The 

Constitution of the Philippines (Filipino: Saligang Batas ng Pilipinas or Konstitusyon ng

Pilipinas, Spanish: Constitución de la República de Filipinas) is the constitution or the supreme law
of the Republic of the Philippines. Its final draft was completed by the Constitutional Commission on
October 12, 1986, and ratified by a nationwide plebiscite on February 2, 1987.
Three other constitutions have effectively governed the country in its history: the 1935
Commonwealth Constitution, the 1973 Constitution, and the 1986 Freedom Constitution.
The earliest constitution establishing a "Philippine Republic", the 1899 Malolos Constitution, was
never fully implemented throughout the Philippines and did not establish a state that was
internationally recognized, due in great part to the eruption of the Philippine–American War.

Contents

 1Background of the 1987 Constitution

 2Attempts to amend or change the 1987 Constitution
 3Structure and contents
o 3.1Preamble
o 3.2Article I – National Territory
o 3.3Article II – Declaration of Principles and State Policies
o 3.4Article III – Bill of Rights
o 3.5Article IV – Citizenship
o 3.6Article V – Suffrage
o 3.7Article VI – Legislative Department
o 3.8Article VII – Executive Department
o 3.9Article VIII – Judicial Department
o 3.10Article IX – Constitutional Commissions
o 3.11Article X – Local Government
o 3.12Article XI – Accountability of Public Officers
o 3.13Article XII – National Economy and Patrimony
o 3.14Article XIII – Social Justice and Human Rights
o 3.15Article XIV – Education, Science and Technology, Arts, Culture and Sports
o 3.16Article XV – The Family
o 3.17Article XVI – General Provisions
o 3.18Article XVII – Amendments or Revisions
o 3.19Article XVIII – Transitory Provisions
o 3.20Other provisions
 4Historical development
o 4.1The 1897 Constitution of Biak-na-Bato
o 4.2The 1899 Malolos Constitution
o 4.3Acts of the United States Congress
 4.3.1Philippine Organic Act of 1902
 4.3.2Philippine Autonomy Act of 1916
 4.3.3Hare–Hawes–Cutting Act (1932)
 4.3.4Tydings–McDuffie Act (1934)
o 4.4The 1935 Constitution
o 4.5The 1943 Constitution
o 4.6The 1973 Constitution
 o 4.7The 1986 Freedom Constitution
 5See also
 6References
o 6.1Citations
o 6.2General bibliography
 7External links

Background of the 1987 Constitution[edit]

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Main article: Philippine Constitutional Commission of 1986
Ruling by decree during the early months of her tenure as a president installed via the People Power
Revolution, President Corazon Aquino was granted three options: restore the 1935 Constitution,
retain and make reforms to the 1973 Constitution, or pass a new constitution. She decided to draft a
new constitution and issued Proclamation No. 3 on March 25, 1986, abrogating many of the
provisions of the 1973 Constitution adopted during the Marcos regime, including the unicameral
legislature (the Batasang Pambansa), the office of Prime Minister, and provisions which gave the
President legislative powers. Often called the "Freedom Constitution",[2] this constitution was
intended as a transitional constitution to ensure democracy and the freedom of the people. The
Freedom Constitution provided for an orderly transfer of power while a Constitutional
Commission was drafting a permanent constitution.
The Constitutional Commission was composed of forty-eight members appointed by Aquino from
varied backgrounds, including several former members of the House of Representatives, former
justices of the Supreme Court, a Roman Catholic bishop, and political activists against the Marcos
regime. Aquino appointed Cecilia Muñoz-Palma, a former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court,
as president of the commission. Several issues were of particular contention during the
commission's sessions, including the form of government to adopt, the abolition of the death penalty,
the retention of U.S. bases in Clark and Subic, and the integration of economic policies into the
constitution. Lino Brocka, a film director and political activist who was a member of the commission,
walked out before the constitution's completion, and two other delegates dissented from the final
draft. The Commission finished the final draft on October 12, 1986, and presented it to Aquino on
October 15. The constitution was ratified by a nationwide plebiscite on February 2, 1987.
The constitution provided for three governmental branches, namely the executive, legislative,
and judicial branches. The executive branch is headed by the president and his appointed cabinet
members. The executive, same with the other two co-equal branches, has limited power. This is to
ensure that the country will be "safeguarded" if martial law is to be declared. The president can still
declare martial law, but it expires within 60 days and Congress can either reject or extend it.
The task of the Supreme Court is to review whether a declaration of martial law is just. The
legislative power consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives. There are twenty-four
senators and the House is composed of district representatives. It also created opportunities for
under-represented sectors of community to select their representative through party-list system. The
judiciary branch comprises the Supreme Court and the lower courts. The Supreme Court is granted
the power to hear any cases that deals with the constitutionality of law, about a treaty or decree of
the government. It is also tasked to administrate the function of the lower courts.
Through the constitution, three independent Constitutional Commissions, namely the Civil Service
Commission, Commission on Elections, and Commission on Audit, were created. These
Constitutional Commissions have different functions. The constitution also paved a way for the
establishment of the Office of the Ombudsman, which has a function of promoting and ensuring an
ethical and lawful conduct of the government.[3]

Attempts to amend or change the 1987 Constitution[edit]

Further information: Constitutional reform in the Philippines
There are three possible methods by which the Constitution can be amended: a Constituent
assembly (Con-Ass), Constitutional Convention (Con-Con), or People's Initiative. All three methods
require ratification by majority vote in a national referendum. Following the administration of Corazon
Aquino, succeeding administrations made several attempts to amend or change the 1987
Constitution.
The first attempt was in 1995. A constitution was drafted by then-Secretary of National Security
Council Jose Almonte, but was never completed because it was exposed to the media by different
non-government organizations. They saw through a potential change regarding the protection of the
people's interests in the constitutional draft.
In 1997, the Pedrosa couple created a group called PIRMA followed with an attempt to change the
constitution through a People's Initiative by way of gathering signatures from voters. Many prominent
figures opposed the proposition, including Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, who brought the issue
all the way to the Supreme Court and eventually won the case. The Supreme Court ruled that the
initiative not continue, stating that a People's Initiative requires an enabling law for it to push through.
[4]

During his presidency, Joseph Ejercito Estrada created a study commission for a possible charter
change regarding the economic and judiciary provisions of the constitution. The attempt never
attained its purpose after various entities opposed it due apparently to the attempt serving the
personal interests of the initiators.
After the Estrada presidency, the administration of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo endorsed constitutional
changes via a Constitutional Assembly, with then-House Speaker Jose de Venecia leading the way.
However, due to political controversies surrounding Arroyo's administration,[citation needed] including the
possibility of term extension, the proposal was rejected by the Supreme Court.[5]
The next attempt was from then-Speaker of the House Feliciano Belmonte Jr. during
President Benigno Aquino III's administration. Belmonte attempted to introduce amendments to the
Constitution focusing on economic provisions aiming toward liberalization. The effort did not
succeed.[6]
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte oversaw the possibility of implementing federalism on the country.
[7]
 Following his ascension as president after the 2016 presidential election, he signed Executive
Order No. 10 on December 7, 2016, creating the Consultative Committee to Review the 1987
Constitution.