CHAPTER 4

SOCIAL, POLITICAL,
ECONOMIC, AND
CULTURAL ISSUES IN
PHILIPPINE HISTORY
Evolution of the Philippine Constitution

The constitution is defined as a set of fundamental

principles or established precedents according to which a state or
other organization is governed, thus, the word itself means to be a
part of a whole, the coming together of distinct entities into one
group, with the same principles and ideals.
1935 Commonwealth Constitution
 Framing and Ratification

• Briefly stated, the steps which led to the drafting and

adaptation of the 1935 Constitution of the Philippines are as
follows:
a.) Approval on March 24, 1934 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt of
the tydings McDuff Law, otherwise known as the Philippine
Independence Act. Enacted by the convention to draft a constitution for
the Philippens;

b.) Approval on March 5, 1934 by the Philippine Legislature of a bill

calling a constitutional convention as provided for in the Independence
Law:

c.) Approval on February 8, 1935 by the convention by a vote of 177 to 1

of the Constitution.

d.) Approval on March 23, 1935 by Pres. Roosevelt of the Constitution as

submitted to him, together with a certification that the said Constitution
conformed with the provisions of the Independence Law.

e.) Ratification on May 14, 1935 of the constitution by the filipino

1973 Constitution
 We, the sovereign Filipino people, imploring the aid of
Divine Providence, in order to establish a goverment that shall
embody our ideals, promote the general welfare, conserve and
develop the patrimony of our Nation, and secure to ourselves and
our posterity the blessing of democracy under a regime of justice,
peace, liberty, and equality, do ordain and promulgate this
Constitution.
1986 Freedom Constitution
 `Declaring a national policy to Implement reforms
mandated by the people protecting their basic rights, Adopting a
provisional constitution, and providing for an orderly transition
to a goverment under a new constitution
1897: Constitution of Biak-na-Bato
 Was the provisionary Constitution of the philippine Republic
during the Philippine Revolution, and was promulgated by the
Philippine Revolutionary Government on 1 November 1897

 The constitution, borrowed from Cuba, was written by Isabelo

Artacho and Félix Ferrer in Spanish, and later on, translated
into Tagalog
Goverment under the Constitution

1. SUPREME COUNCIL

2. CONSEJO SUPREMO DE GRACIA Y JUSTICIA

(Supreme Council of Grace and Justice )

3. SAMLEA DE REPRESENTANTES
(Assemblyn of Representatives)
 Emilio Aguinaldo established his HEADQUARTERS in Biak-
na-Bato in Bulacan province. The news i9mmediately spread
throughout the country, and the revolutionaries were once more
in HIGH SPIRITS.
Aguinaldo Established the Biak-na-
Bato

 EXPULSION of the friars and the return of the friar land to

the FILIPINO
 Representation of the Philippines in the Spanish Cortes
 Freedom of the press and of religion
 ABOLITION of the goverment’s power to banish Filipinos
 Equality for all before the Law
The Pact of Biak-na-Bato

 Pedro Paterno, a Spaniard born in the Philippines volunteered

to act as negotiator between Aguinaldo and Gov. Primo de
Rivera in order to end clashes.
1899: Malolos Constitution
 After the signing of the truce, Filipino revolutionary leaders
accepted a payment from Spain and went to exite in Honhg
Kong. Upon the defeat of the Spanish to the Americans in the
Battle of Manila Bay on 1 May 1898, the United States Navy
transported Aguinaldo back to the Philippines.
 The newly reformed Philippine revolutionary forces reverted to
the control of Aguinaldo, and the Philippine Declaration of
Independence was issued on 12 June 1898, together with
several decrees that formed the First Philippine Republic.
 The Malolos Congress was elected, which selected a
commission to draw up a draft constitution on 17 September
1898, which was composed of wealthy and educated men.
Most important achievements of the
Malolos Congress

1. In September 29,1898, ratified the declaration of Philippine

independence held at kawit, Cavite on June 12, 1898
2. Passage of a law that allowed the Philippine to borrow P 20
million from banks for goverment expenses
3. Establishment of the Universidad Literatura de Filipinas and
nother schools
4. Drafting of the Philippine Constitution
5. Declaring war against the United State on June 12, 1899
 The document they came up with, approved by the congress on
29 November 1898, and promulgated bu Aguinaldo on 21
January 1899. Was titled “The Political Constitution of 1899”
and written in Spanish. The constitution has 39 articles divided
intyo 14 titles, with eight articles of transitoryprovision, and a
final additional article.
After the Spanish Constitution of 1812


 Belgium
 Mexico
 Brazil
 Nicaragua
 Costa Rica
 Guatemala
Main author of the Constitution

 SOCIAL
 POLITICAL
 ETHNOLOGICAL
 GOVERNANCE CONDITION
Prior constitutional project in the
Philippines also Influenced the Malolos
Constitution.

 KARTILYA
 SANGGUNIAN- HUKUMAN
Charter of Laws and morals of the Katipunan
written by Emilio Jacinto in 1896;

 Biak-na-Bato Constitution of 1897 planned by Isabelo

Artacho
 Mabini’s Constitutional Program of the Philippine Republic
of 1898
 The provisional constitution of Mariano Ponce in 1898 that
followed the Spanish constitutions
 And the Autonomy projects of paterno in 1898