Republic of the Philippines

Commission on Higher Education

Libon Community College
Libon, Albay

Reading in the Philippine History BSED-Science 1

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Constitution of Biak na Bato: The Constitution of Biak na Bato was established in 1897 and was the
first constitution of the Philippines. It provided for the establishment of a Supreme Council that would
serve as the highest governing body of the Republic. It also outlined certain basic human rights, such as
freedom of religion, freedom of the press, and the right to education.

Malolos Constitution: The Malolos Constitution was established in 1899 and was the first constitution of
the Philippines to be written and enacted under a republican government. It provided for the separation of
powers between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government.

Commonwealth Constitution: The Commonwealth Constitution was established in 1935 and was the
constitution of the Philippines during the Commonwealth era. It provided for a presidential system of
government with a bicameral legislature.

Constitutional Authoritarianism: Constitutional authoritarianism refers to a form of government where

the constitution is used to legitimize authoritarian rule. This was the case in the Philippines during the
Marcos regime, where the 1973 Constitution was used to legitimize martial law and authoritarian rule.

Constitution after Martial Law: The 1987 Constitution was established after the fall of the Marcos
regime and the end of martial law. It provided for a presidential system of government with a bicameral
legislature and a bill of rights that guaranteed basic human rights.

Attempts to Amend or Change the 1987 Constitution: There have been several attempts to amend or
change the 1987 Constitution, with the most recent attempt being in 2018. The proposed changes included
a shift to a federal form of government and the removal of term limits for elected officials.

Policies on Agrarian Reform: Agrarian reform policies have been implemented in the Philippines since
the 1960s. These policies aim to redistribute land from large landowners to landless farmers and promote
rural development.

Landownership in the Philippines under Spain: During the Spanish colonial period, landownership in
the Philippines was concentrated in the hands of the Spanish colonizers and the local elites. The majority
of the population were landless peasants who were forced to work on the estates of the landowners.

Landownership in the Philippines under the America: After the Spanish-American War, the United
States took control of the Philippines and introduced land reform policies that aimed to promote
landownership among the Filipino people. However, these policies were largely unsuccessful, and land
ownership remained concentrated in the hands of the elites.

Post-War Intervention toward Agrarian Reform: After World War II, the Philippine government
implemented agrarian reform policies that aimed to redistribute land from large landowners to landless
farmers. These policies were largely successful in promoting landownership among the rural poor and
promoting rural development.

Prepared by:

Eisley Estoque

Noted by:
Arine Nel G. Sedano
PhD(CAR)