THE MALOLOS CONSTITUTION AND THE FIRST

PHILIPPINE REPUBLIC

MS. APRIL JOY B. DAR

GROUP VI

Alcaraz, Aliza
Alvarez, Alyssa
Baloloy, Mary Lyca
Floresca, Femarie
Gargar, Johnbee
Pañas, Christaline
Salvador, Caroline
Tocayon, Mary Claire
Villamor,Desiree Faye
 TOPIC: THE MALOLOS CONSTITUTION AND THE FIRST PHILIPPINE
REPUBLIC

CONTENT OF THE DOCUMENT:

- In accordance with decrees of June 18 and 23, 1898, Aguinaldo convoked the
Revolutionary Congress at Barasoain, Malolos. Peace and order conditions in
some provinces were such that Aguinaldo was compelled to appoint their
delegates to Congress. Consequently, on September 4, he appointed fifty
delagates to the Congress. The number of delegates was increased by ten on
September 10. The number of delegates to the Congress fluctuated from time to
time.

- In the morning of September 15, 1898, in the Basilica at Barasoain was filled with
delegates and spectators. Outside, the Banda Pasig played the National Anthem.
Aguinaldo delivered his speech, Felipe Buencamino wrote, first in Tagalog then
in Spanish. Aguinaldo then announced that the ceremonies were over and that
the Congress was to convene after electing its officers.

- In the afternoon of September 15,1898, the Congress preceded to elects its

officers namely, Pedro A. Paterno, President; Benito Legarda, Vice-President;
Gregorio Araneta,First Secretary; and Pablo Ocampo, Second Secretary.

- The first significant act of the Congress was the ratification on September 29,
1898, of the Independence proclaimed on Kawit, Cavite on June 12, 1898.
Aguinaldo congratulating Pedro Paterno for having been elected to the
presidency of Congress, partly said in Tagalog: ...”now we witness the truth of
what the famous President Monroe said to the effect that the United States
was for the American; now I say that the Philippines is for the Filipinos”.

- Second was the creation of committee to draft the constitution was created by
Felipe G. Calderon as its most prominent member. There were three drafts: the
Mabini’s Constitution, Calderon’s Constitution and Paterno’s Constitution ( which
is very much alike of the Spanish Constitution of 1869).

- The draft of Mabini and Paterno was set aside in favour for the draft of Calderon.
with the advice of Cayetano Arellano, a brilliant but unreconstructed mestizo,
Calderon drew up his plans for a constitution, deriving inspiration from the
constitution of Mexico, Belgium Guatemala, Costa Rica, Brazil and France.
- In the session of October 8, 1898, Calderon presented the draft for this
constitution. A few other amendments were inserted in the draft constitution
before it was sent to Aguinaldo for approval.

- Owing to the objections of Mabini to some provisions of the constitution,

Aguinaldo did not immediately promulgate it. The leaders compromised with
Mabini by agreeing to insert amendments to satisfy the President’s closest
adviser.

- On January 21, 1899, Aguinaldo promulgated what is now known as the Malolos
Constitution.

- On the sunny morning of January 23, 1899, the First Philippine Republic,
popularly known as the Malolos Republic, was inaugurated amidst colourful
ceremonies at the Barasoain Church.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS

A. BACKGROUND OF THE AUTHOR

- Felipe G. Calderon was a Filipino lawyer, politician, and intellectual, who was
born on April 4, 1868 at Santa Cruz de Malabon now (Tanza, Cavite)
- Known as the “Father of the Malolos Constitution”.
- During the Philippine Revolution, he ardently supported the revolutionary
movement.
- In September 1898, he accepted Aguinaldo’s appointments as the representative
of the first district of Paragua in the Revolutionary Congress in Malolos, Bulacan.
- He died on June 6, 1908

- Felipe Buencamino was born on August 23, 1848 at San Miguel , Bulacan
- He became a member of Aguinaldo’s Cabinet and one of the framers of the
Malolos Constitution.
- The authors were one of the commission that the Malolos Congress tasked to
draw up a draft constitution.
- He died on February 6, 1929

B. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE DOCUMENTS

- This constitution is one of the most important Filipino document ever created by
the people’s representatives.

- The constitution as whole is a monument to the capacity of the Filipinos to chart

their own course along democratic lines. In a period of storm and stress, it
symbolized the ideals of a people who had emerged from the Dark Ages to the
Light of Reason.

- Despite its brief existence, the Malolos Congress earned its place in the
Philippine History if only for two achievements: the ratification of the declaration
of independence and the framing of the Malolos Constitution to its eternal credit.

- To be the basic law of the First Republic of the Philippines.

C. CONTENT ANALYSIS

- The First Philippine Republic never gained international recognition and the
Malolos Constitution was never fully implemented across the Philippines.

- The constitution showed the abilities of Filipinos to be independent by letting

them create a state. The constitution also provide the rights of Filipinos.

- The Political Constitution of 1899 is written in Spanish which was the official
language of the Philippines at the time. It is composed of ninety-three articles
divided into fourteen titles, with further eight articles with transitory provisions,
and a final additional article.

- The Malolos Constitution was the first Republican constitution in Asia.

- It declared that sovereignty resides exclusively to the people, stated basic rights,
separated the state and churc h and called for the creation of Assembly of
Representatives to act as the legislative body.

- The Political constitution of 1899 is written in Spanish which was the official
language of the Philippines at that time. It is composed of ninety – three (93)
articles divided into fourteen (14) titles, with further eight (8) articles with
transitory provisions and a final additional articles.

- The form of government according to Title II, Article 4 the Government of the
Republic is to be popular, representative, alternative and responsible, and shall
exercise three distinct powers: namely, the legislative, the executive, and the
judicial. Any two or more of these three powers shall never be united in one
person or cooperation, nor the legislative power vested in one single individual.
- The Government of the Republic is a Responsible Government, a very important
aspect of parliamentarianism where the executive branch is directly responsible
to the legislative branch. This is further emphasized in Title V, Article 50 and Title
VII, Article 56.

- Title V, Article 50 stated that the National Assembly of Representatives (the

unicameral legislature of the Republic) shall have the right of censure and each
of the members the right of interpellation. Interpellation is a right granted to
representatives to directly question members of the executive branch. In other
words, there are Question Periods allotted to each member of the executive
branch. While Title VII, Article 56 stated that executive power resides in
 the President of the Republic, who shall exercise it through his Secretaries
convened in a Council of government that is led by the President of the council of
government. The Constitution also stated in Title IX, Article 75 that the
secretaries of government shall be held jointly responsible by the National
Assembly for the general policies of Government, and individually for their
personal actions like in most parliamentary systems.

- The parliamentary terminologies used in this constitution are different to the more
usual Anglo-Saxon titles. Terms like Parliament, Cabinet, Prime Minister,
Minister, and Member of Parliament (or MP) are replaced with Assembly, Council
of Government, President of the Council of Government, Secretary, and
Representative, respectively.

D. RELEVANCE TO CONTEMPORARY TIMES

- It is an important reminder of our role as the beacon of freedom, independence

and democracy.

E. LEARNING EXPERIENCE:

- The Malolos Constitution put us Filipinos on where we are now. We now enjoy
are freedom, eventhough it will not last long it is the foundation why we Filipinos
can stand on our own feet to have our own democratic nation. And it also
signified our determination to prove to the world that we are capable of self –
rule.