THE PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION
maintain peace and order, conserving the
What is a Philippine Constitution?
- Constitution refers to “that body of rules
and maxims in accordance with which the
powers of sovereignty are habitually
exercised.
What is Constitution of the Philippines?
- Constitution of the Philippines may be
defined as that written instrument by
which the fundamental powers of the
government are established limited, and
define and by which these powers are
distributed among the several
departments or branches for their safe
and usefulness exercise for the benefit of
the people.
Who are Citizens of the Philippines?
 Section I of the Philippine Constitution
provides that the following are the 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.
What are the duties and obligations of Citizens?
 Hereunder are the important duties and
obligations of every citizen in democratic
society:
1. TO BE LOYAL TO THE REPUBLIC. This means
that we have faith and confidence in the
Republic and love and devotion to the country.
We have to be proud being a Filipino, respect
our customs, traditions, language and
institutions.
2. TO DEFEND THE STATE. Considering the fact
that our country is our home, it is our prime
duty to love and defend the state at all costs
regardless of our creed, religious beliefs, and
wisdom.
3. TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT AND
WELFARE OF THE STATE. We are a part of the
state and we directly receive the benefits from
the government in the form of infrastructure,
peace and order, etc. in return, how can we
contribute to the development and welfare of
the state? We can do this in the form of paying
taxes willingly and promptly, by helping
natural resources and the promotion of social
justice by suggesting or supporting measures
beneficial to the people as a whole, by
patronizing local products and trades and by
engaging in productive work.
4. TO UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION AND OBEY
THE LAWS. It is our prime obligation to uphold
the Constitution and obey the laws. If the
people would disregard them, our country
would collapse and we will not have people
and order.
5. TO COOPERATE WITH DULY CONSTITUTED
AUTHORITIES. In every organization, there is
always a leader to manage the affairs of all the
constituents. If the member will not
cooperate, we can never expect to become
successful in all the undertakings that our
government would like to do for the good of
its citizens.
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 have also respect the rights
of other people. If we do this, we can expect
harmonious relationship between members of
the society.
7. TO ENGAGE IN GAINFUL WORK. It is our
obligation as a citizen of our country to
become productive by engaging in a gainful
work so that we can provide the basic needs
of our family and ourselves as well. As cited by
de Leon (1989), “The essence of life is work.
Every citizen should bear in mind that only by
hard and sustained work can men and nations
live and survive. National greatness never
springs from the cult of ease or self-
complacency, but from the crucible of grim
struggle and patient industry.”
8. TO REGISTER AND VOTE. It is our prime duty
as a citizen of the Philippines to register and
vote. Suffrage is both a privilege and a duty,
which every qualified citizen must perform.
How can we become Good Citizens?
- We can become good citizens by living in
accordance with 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.
 of us be able to exercise
our freedom of will
PREAMBLE OF THE 1987 PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION

“We the sovereign Filipino people, imploring the aid 9. Love We want that each one
of Almighty God, in order to build a just and humane of us desire to love and
be loved. Love begets
society and establish a government that shall
love. If love reigns in our
embody our ideals and aspirations, promote the
heart, harmonious
common good, conserve and develop our patrimony,
relationship of all the
and secure to ourselves and our posterity, the people will prevail.
blessings of independence and democracy under the 10. Equality We want that each one
rule of the law and a regime of truth, justice, of us have the
freedom, love equality, and peace, do ordain and opportunity to be fully
promulgate this Constitution.” human, and that no one
be the victim of
prejudices or biases of
The Basic Building Blocks any kind, and that the
interests of one not be
OUR BASIC VALUE WHAT IT MEANS sacrificed against his will
1. Unity We want to be one as a for the good of another.
people. We cherish 11. Peace We want to live in a
oneness-as co-citizens of serene and a secured
our country, as community, with a
members of our family, harmonious relationship
as co-workers in an with our neighborhood.
institution. A place, which is
2. Patriotism We want the best for tranquil, could expect
our country. We want harmony between
our country be others, and us as well as
respected and honored with the environment.
by its citizenry and the 12. Promotion of We want all Filipinos to
whole world. the common meet their basic
3. Faith in We want to have God good minimum needs and to
Almighty God present in our lives. We have opportunities to
want to have a develop and use our
relationship of trust in God given potentials.
him. We want to ask for 13. Concern for the We want what is best
God’s help beyond what family and for our family and for
we ourselves can do. future every single member in
4. Respect for life We want all human life generations the present and future
to be preserved, generations.
nurtured, and 14. Concern for the We want the
safeguarded environment environment to be
5. Respect for law We want that the rule of preserved and nurtured,
and law be upheld by all and and for ourselves and
Government at all times, that others to be good
Government be stewards of the
accorded respect and all environment.
laws be complied with 15. Order We want organization,
6. Truth We want that we system, and
ourselves and others be predictability in all
true; that truth reigns in aspects of our daily life
our land. and life as a nation.
7. Justice We want that everyone 16. Work Everybody wants to
be given what is due have a job to support
him/her as a human the basic needs of his
being, and that what family.
govern all relationships
is morally and legally
right.
8. Freedom We want that each one

STATE POLICIES
Just and Dynamic Social Order
Section 9. The State shall promote a just and dynamic
social order that will ensure the prosperity and
independence of the nation and free the people from
poverty through policies that provide adequate social
services, promote full employment, a rising standard
of living, and an improved quality of life for all.
Social Justice
Section 10. The state shall promote social justice in all
phases of national development.
Human Dignity
Section 11. The State values the dignity of every
human person and guaranteed full respect for human
rights.
Rearing of the Youth for Civic Efficiency and
Development of Moral Character
Section 12. The State recognizes the sanctity of family
life and shall protect and strengthen the family as a
basic autonomous social institution. It shall equally
protect the life of the mother and the life of the
unborn from conception. The natural and primary
right and duty of parents in rearing of the youth for
civic efficiency and the development of moral
character shall receive the support of the government.
Role of the Youth in Nation Building
with respect to wages, hours, and other terms
and conditions of employment;
3. Right to collective negotiation. This happens
when there is a dispute to be resolved
between the employer and employees;
4. Right to peaceful and concerted activities
including the right to strike. This is a mass or
group action to enjoy their special form of
freedom of expression guaranteed in the Bill
of Rights.
5. Right to security of tenure. The State has an
obligation to protect the workers in terms of
security of tenure. The employees can only be
terminated with a just cause. If the State
protects the workers, the employers have to
be protected, too.
6. Right to just and humane conditions of work.
The State should see to it that the employers
provide safe and healthful working conditions,
equal opportunity to promotion and rest
leisure and reasonable limitations of working
hours, A worker has a right to be protected
against unfair labor practices;
7. Right to a living wage. This means that the
employer should provide sufficient and lawful
wage to enable the worker and his family to
live in reasonable and frugal comfort, provide
education for his children and make some
saving to meet the unexpected expenditures;
and
8. Right to participate in policy and decision-
making process. For the protection of the
interest of the employees, the employer
should exercise participatory management.

Section 13. The State recognizes the vital role of the

youth in nation building and shall promote and protect
their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social
well-being. It shall inculcate in the youth patriotism
and nationalism, and encourage their involvement in
public and civic affairs.
Rights of Indigenous Cultural Communities
Section 22. The State recognizes and promotes the
rights of indigenous cultural communities within
the framework of national unity and development.

Labor as a Primary Social Economic Force

Section 18. The State affirms labor as a primary social

economic force. It shall protect the rights of workers
and promote their welfare.

Rights of workers

1. Right to self-organization – Everyone who

works in the public or private sector has the
right to self-organization which can be in the
form of trade or labor union of his choice for
the protection of his economic and social
interest subject to the policy of the state;
2. Right to collective bargaining. Collective
bargaining means representative of the
organization negotiating with the employer