READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY

MODULE 4
SOCIAL, POLITICAL, AND ECONOMIC ISSUES IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY

LESSON 1. ACTIVITY 25
Compare and contrast the two constitutions using the organizer below.
1897 Constitution
- Philippines’ first constitution
- also called the Biak-na-Bato Constitution
- lasted only until General Aguinaldo and Governor General Primo de Rivera signed the Pact of
Biak-na-Bato republic.
- created in accordance with the establishment of the Biak-na-Bato republic.
- almost the same as the Cuban Constitution of Jimaguayu
1899 Constitution
- written by Felipe Calderon
- ratification and proclamation held at Barasoain Church in Malolos
- created in accordance with the establishment of the First Philippine Republic,1899
- lasted until the Philippine-American War
Similarities
-

ACTIVITY 26
List down 3 commonalities of the acts passed during the Commonwealth period.
1. Every action holds the possibility of granting the Philippines independence.
2. It helped the county get ready for complete independence.
3. They were all produced during the American era.

ACTIVITY 27
Through a Venn diagram, compare the 1973 Constitution and the 1935 Constitution.
1935 Constitution
- written by Claro M. Recto
- created in accordance with the establishment of the Commonwealth Republic.
- Tydings-Mcduffie Law of 1934 caused the drafting of the 1935 Constitution
- effectively was halted during the Japanese occupation but continued in 1946 until 1972
- constitution had to be approved by Pres. Franklin Roosevelt
- ratification of constitution included women for the first time
1973 Constitution
- Main purpose before Martial Law
= To reflect genuine Philippine independence and sovereignty
- Main purpose after Martial Law
= To change the present government to parliamentary form
= To give Marcos more power and postpone the incoming 1973 elections
- ratification was done through citizen’s assembly
- created in accordance with the declaration of Martial Law and the New Society
- lasted until the People Power Revolution in 1986

ACTIVITY 28
A. Enumerate 2 salient features of the following constitutions.
1. 1897 Constitution
a. The Biak-na-Bato Constitution provided for the establishment of a Supreme
council that would serve as the highest governing body of the Republic.
 b. It also outlined certain basic human rights, such as freedom of religion,
freedom of the press, and the right to education.
2. 1899 Constitution
a. It established a democratic, republication government with three branches –
the Executive, Legislative and the Judicial branches.
b. It called for the separation of church and state.
3. 1935 Constitution
a. It became the legal basis of the Commonwealth Government.
b. It enumerated the composition, separation of powers, and duties of the
branches of the government.
4. 1973 Constitution
a. The content of the Constitution is comprised of a preamble in contrast to the
1935 Constitution, and 17 articles especially on duties of the citizens.
b. There is an emphasis of the duties and obligations of the citizens especially in
giving military services and joining military forces.
5. 1987 Constitution
a. It has supplanted the "Freedom Constitution" upon its ratification in 1987.
b. It granted the President broad powers to reorganize government and remove
officials, as well as mandating the president to appoint a commission to draft
a new, more formal Constitution.

B. Make a timeline of the evolution of the Philippine constitution with the emphasis on the
important changes in each constitution.

LESSON 2. ACTIVITY 29
A.
1. Why do the Agrarian Reform programs seem not to be responsive to the agrarian problem that
the country has been faced with from centuries?
= Due to the landed elite's opposition to the State's attempts to allocate their land to people who don't give
a damn for remuneration that is less than what they could earn in the long term, these efforts have been
thwarted. Our legislators are almost all landowners, and the proportion of those who aren't is too small to
support the requisite numbers. In essence, there are enough landowners in the higher echelons of
government who can obstruct or at least delay its implementation indefinitely. Right now, I can assure
you that it won't be resolved in the next 50 to 100 years either. There are many landowners in the Senate
and House of Congress.

2. Discuss one important event in the history of land reform.

= Regardless of prior land lease agreements, the CARP was passed in 1988 to redistribute allocated and
public farming lands to Beneficiaries. By raising income, establishing equitable land ownership, enabling
access to new agricultural technologies, providing employment for more farmers, and removing land
ownership conflicts, the CARP sought to reduce the poverty experienced by Beneficiaries. Even though
the land reform law ought to have been beneficial for all parties, only 52% of Beneficiaries were able to
obtain proof of property ownership. Since the beginning of the CARP, the government has not done much
to enforce land reform through regulation of wealthy, substantial landowners. Because legislators were
landowners who used their power to sway the CARP, there was a conflict of interest that led to this.
Violence resulted from this egregious error. While some Beneficiaries experienced murder, others
experienced harassment and forcible eviction.

B. Illustrate through a timeline the historical development of land reform in the Philippines.
 Pre-Spanish Period – barter system wherein goods such as crops are traded for another good.
 Spanish Period – Conquerors are granted encomiendas by the king as a reward to them.
 1st Philippine Republic – Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo declared his intention to confiscate large estates,
especially the so-called Friar lands.
 American Period – Philippine Bill of 1902; Land Registration Act of 1902 (Act No. 496); Public
Land Act of 1903; Tenancy Act of 1933 (Act No. 4054 and 4113)
  Commonwealth Period – Commonwealth Act No. 178 (An Amendment to Rice Tenancy Act Bo.
4045), Nov. 13, 1936 ; National Rice and Corn Corporation (NARIC), 1963 ; Commonwealth
Act No. 461 , 1973 ; Rural Program Administration, created March 2, 1939.
 Japanese Occupation – HUKBALAHAP Hukbo ng Bayan Laban sa Hapon
 Philippine Republic
 Manuel Roxas (1946 -1948) – Republic Act No. 34; Republic Act No. 55
 Elpidio Quirino (1948 – 1953) – Executive Order No. 355 (October 23, 1950)
 Ramon Magsaysay (1953 – 1957) – Republic Act No. 1160 of 1954 ; Republic Act No.
1199 (Agricultural Tenancy Act of 1954) ; Republic Act No. 1400 (Land Reform Act of
1955) ; Republic Act No. 821
 Diosdado Macapagal (1961 – 1965) – Republic Act No. 3844 of August 8, 1963
 Ferdinand Marcos (1965 – 1986) – Agrarian Reform Program was decreed; Republic Act
No. 6389 and Republic Act No. 6390 of 1971; Presidential Decree No. 2, September 26,
1972; Presidential Decree No. 27, October 221, 1972.
 Corazon Aquino (1986 – 1992) – Executive Order No. 228; EO No. 229; Proclamation
No. 131; EO No. 129; RA No. 6657; EO No. 405; EO No. 407
 Fidel Ramos (1992 – 1998) – RA No. 7881; RA No. 7905; EO No. 363; RA No. 8435;
RA No. 8532
 Joseph Estrada – Executive Order No. 151, September 1999
 Gloria Macapagal Arroyo – Land Tenure Improvement; Provision of Support Services;
Infrastructure Projects; KALAHI ARZone; Agrarian Justice

C. Draw an image depicting the farmers of the Philippines before and after the Agrarian Reforms.

LESSON 3. ACTIVITY 30
A.
1. Articulate in a few words the historical developments of peace and human rights.
= JOSE W. DIOKNO is widely considered as the pioneer of human rights activism in the Philippines and
is also one of its greatest statesmen and legal geniuses. CHR's primary mandate under the 1987 Philippine
Constitution is to uphold and advance the rights and dignity of every citizen of the nation. The State
upholds the worth of every person and ensures that their rights are completely upheld.

2. Explain briefly the relationship of peace and human rights in your own words.
= It is as an essential element to the realization of all human rights. Peace is a product of human rights:
the more a society promotes, protects and fulfills the human rights of its people, the greater its chances for
curbing violence and resolving conflicts peacefully. The basis for freedom, justice, and peace are human
rights. Their esteem enables the community and the person to grow to their greatest potential. The global
battle for freedom and equality has influenced the evolution of human rights.

B. Sketch thoroughly a graphical representation that depicts the advocacy of peace and human
rights and write your personal reflection.
= “Everyone has the right to enjoy peace such that all human rights are promoted and protected and
development is fully realized.”2 This provision entitles all human beings to the benefits that stem from
the three UN pillars–peace, human rights and development.

LESSON 4. ACTIVITY 32
Elaborate
Fill out the table below based on the legal framework of Gender and Development in the Philippines.
Republic Act No. / Title of the Law Date of Approval/
Executive Order No. Effectivity
Executive Order 348 Philippine Development Plan for Women February 17, 1989
(PDPW) for 1989-1992
Republic Act No. 6725 Anti-Sexual Discrimination in Employment May 12, 1989
Republic Act No. 6949 March 8 – National Women’s Day April 10, 1990
 Republic Act No. 7192 Women in Development and Nation-Building February 12, 1992
Act
Republic Act No. 7600 The Rooming-In and Breast-Feeding Act of June 2, 1992
1992
Republic Act No. 7845 / The Women’s Budget 1995
General Appropriation
At (GAA) of 1995
Republic Act No. 7877 Anti Sexual Harassment Act of 1995 February 14, 1995
Executive Order 273 Philippine Plan for Gender-Responsive September 8, 1995
Development for the Year 1995-2025
Republic Act No. 8353 September 30, 1997
Republic Act No. 8972 Solo Parents’ Welfare Act of 2000 November 7, 2000
Republic Act No. 9710 The Magna Carta of Women August 14, 2009
Republic Act No. 11313 April 17, 2019

1. What is the importance of Gender and Development program in the Philippines?

= Gender and Development, also known as GAD, focuses primarily on empowering women and making
sure that their full participation is necessary for society. The government established it as a response to
the gender disparities and inequalities that exist in the nation.

2. In your own opinion, do you think that the rights of women in our country are being
implemented? How?
= In contrast to what St. Augustine once believed, we are no longer seen as freaks of nature or flawed
beings. We are also no longer thought of as witches who should be burned at the stake or as wicked
temptresses who needed chastity belts. In the Philippines, women's rights are improving, particularly in
the workplace. According to the 2021 Global Gender Gap report, the Philippines ranks 17th globally in
gender equality, having closed 78.4% of its gender gap.

3. What are the benefits of gender equality in our community and workplace?
= Gender equality benefits everyone. Gender equality makes our communities safer and healthier by
reducing violence against women and girls. It is both ethical and advantageous to the economy. It boosts
organizational performance at work and boosts economic and national productivity.

B. Draw a cartoon depicting a gender issue in the classroom.

POST ASSESSMENT
1. A
2. A
3. C
4. B
5. D
6. C
7. D
8. C
9. C
10. A
11. A
12. A
13. B
14. B
15. B