THE

PHILIPPINE
CONSTITUTION
What is Constitution ?

Every state has had a constitution of some kind

whether it be an elaborate document or just a
collection of rules. It is inconceivable how a state
could exist or survive without a constitution of some
form.
The foundation of the system of government in the
Philippines is the constitution .
Constitution refers to “that body of rules and maxims in
accordance with which the powers of sovereignty are
habitually exercises.”

A constitution is a system for government, codified as

a written document which contains fundamental
laws and principles. It usually contains fundamental
political principles, and establishes the structure,
procedures , powers and duties of a government.
Etymology :
Latin word “CONSTITUO” which means “fixed” ,
“established “ or “settled.”
The Constitution of the Philippines is the supreme law of
the Philippines.

The Constitution currently in effect was enacted in

1987 , during the administration of President Corazon C.
Aquino , and is popularly known as the 1987 Constitution
.
Three other constitutions are recognized by Philippine
constitutional law experts as having effectively governed
the country : 1935 Commonwealth Constitution,
1973 Constitution and 1986 Freedom Constitution .
What is the Constitution of the Philippines ?
The Constitution of the Philippines may be
defined as that written instrument by which the
fundamental powers of the government are
established, limited, and defined and by which
these powers are distributed among the several
departments or branches for their safe and
useful exercise for the benefit of the people.
 Nature and Purpose
1. Serves as the supreme or fundamental law .
It is the charter creating the government.

It is binding to all individual citizens and all

organizations of the government.
It is the law to which all other laws must conform.
It is the test of the legality of all government actions.
2. Establishes the basic framework and
underlying principles of government.
Prescribes the permanent framework of the system
of government , and assigns to the different
department or branches, their respective powers
and duties . ( Art. 1)
To establishcertain basic principles on which the
government is founded . ( Preamble , Art. 1)
Designed to preserve and protect the rights of the
citizen against the Powers of the State . ( Art III.)
Who are Citizens of the Philippines ?
Section 1 of the Philippine Constitution provides that the following
are citizens of the Philippines :
1. Those who are citizens of the Philippines at the time of the
adoption of this Constitution.
2. Those whose fathers or mothers are citizens of the Philippines.
3. Those born before January 17, 1973 , of Filipino mothers , who
elect Philippine citizenship upon reaching the age of majority,
and
4. Those who are naturalized in accordance with law.
Duties and Obligations of Citizens
1. To be loyal to the Republic.
-this means we have faith and confidence in the Republic and
love for and devotion to the country . We are proud being
Filipinos , respect our customs , traditions and language and
institutions.
2. To defend the State .
Our country is our home, it is our prime duty to love and
defend the state at all costs regardless of creed, religious
beliefs and wisdom.
3. To contribute to the development and welfare of the State.
- We are part of the State and we directly receive the benefits from
the government in the form of infrastructure, social services , etc.

How can we contribute to the development and welfare of

the State ?
• By paying our taxes willingly and promptly
• By helping maintain peace and order
• Conserving natural resources
• Promotion of social justice
• Patronizing local products and engaging in productive work .
6. To exercise rights responsibly and with due regard for
the rights of others.
No man is an island and we have to live with others. In
the exercise of our rights, we have to see to it that we
also respect the rights of other people. If we do this, we
can expect harmonious relationship among members of
the society.
7. To engage in gainful work.
If we want to eat, we have to work. It is our obligation as
citizens of our country to become productive , by
engaging in gainful work so that we can provide for our
basic needs .
How can we become good citizens ?
We can become good citizens by living in accordance
with the good citizenship values which we can derive
from the preamble of the Constitution such as :
Faith in God, Unity, Patriotism, Work, Respect for
Life, Respect for Law and Government, Truth, Justice,
Freedom, Love, Equality, Peace, Promotion of the
Common Good, Concern for the Family and Future
Generations, Concern for the Environment , and
Order.