THE 1897 CONSTITUTION

OF BIAK-NA-BATO
The constitution, borrowed from Cuba, was written by Isabelo
Artacho and Felix Ferrer in Spanish, and later on, translated
into Tagalog.
The Constitution of Biak-na-
Bato was the provisionary
Constitution of the Philippine
Republic during the Philippine
Revolution, and was
promulgated by the Philippine
Revolutionary Government on 1
November 1897.
 The organs of the government under the
Constitution were: (1) the Supreme
Council, which was vested with the power
of the Republic, headed by the president
and four department secretaries: the
interior, foreign affairs, treasury, and
war:
(2) the Consejo Supremo de Gracia Y Justicia
(Supreme Council of Grace and Justice), which
was given the authority to make decisions and
affirms or disprove the sentences rendered by
other courts and to dictate rules for the
administration of justice: and
 (3) the Asamblea de Representantes
(Assembly of Representatives), which
was to be convened after the revolution
to create a new constitution and to
elect a new Council of Government and
Representatives of the people.
The Constitution of Biak-na-Bato was never fully implemented, since
a truce, the Pact of Biak-na-Bato, was signed between the Spanish
and the Philippine Revolutionary Army.
 Primary Source: Preamble of the Biak-na-Bato
Constitution
The separation of the Philippines from the Spanish monarchy and their
formation into an independent state with its own government called the
Philippine Republic has been the end sought by the Revolution in the
existing war, begun on the 24th of August, 1896; and, therefore, in its
name and by the power delegated by the Filipino people, interpreting
faithfully their desired and ambitions, we the representatives of the
Revolution, in a meeting at Biak-na-Bato, November 1, 1897, unanimously
adopted the following articles for the constitution of the State.
REFERENCE
• Biak na Bato Republic | Pact of Biak na Bato. (2020). Philippine-
History.org. https://www.philippine-history.org/biak-na-bato.htm
• Philippine Constitution Pages 71-102