest at
e
ofpr omot i
ngt heheal t
h,comf or t
,andqui etofal lpersons, andofbr ingingabout" thegreatest
goodt othegr eatestnumber ."
DECISION

LAUREL,
J.:

MaximoCal alang,i
nhiscapaci t
yasapr i
vateci
tizenandasat axpayerofMani l
a,broughtbefor
e
thi
scourtthispeti
ti
onf orawr i
tofprohi
biti
onagai nstt
herespondents,A.D.Will
iams,as
Chairmanoft heNationalTraff
icCommi ssi
on;VicenteFragant
e,asDirectorofPubli
cWor ks;
SergioBayan,asActingSecr et
aryofPubli
cWor ksandCommuni cati
ons;Eulogi
oRodr i
guez,as
May oroft
heCi tyofMani l
a;andJuanDomi nguez, asActi
ngChiefofPoliceofMani l
a.

Itisal l
egedi nt hepet it
iont hattheNat i
onal Traf ficCommi ssion, ini tsr esolutionofJul y17,
1940, r
esol vedt or ecommendt ot heDi rect orofPubl icWor ksandt ot heSecr etar yofPubl i
c
Wor ksandCommuni cationst hatani mal -drawnv ehicl esbepr ohi bi tedf rom passi ngal ong
Rosar ioSt reetext endi ngf r
om Pl azaCal der ondel aBar cat oDasmar iñasSt r
eet ,from 7: 30a. m.
to12: 30p. m.andf rom 1: 30p. m.t o5:30p. m. ;andal ongRi zalAv enueext endi ngf rom t he
rail
roadcr ossi ngatAnt ipol oStreett oEchagueSt r
eet , f
rom 7a. m.t o11p. m., from aper iodof
oney earf rom t hedat eoft heopeni ngoft heCol gant eBr i
dget ot r affic;thatt heChai rmanoft he
Nat i
onal TrafficCommi ssi on,onJul y18, 1940r ecommendedt ot heDi r
ect orofPubl icWor ks
theadopt ionoft hemeasur eproposedi nt her esol ut i
onaf or ement i
oned, inpur suanceoft he
provisionsofCommonweal thActNo.548whi chaut hor i
zessai dDi rect orofPubl icWor ks, with
theappr ov aloft heSecr etar yofPubl icWor ksandCommuni cations, topr omul gat erul esand
regulationst or egul ateandcont rol t
heuseofandt raf fi
connat i
onal roads; t
hatonAugust2,
1940, t
heDi rect orofPubl icWor ks, i
nhi sf ir
sti ndor sementt otheSecr etaryofPubl icWor ksand
Communi cations, recommendedt othel attert heappr oval oft her ecommendat i
onmadebyt he
Chair manoft heNat i
onal Tr af
fi
cCommi ssi onasaf or esai d, witht hemodi fi
cat iont hatt he
closingofRi zal Avenuet ot raf
fictoani mal -
dr awnv ehi clesbel imi tedt ot hepor tionther eof
extendi ngf rom t her ail
roadcr ossingatAnt ipol oSt r
eett oAzcar r agaSt reet;thatonAugust10,
1940, t
heSecr etaryofPubl i
cWor ksandCommuni cat i
ons, i
nhi ssecondi ndor sement
addr essedt ot heDi rectorofPubl icWor ks, appr ov edt her ecommendat i
onoft hel atterthat
Rosar ioSt reetandRi zal Av enuebecl osedt ot raf fi
cofani mal -drawnv ehicles, bet weent he
pointsanddur ingt hehour sasabov eindi cat ed, f oraper i
odofoney earf rom t hedat eoft he
openi ngoft heCol gant eBr idget otraffic; thatt heMay orofMani laandt heAct ingChi efofPol ice
ofMani lahav eenf orcedandcausedt obeenf orcedt her ulesandr egul ationst husadopt ed; t
hat
asaconsequenceofsuchenf orcement ,al lani mal -dr awnv ehiclesar enotal lowedt opassand
pi
ckuppassenger
sintheplacesabov
e-ment
ionedt
othedet
ri
mentnotonl
yoft
hei
rowner
sbut
oft
heri
dingpubl
icaswell
.

Itiscont endedbyt hepet it

ionert hatCommonweal thActNo.548bywhi chtheDi rectorofPublic
Wor ks, wi t
htheappr ov al oft heSecr etaryofPubl icWor ksandCommuni cati
ons, i
saut hori
zedto
promul gat erulesandr egul ationsf ort heregul ati
onandcont r
oloft heuseofandt rafficon
national roadsandst reet sisunconst it
utional becausei tconst i
tut
esanunduedel egat i
onof
l
egi slativ epower .Thi scont ent i
oni sunt enabl e.Aswasobser vedbyt hiscour ti
nRubi v .
Prov inci alBoardofMi ndor o( 39Phi l,660, 700) ,
"Ther ulehasnowher ebeenbet t
erst atedthanin
theear lyOhi ocasedeci dedbyJudgeRanney ,andsi ncef ollowedi namul tit
udeofcases,
namel y: ’Thetruedi stinct i
ont herefor eisbet weent hedel egationofpowert omaket hel aw,
whi chnecessar i
lyinv olv esadi scretionast owhati tshall be,andconf erri
nganaut hor i
tyor
discr etionast oi t
sexecut i
on, tobeexer cisedunderandi npur suanceoft hel aw.Thef i
rst
cannotbedone; t
ot hel atternov alidobj ecti
oncanbemade. ’(
Cincinnat i
,W.&Z.R.Co.v .
Comm’ rs.Cl i
ntonCount y ,1Ohi oSt., 88.
)Di scretion,ashel dbyChi efJust iceMar shal li
n
Way manv .Southard( 10Wheat .,
1)maybecommi ttedbyt heLegi slaturetoanexecut i
ve
depar tmentorof fi
cial.TheLegi sl
at uremaymakedeci sionsofexecut ivedepar tment sor
subor dinateof fi
cial
st her eof ,towhom i thascommi t
tedt heexecut i
onofcer tai
nact s, fi
nalon
quest i
onsoff act.(U.S.v .Ki nkead, 248Fed. ,141. )Thegr owingt endencyi nt hedeci sionsisto
givepr omi nencet ot he’ necessi ty’oft hecase. "cral
awv irtua1awl i
br ary

Sect
ion1ofCommonweal
thActNo.548r
eadsasf
oll
ows:
j
gc:
chanr
obl
es.
com.
ph

"SECTI ON1.Topr omot esaf et r

ansitupon, andav oidobst ructionson, roadsandst reets
designat edasnat ional roadsbyact soft heNat i
onal Assembl yorbyexecut i
veor dersoft he
Presidentoft hePhi li
ppi nes,theDirectorofPubl icWor ks,wi t
ht heappr ovaloftheSecr et
aryof
Publ i
cWor ksandCommuni cat i
ons,shall promul gatet henecessar yrulesandr egulationst o
regulateandcont r
ol theuseofandt raffi
consuchr oadsandst reet
s.Suchr ulesandr egulati
ons,
witht heappr ovaloft hePr esident,maycont ai
npr ovisionscont rolli
ngorr egulati
ngt he
const ructionofbui ldingsorot herstructureswi thinar easonabledi stancefrom alongt he
national roads.Suchr oadsmaybet empor aril
yclosedt oanyoral lcl
assesoft r
affi
cbyt he
DirectorofPubl icWor ksandhi sdulyaut hor i
zedr epresent ati
veswhenev erthecondi t
ionoft he
roadort het raff
icther eonmakessuchact i
onnecessar yoradv isableinthepubl i
cconv enience
andi nterest ,orforaspeci f
iedper i
od, witht heappr ov aloft heSecr etaryofPublicWor ksand
Communi cat i
ons."cralawv irt
ua1awl i
brary
Theabov epr ov isionsofl awdonotconf erlegi slativ epowerupont heDi rect orofPubl icWor ks
andt heSecr et aryofPubl icWor ksandCommuni cat ions.Theaut hor i
tyther ei nconf erredupon
them andunderwhi cht heypr omul gatedt her ulesandr egul at ionsnowcompl ainedofi snott o
deter mi newhatpubl icpol i
cydemandsbutmer elyt ocar ryoutt hel egislat ivepol icyl aiddownby
theNat ional Assembl yi nsai dAct , towi t,"topr omot esaf et ransi tuponandav oi dobst ruct i
ons
on, r
oadsandst reet sdesi gnat edasnat ional r
oadsbyact soft heNat i
onal Assembl yorby
execut i
veor der soft hePr esi dentoft hePhi lippines"andt ocl oset hem t empor arilyt oanyoral l
classesoft raf fic" whenev ert hecondi tionoft her oadort het rafficmakessuchact ion
necessar yoradv isablei nt hepubl i
cconv enienceandi nter est."Thedel egat edpower , i
fatal l,
theref ore,i
snott hedet ermi nat ionofwhatt hel awshal lbe, butmer elyt heascer tainmentoft he
factsandci rcumst ancesuponwhi cht heappl i
cat i
onofsai dl awi st obepr edi cat ed.To
promul gater ul esandr egul at i
onsont heuseofnat i
onal roadsandt odet er mi newhenandhow
l
onganat i
onal roadshoul dbecl osedt ot raff i
c, inv iewoft hecondi tionoft her oadort het r
affic
thereonandt her equi rement sofpubl i
cconv enienceandi nter est ,i
sanadmi nist rativef unction
whichcannotbedi rect l
ydi schar gedbyt heNat i
onal Assembl y .Itmustdependont hedi scretion
ofsomeot hergov ernmentof ficial towhom i sconf idedt hedut yofdet ermi ningwhet herthe
properoccasi onexi stsf orexecut ingt hel aw.Buti tcannotbesai dt hatt heexer ciseofsuch
discret i
oni st hemaki ngoft hel aw.Aswassai di nLocke’ sAppeal (72Pa.491) : "Toasser tthata
l
awi sl esst hanal aw, becausei tismadet odependonaf ut ureev entoract , i
st or obt he
Legisl atureoft hepowert oactwi sel yfort hepubl icwel farewhenev eral awi spassedr elati
ngt o
ast at eofaf fai rsnoty etdev eloped, ort ot hingsf ut ureandi mpossi blet of ullyknow. "Thepr oper
disti
nct iont hecour tsaidwast his: "TheLegi sl
at ur ecannotdel egat eitspowert omaket hel aw;
buti tcanmakeal awt odel egat eapowert odet er mi nesomef actorst at eoft hi ngsuponwhi ch
thelawmakes, ori ntendst omake, itsownact iondepend.Todenyt hiswoul dbet ost opt he
wheel sofgov er nment .Ther ear emanyt hingsuponwhi chwi seandusef ul legi slationmust
dependwhi chcannotbeknownt ot hel aw- maki ngpower ,and, must ,ther ef or e, beasubj ectof
i
nqui ryanddet er mi nationout sideoft hehal l
sofl egi slation. "( Fieldv .Cl ar k, 143U.S.649, 694;
36L.Ed.294. )

InthecaseofPeopl ev .Rosent hal andOsmeña, G.R.Nos.46076and46077, promul gat edJune

12,1939, andi nPangasi nanTr anspor tationv .ThePubl icServ i
ceCommi ssion,G.R.No.47065,
promulgat edJune26, 1940, t
hisCour thadoccasi ontoobser vet hatthepr i
ncipleofsepar ati
on
ofpower shasbeenmadet oadapti tselft othecompl exi ti
esofmoder ngov ernment s,gi vi
ngri
se
totheadopt i
on,withincer tainli
mi ts, oft hepr incipleof" subordinatelegislati
on,"notonl yinthe
UnitedStat esandEngl andbuti npr act i
cal l
yall moder ngov er
nment s.Accordingly,wi tht he
growingcompl exit
yofmoder nl i
fe, themul t
ipli
cat i
onoft hesubj ectsofgov ernment al
regulat
ions, andthei ncreaseddi f f
icul tyofadmi nisteri
ngt helaws, therigi
dityoft het heor yof
separati
onofgov ernment alpower shas, t
oal argeext ent,beenr elaxedbyper mitti
ngt he
delegati
onofgr eaterpower sbyt hel egislati
v eandv estingal argeramountofdi scretioni n
admi ni
strativeandexecut i
v eoffici
al s, notonl yint heexecut i
onoft helaws,butal soi nt he
pr
omul
gat
ionofcer
tai
nrul
esandr
egul
ati
onscal
cul
atedt
opr
omot
epubl
i
cint
erest
.

Thepeti
ti
onerfurt
hercont endsthattherulesandr
egulat
ionspromulgatedbyt
her espondents
pur
suanttotheprov i
sionsofCommonweal t
hActNo.548constit
uteanunlawf
ul i
nterf
erence
wit
hlegit
imatebusinessort r
adeandabr idgether
ightt
opersonalli
bert
yandfreedom of
l
ocomot i
on.Commonweal thActNo.548waspassedbyt heNationalAssembl
yint heexerci
se
oftheparamountpolicepoweroft hestate.

SaidAct ,byv irtueofwhi cht herul esandr egulat i

onscompl ainedofwer epromul gated, aimst o
promot esaf et ransituponandav oidobst r
uct i
onsonnat ional r oads,intheinterestand
convenienceoft hepubl ic.I nenact i
ngsai dl aw, therefore, theNat i
onal Assembl ywaspr ompt ed
byconsi derationsofpubl icconv enienceandwel fare.Itwasi nspi r
edbyadesi ret or elieve
congest i
onoft raf f
ic.whi chi s,tosayt hel east, amenacet opubl icsafety.Publicwel fare,then,
l
iesatt hebot t
om oft heenact mentofsai dlaw, andt hest atei nor dertopromot et hegener al
welfaremayi nter ferewithper sonal liberty, wit
hpr operty,andwi t
hbusi nessandoccupat i
ons.
Personsandpr oper tymaybesubj ect edt oal lkindsofr estraint sandbur dens, i
nor dert osecur e
thegener al comf ort
,heal th,andpr osper it
yoft hest ate( U.S.v .GomezJesus, 31Phi l.,218) .To
thi
sf undament al aim ofourGov ernmentt her ightsoft hei ndiv idualaresubor dinat ed.Li bertyis
ablessingwi thoutwhi chl ifeisami sery, butl i
ber t
yshoul dnotbemadet oprev ailov eraut hori
ty
becauset hensoci etywill falli
ntoanar chy .Nei t
hershoul daut hor itybemadet opr evail over
l
ibertybecauset hent hei ndi vi
dual willfallintosl avery.Theci tizenshoul dachiev et her equi red
balanceofl iber tyandaut hor it
yi nhi smi ndt hrougheducat ionandper sonaldiscipline, sot hat
theremaybeest ablishedt her esul t
antequi l
ibri
um, whichmeanspeaceandor derand
happinessf oral l
.Themomentgr eat eraut hor i
tyi sconf erredupont hegov ernment ,logicallyso
muchi swi t
hdr awnf rom t her esiduum ofl ibertywhi chr esidesi nthepeopl e.Thepar adoxl iesin
thefactt hattheappar entcur t
ailmentofl iber t
yispr eciselyt hev erymeansofi nsur ingi ts
preservation.

Thescopeofpol i
cepowerkeepsexpandi ngasci v i
l
izati
onadv ances.Aswassai di nthecaseof
Dobbi nsv .LosAngel es(195U. S.223,238; 49L.ed.169) ,"
theri
ghtt oexerci
sethepol icepower
i
sacont inui ngone, andabusi nesslawf ul t
odaymayi nthefutur
e, becauseofthechanged
sit
uation, thegrowt hofpopul ationorothercauses, becomeamenacet ot
hepublicheal t
hand
welfare,andber equi r
edt oy i
eldt othepubl icgood. "Andi nPeoplev .Pomar( 46Phi l
.,440),i
t
wasobser v edthat"adv ancingci vi
li
zati
oni sbringingwi thi
nthepol i
cepoweroft hest atetoday
thi
ngswhi chwer enott houghtofasbei ngwi thinsuchpowery esterday.Thedevelopmentof
civ
il
ization, therapidlyincreasingpopul ation,thegr owt hofpubli
copi nion,wi
thani ncreasing
desireont hepar tofthemassesandoft hegov er
nmentt olookafterandcareforthei nterest
s
ofthei ndividualsoft hestate, havebroughtwi thinthepol i
cepowermanyquest i
onsf or
r
egul
ati
onwhi
chf
ormer
lywer
enotsoconsi
der
ed.
"cr
alawv
irt
ua1awl
i
brar
y

Thepet i
ti
onerf i
nallyav ersthattherul
esandr egul
at i
onscompl ainedofi nfr
ingeupont he
const i
tuti
onal pr
eceptr egardingthepromot i
onofsoci al j
usticetoi nsur ethewel l
-beingand
economi csecurityofal lthepeople.Thepr omot i
onofsoci al j
ustice, howev er,istobeachi eved
nott hroughami stakensy mpathytowardsanygi vengr oup.Soci al j
ust i
ceis" neither
communi sm, nordespot i
sm, noratomism, noranar chy ,
"butt hehumani zati
onofl awsandt he
equal i
zationofsoci alandeconomi cforcesbyt heSt atesot hatjusticei nitsrational and
objectivelysecularconcept i
onmayatl eastbeappr oximat ed.Soci al justi
cemeanst he
promot i
onoft hewel f
areofal lt
hepeopl e,t
headopt i
onbyt heGov ernmentofmeasur es
calculatedtoinsur eeconomi cstabil
it
yofal l
thecompet entel ement sofsoci ety,throught he
mai ntenanceofapr opereconomi candsoci alequili
brium int heint errelati
onsoft hemember s
ofthecommuni ty,const i
tuti
onally,
thr
ought headopt ionofmeasur esl egall
yj usti
fiable,orextra-
const i
tuti
onally,
t hrought heexerciseofpower sunder lyingtheexi stenceofal lgov ernment son
thet i
me- honoredpr incipl
eofsal uspopul i
estsupr emal ex.

Socialjusti
ce,therefore,mustbef oundedont herecognit
ionofthenecessityof
i
nt er
dependenceamongdi ver
sanddi verseunit
sofasoci et
yandoft heprotecti
onthatshoul
d
beequal lyandev enlyextendedt oallgroupsasacombi nedforceinoursocialandeconomic
l
ife,consistentwiththef undamental andparamountobjecti
veoft hest
ateofpr omoti
ngthe
health,comf or
t,andqui etofallpersons,andofbri
ngingabout" t
hegreatestgoodtothe
greatestnumber ."cr
alawv ir
tua1awl i
brary

I
nvi
ewoft heforegoi
ng,thewr
itofpr
ohi
bit
ionpr
ayedf
ori
sher
ebydeni
ed,
wit
hcost
sagai
nst
t
hepet
it
ioner.Soordered.

Av
anceña,
C.J.
,I
mper
ial
,Di
az.andHor
ri
ll
eno.JJ.concur