Democratic and Republican State
(Art.2 Sec.1)
Manifestations of a Democratic and
Republican State:1
1) Existence of Bill of Rights
2) Rule of the Majority
3) Government of Laws
4) Election through popular will
5) Principle of separation of
powers and checks and balance
6) Cannot pass irrepealable laws
7) Laws on public officers
8) State cannot be sued without
its consent
Sovereignty resides in the people
exercised indirectly through publicly
chosen representatives through
suffrage. 2
Social Justice (Art.2 Sec.10)
Attention to the welfare of the less
fortunate.3
Those who have less in life must have
more in law.
Key Issues:
1) Drugs
Marcos Jr. policy to continue war
on drugs albeit a more compassionate
approach (less bloody more holistic).4
Recently, there has been evidence
to suggest that six years after the so-
called war began, the situation has
slid out of the government’s control
1
De Leon & De Leon Jr., “Philippine Constitutional
Law Principles and Cases Volume I, Sixth Edition, REX
Bookstore, 2017.
2 6
Id
3 7
Id
4 8
Simons, Margaret, “The Philippines is Losing its War
on Drugs”, Foreign Policy, January 11, 2023,
https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/01/11/philippines-
drug-war-manila-
marcos/#:~:text=By%20the%20time%20Duterte%20
and become the domain of contract
killers working with corrupt
authorities.5
ICC report:
Link between the killings and
the government’s formal antidrug
campaign, including the increase and
decrease of killings coinciding with
changes in the official policy; the use
of watch lists; the provision of
rewards or promotions to alleged
physical perpetrators; and the failure
of national authorities to take
meaningful steps to investigate or
prosecute the killings.6
In the present situation (as of
2022), the available information
demonstrates that an estimated
12,000 to 30,000 civilians (including
children) have been killed by police or
by “unidentified” perpetrators
apparently acting in coordination
with police.7
In the first five months of the
Marcos administration, the Dahas
Project data showed 152 drug-related
killings.8
On Nov. 26, the Department of
Interior and Local Governance
(DILG) and the PNP formally
launched the latest iteration of the
drug war, the “Buhay Ingatan,
Droga’y Ayawan (BIDA)” program,
directing efforts to be focused on
stepped,between%2012%2C000%20to%2030%2C00
0%20deaths.
5
Id
Id
Id
UP Third World Studies Center, “Drug Killing Under
Marcos Surpass Those Killed in Last Six Months of
Duterte”, Vera Files, December 04, 2022,
https://verafiles.org/articles/drug-killings-under-
marcos-surpass-those-killed-in-last-six-months-of-
duterte
demand reduction and rehabilitation. Of those 31.64 Million, 4.3% (1.37M)
9 are working.14
Top 3 Critical Problems Faced by
Children in the Philippines (2015
2) Red Tagging & Freedom of
data):15
Media
 Food Security 51%
(Art.3 Sec.4: Freedom of Expression
and Assembly)  Education Opportunities
45%
The harassment and attacks against  Access to Health Care 24%
Indigenous peoples contribute to
making the Philippines one of Asia’s According to the 2015 National
most dangerous countries for Baseline Survey on Violence Against
environmental activists and land Children in the Philippines, there is a
defenders.10 high prevalence of physical,
psychological, sexual and online
Several Indigenous leaders and their violence committed on Filipino
advocates told Human Rights Watch children.16
about being red-tagged and that the
false accusations harmed their lives These are often committed by people
and work.11 they trust. Despite the high incidence
of violence, 7 in 10 children are not
Red tagging is the practice of labelling aware of services that may be able to
activists, journalists and other help them.17
political figures as terrorists,
communists or other enemies of the  Over 60% of physical
state, regardless of their beliefs.12 violence occurred at home.
 59.2% experienced
psychological violence
(verbal abuse, threats, or
abandoned by guardians)
3) Children
 17.1% experienced sexual
The total population of children 5 to violence While 3.2%
17 years old was estimated at 31.64 experienced severe sexual
million in 2021.13 violence (consummated
sex).

9
Id
10
International Federation of Journalists,
“Philippines: NUJP Secretary General Victim of Red-
Tagging”, October 24, 2022,
https://www.ifj.org/media-
centre/news/detail/category/end-impunity-
2022/article/philippines-nujp-secretary-general-
victim-of-red-tagging.html
11
Id
12
International Federation of Journalists,
“Philippines: Government Blocks Independent
Media, June 23, 2022, https://www.ifj.org/media-
centre/news/detail/category/press-
releases/article/philippines-government-blocks-
independent-media.html
13
PSA, “Working Children Situation”, March 03,
2023, https://psa.gov.ph/statistics/survey/labor-
and-employment/survey-on-
children#:~:text=Of%20the%201.37%20million%20w
orking,work%20than%20the%20younger%20ones.
14
Id
15
Council for Welfare of the Children, “Quick Data
on Children’s Situation During the Pandemic January
2020-April 2021”, August 2021,
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1spkTOOKiYmfNVas
9WoMD9IrhO9eIHwHM/view
16
Council for Welfare of the Children UNICEF,
“National Baseline Study on Violence Against
Children: Philippines Executive Summar”, October
2016,
https://www.unicef.org/philippines/reports/national
-baseline-study-violence-against-children-philippines
17
Id
  43.8% experienced cyber world (29% among children and
violence. youth aged 15-24)
 15.2% experienced various Nutrition:
combined abuses.
The Philippines has very high levels
Situation Analysis (as of 2015)18 of stunting* (33 per cent) and
Social Protection: underweight (21.5 per cent) among
children under 5 years.
31.4 per cent of children were living
below the basic needs poverty line Stunting in children indicates that
they are too short for their age due to
Children from marginalised groups long term undernutrition.
including street children, children
from indigenous communities and Childhood wasting* is estimated to
children with disabilities, appear affect around 7 per cent of children
more likely to be deprived of services under 5 years in the Philippines.
(including access to school), to Wasting in children indicates that
experience social discrimination and they are too thin for their height due
to live in poverty. to acute undernutrition.
The Philippines continues to be a Education:
source, transit and destination
country for commercial sexual An estimated 2.85Million Children
exploitation and trafficking and one are out of school.
of the top ten countries globally
producing sexual content using
children. While a relatively low and
declining rate of commercial sex was
reported among children and youth
aged 15-24,62 domestic and cross-
border trafficking of women and
children for sexual exploitation
continues, with 1,465 victims of
trafficking assisted in 2015, and sex
tourism reportedly on the rise
Health:
Childhood immunization rates are
low to around 62%.
Children and adolescents in the
Philippines have limited access to
sexual and reproductive health
services.
Rising rates of teen fertility.
The Philippines also has one of the
fastest growing HIV epidemics in the

18
Coram International, “Situation Analysis of https://www.unicef.org/philippines/reports/situatio
Children in the Philippines”, October 2018, n-analysis-children-philippines.