Philippine

History
PHILIP M. SEMANIEL
The readings in the Philippine
History

UNIT 4: SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND

CULTURAL ISSUES IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY.
The Evolution of the Philippine
Constitution
• 1899 Malolos • Jose P. Laurel
Constitution
• 1935 Commonwealth • Ferdinand E Marcos
Constitution
• 1943 Japanese
• Corazon C. Aquino
Sponsored Constitution
• 1973 Martial Law
Constitution 1987 • Manuel L. Quezon
Constitution
• 1987 Constitution • Emilio Aguinaldo
1899 Constitution (Malolos
Constitution)
• Decrees of June 18 and 23, 1898, Aguinaldo
convoked the Revolutionary Congress at Barasoain,
Malolos.
• September 4, he appointed fifty delegates to the
Congress.
• September 15, the basilica at Barasoain- was filled
with delegates and spectators
• Outside, the Banda Pasig played the National
Anthem.
1899 Constitution (Malolos
Constitution)
• The first significant act of the Congress was the
ratification on September 29, of the independence
proclaimed at Kawit on June 12, 1898. Aguinaldo,
whose office and official residence were located at
the convent of Malolos Church, arrived at Barasoain,
where Congress was holding its sessions, amidst the
"vociferous acclamations of he people and strains of
music.
1899 Constitution (Malolos
Constitution)
Salient features of the 1899 Constitution
• 1. The legislature was more powerful than the
executive department. It elected the President and the
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
• 2. The Assembly of Representatives when not in
session, legislative power to exercise by a Permanent
Commission composed of seven assemblymen.
• 3. The cabinet secretaries were responsible to the
legislature and not to the President
1935 Constitution (Commonwealth
Constitution of the Philippines)
- On May 14, 1935 -the Constitution of the Philippines
was ratified by a large majority of the Filipino people.
- It was also on this day in 1910, that the then
Commissioner (to the U.S. House of Representatives)
Manuel L. Quezon delivered an eloquent speech in the
United States Congress, pleading for Philippine
independence
Salient Features of the 1935
Constitution
• The government was divided into three co-equal
branches – legislative, executive, judiciary.
• Executive power was vested in the President of the
Philippines elected through popular suffrage that will
serve for a term of four years.
• Legislative power was vested in a bicameral
legislature called Senate and House of
Representatives who were directly elected by the
people while judicial power resides in the Supreme
Court and other lower courts.
1943 Japanese Sponsored Constitution
On September 4, 1943
• the Japanese-sponsored 1943 Constitution was signed
and ratified in a general assembly and two days later
by 117 members of the Kapisanan sa Paglilingkod sa
Bagong Pilipinas (KALIBAPI)
• Salient Features of 1943 Constitution
-The 1943 Constitution enumerates the duties and rights
of the citizens, requires the government to develop
Tagalog as the national language, and stipulates that one
year after the termination of the Great East Asia War or
the World War II; a new constitution shall be formulated
and adopted to replace this Constitution.
1973 Constitution
• The Constitution of the Philippines (Saligang Batas ng
Pilipinas in Filipino) is the supreme law of the 1973
Philippines
• The 1973 Constitution, composed of a preamble and 17
articles, provides for the shift from presidential to
parliamentary system of government. The Constitution vests
the legislative power in the National Assembly.
• The Philippine constitutional plebiscite of 1973 ratified the
1973 Constitution of the Philippines. In 1970, delegates were
elected to a constitutional convention which began to meet in
1971. ... 1102 certifying and proclaiming that the 1973
Constitution had been ratified by the Filipino people and
thereby was in effect.
Salient Feature of the 1973
Constitution
• 1. The preamble maintained some of the words of the 1899
and 1935 Constitution but new words were added such as
“sovereign” Filipino people “peace” and “equality”.
2. It has broader and clearer provisions of national territory.
• 3. The state policies include: strengthening of family as a basic
social institution; role of youth in nation-building; provisions
on social services in the field of education, health, housing,
employment, welfare and social security to labor, and
autonomy of local units.
• 4. It deleted the paragraph (2) and paragraph (3) of the 1935
Constitution on Citizenship. In the respect of suffrage, “all
citizens who are at least 18 years of age” are now qualified to
exercise such rights.
Salient Feature of the 1973
Constitution
• 5. There are provisions on the duties and obligations of
citizens especially in giving services and joining the military.
• 6. It adopted a parliamentary system of government wherein
the President is the head of state and chief executive while the
Prime Minister is the head of the government and the
Commander-in Chief of all arm forces. The Prime Minister
and the President are both elected by the legislature. Executive
power, power of appointment, pardoning power, and
borrowing power belong to the Prime Minister.
1987 Constitution
• President Corazon Aquino in April 1986 created – through
Proclamation No. 9 – the 1986 Constitutional Commission
(ConCom)
• The first session of the commission was held on June 2, 1986
when Cecilia Muñoz-Palma, the first woman appointed to the
Supreme Court in 1973, was elected president of ConCom.
• The 1987 Constitution established a representative democracy
with power divided among three separate and independent
branches of government: the Executive, a bicameral
Legislature, and the Judiciary.
Salient Features of 1987
Constitution
• 1. The Preamble of the 1987 Constitution retained some of the
words of the previous constitutions. However, the word
“Divine Providence” in the 1935 and 1987 Constitution was
replaced by the word “Almighty God” and new words were
included such as “a just and humane society”, “aspirations “,
“rule of law”, “regime of truth”, “freedom “, and “love”. The
term “general welfare” was replaced by the term “common
good” and the “independence “which was found in 1935
constitution was used again.
• 2. The 1987 Constitution has provided mechanism to prevent
the rise again of a new dictator.
Let’s sum it up!
• Based on our previous discussions and readings, you
have discovered how the constitution evolve. Take a
moment to reflect on the things you’ve learned in this
lesson and answer the question below. Put your
answer in our respective google classroom.
Assignment!
• Now, let us continue your learning in this activity.
Further, make a video about the constitution.
How to create your video presentation?
• 1. Choose a partner for this activity.
• 2. Ask one question related to each constitution to
your respective partner.
• 3. PASS your activity on time.
Thank you!