EVOLUTION OF

PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION
BIAK-NA-BATO CONSTITUTION
Established on November 1, 1897 at the Biak na Bato in the town of San Miguel
de Mayumo, Bulacan, the constitution was known as the Constitution de la
Republica de Filipinas, superseded by laws and decrees composed by Aguinaldo.
However, it lasted only for two years.

MALOLOS CONSTITUTION
It created a presidential form government composed of three branches-
the executive, legislative and judicial and granted the president with a
four-year term of office. It also recognized the freedom of religion, the
separation of the church and the state, and emphasized the basic civil
rights of Filipinos and foreigners through a Bill of Rights.

PHILIPPINE ORGANIC ACT

It was also known as Philippine Bill of 1902 and provided for the creation
of the Philippine Assembly, which used a bicameral legislature composed
of the Philippine Commission (upper house) and the Philippine Assembly
(lower house).
Its key provisions included a bill of rights for the Filipinos and the
appointment of two non-voting Filipino Resident Commissioner to
represent Philippines in the US House of Representatives.

PHILIPPINE AUTONOMY ACT

It was also known as Jones Law, which reorganized the government with an American
governor-general, a cabinet and an all Filipino legislature composed of the Senate and
the House of Representatives
It provided two resident commissioners to the US but were replaced by a Commission
on Independence of Parliamentary Missions.

1943 CONSTITUTION
The Kapisanan ng Paglilingkod sa Bagong Pilipinas
o KALIBAPI convened and elected a Philippine
Commission for Philippine Independence to write
a new constitution.
The Second Philippine Republic was inaugurated
with Jose P. Laurel as president, acquiring full
powers of government, and declared Tagalog as
the national language of the Philippines.
TYDINGS-MCDUFFIE LAW
It was known as the Philippine Independence Act and provided
for the drafting and guidelines of the Commonwealth
Government
1935 CONSTITUTION
It served as the fundamental law of the land from 1935-1972 and
has created a provision for women’s suffrage, the creation of
Philippine Armed forces and the development of a national
language.

1973 CONSTITUTION
The 1971 Constitutional convention was held during the second term of Marcos
in purpose of writing a new constitution. However, because of the controversy, it
was halted and Marcos declared martial law through Proclamation No. 1081 on
September 21, 1972.
Marcos abolished Congress and the new constitution was ratified, which
provided for a parliamentary form of government and vested legislative power to
the Batasang Pambansa.
The constitution also provided for the establishment of the Civil Service
Commission, the Commission on Elections, and the Commission on Audit.

1986 FREEDOM
1987 CONSTITUTION
CONSTITUTION It consists of 18 articles, a preamble, and provisions,
It was proclaimed after the EDSA People Power Revolution, which served
which include the restoration of the bicameral Congress
as a temporary revolutionary government until the framing of a new
of the Philippines, the abolition of the death penalty, the
constitution.
creation of a Commission on Human Rights, the
Under the Freedom Constitution, the president was given the power to
recognition of an Autonomous Region of Muslim
appoint the members of a Constitutional Commission and by virtue of Sec.
Mindanao and the Cordilleras, and the establishment of a
1, Article 5, President Aquino issued Proclamation No. 9, constituting a
Local Government Code.
Constitutional Commission charged with drafting a new constitution.

BY: ARIANE MAE M. MERIN BA ELS 1