4

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the convention mace

Symbol of authority of the l!)7l
Constitntional Convention
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This volume is hereby certified and duly authen

ticated as part of the official records of the proceed
./ ings of the 1971 Constitutional Convention. Any
copy not bearing such authentication and the official
seal of the Convention is deemed to have come from
an illegal and unauthorized source.

AD HOC CUSTODIAL COMMITTEE

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ARTURO F. PACIFICADOR
Chairman
Subcommittee on Journal

000U019
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HON. ABRAHAM SARMIENTO

Delegate, Lone District, Cavite
Vice President from Luzon
1971 Constitutional Convention

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 Republic of the Philippines
JOURNAL
of the

1971 Constitutional Convention

Vol. IV, No. 62 MANILA, PHILIPPINES September 1, 1971

HON. JUAN A. LUCES LUNA

Delegate, Lone District, Oriental Mindoro

September 1. W"- Vol. IV, No. 62 Page 154.1

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page Page

Cover: Portrait of Hon. Juan A. Luces Luna 1543 P. Reyes motion to reconsider disapproval
Opening of session 1544 of Abueg motion 15.")!

Invocation Sponsorship speech of Delegate P. Reyes .... 1552

1544

Privileged speech of Delegate A. Garcia 1544 Interpellations by Delegates Badoy

and Santillan 1554
Privileged speech of Delegate Molina 1546
Interpellation by Delegate Bacalso 1555
Appioval of Minutes and first reading of resolutions .. 1548
Adjournment of session 1556
Continuation of consideration of the Quirino resolution 1551

OPENING OF SESSION PRESIDENT MACAPAGAL: The Members are

kindly requested to listen to the Gentleman from
Laguna. This is the first time that the Gentleman
from Laguna has taken the floor as far as the Chair
Set can recall. The Gentleman may proceed.
ing of the National Anthem) The r®
Lanao del Norfp I '-n, Gentleman from PRIVILEGED SPEECH OF
please deliver the Invocation. Abalos, will DELEGATE A. GARCIA

invocation DELEGATE GARCIA (A.): Mr. President, Ladies

and Gentlemen of this Convention:
delegate ABALOS (F.):
I rise to speak on a subject which is precious
and sacred to each and everyone of us in this august
manktildl'^bleL tith'tn®
Delegates to thi^ Pm heavenlj' graces the
hall. Indeed, I feel that there could be no subject
more delicate and meaningful than one about our
all parts of the here from own people, the very people who voted us to our
tution
an ?nto a moJ0?
atmosphere Ha Consti-
relevant one present positions.
Grant that ^dependence. Perhaps, if I were a professional politician, I
l^he needs and^deaivl^ a real understand- would find it difficult, if not totally embarrassing,
that we may not fail in nut <^ountrymen to discuss frankly the subject I have chosen today.
Grant Thy blessin,l But, Mr. President, whether or not I am a po
.^^rength to remake the fundn I^ave the litician is not the subject. The simple issue is
land the embodiment of law of our whether or not, first, as a Filipino, and second, as a
freedom-loving peopl? ideals of our Delegate, I could speak without fear and malice of
Send us, therefore "Vr. the need to point out and plead our own people's
fr."® ate
understanding thateffi • Ught responsibility under a constitutional regime.
fast and yet able to and
de- Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Con
we may .save our coimt in order that
constituents in the provi^"^^^' Particularly my vention, I feel that at this early .stage of our historic-
where the reign of^ terr. ^anao del NorTe task of rewriting our Con-stitution, our people should
he made to realize now their role, their involvement,
day, from total annibS order of tbi
of this new Co„?titSi:°"' "he ed°„pttan their actual participation in making our new Consti
tution a living reality in their dail.y lives. I dare say
that if our people fail to do their hone.st share in
recess making this Constitution work for them, then no mat
PRESIDENT MACAPAGAL- ter how good-intentioned we may be, no matter how-
cessed. (ft teas 4:08 p.m.) ' session is re- perfect this document may be, it is bound to fail, for
a Constitution is only as good and effective as the
resumption of session commitment of the people themselves for whose wel
fare that Constitution is promulgated.
president MACAPAGAL- Tb Mr. President, recent development.^ seem to in
suraed. (/( 4:£o p.m.) The % i® dicate pressure agitating our people'.s impatience and
xP®l®Kate
the hall-hour Amado Garcia is ®'^i'i®naan
privilege. recognizedfrom for doubts over our effectivity as a deliberative body to
the extent of holding a dim and uncertain future for
DELEGATE Garcia ^a i - Tb,. i this Convention.
ident. ^ '• ^^ank you, Mr. Pres- I feel, Mr. President, that this is mo.st negative,
a defeatist point of view which does not in any man-
i'age 1544
September 1, 1971 — Vol. IV, No. 62
 September 1, 1971 — Vol. IV, No. 62 Page 1545

ner reflect the serious and fair character of the Fili must build it in their lives to make it work, for with
pino mind. This kind of impatience is good, however, out their proper understanding of its operation and
if only to measure the awakening concern of our without its relevance to their lives, that Constitution
people for their own Constitution. But deeper and is useless, fit for the waste basket and not worth the
more meaningful than mere impatience, Mr. Pres paper on which it is written. We can only bring this
ident, is our capacity to reflect and silently help each about by evolving a new educational policy and pro
other in pinpointing the pivotal areas where our gram to reach the broad masses of our people. Here
Constitution has failed us, and where we have failed and now, we must realize, Mr. President, that we in
our Constitution. We must, first of all, realize Mr this august chamber are confronted with divided loy
President, that we were sent here by our people to alties that started at the very time when we should
work for reforms. But do our people realize that the have achieved unity of purpose and orientation. We
very reforms they want us to institute and embody
within the framework of this document are not found must open our eyes to the fact that there are those
who are more loyal to their alma maters rather than
elsewhere but in ourselves as a people? The trouble to their own communities.
is, we have acquired the bad habit, either as a con
venient defense mechanism, or, as Dr. Jose Rizal said Mr. President, this peculiar educational system
because of indolence, of laying blame for whatever which amounts to laissez faire — foreign ideologies,
wrong there is on the other fellow. But in so doine- foreign cultures and an alien system that run coun
we are embarrassed to realize that in pointing our ter to the growth of a distinct, truly Filipino oriental
finger at our neighbor,,there are three other finders soul — has been imposed upon our people. The result
pointing back at us. '"^ers is clear and unequivocal. We are a divided nation —
. A concrete example of this, Mr. President La a nation of men and women, who are not loyal to a
Filipino ideal, but to an ideal imposed on them by
dies and Gentlemen of this Convention, comes every p(werful institutions and educational establishments
Section time — that supreme moment when we have whose sole aim is to perpetuate, capture and bind the
that rare opportunity to institute reforms through very hearts and minds of our youth to a foreign
the choice of the men to administer the affairs power.
Qf government. More often than not, what do wp
We decry graft and corruption. We sav^a!^ Mr. President and fellow Delegates, it is this
j things about the candidates. But aft^v "^^ny kind of systern which now accounts for 95% enroll
we find many of these sam? pMD,e .Vl® a ment in our private schools, of which our own govern-
to power, as if only grafters are fit to has only nominal control. I refer, of course,
I am sorry to say. Ladies and Gentlemen °that to the private and other sectarian schools that com
use of this weakness of our people to hi ® pete for the loyalties of our people. Thus, our chil-
deceived, or bought, durinf Sion^
daf® ' g iu the perpetual octopus o-rin , e" "^■ve become the victims of dual and confused
officer that extorts, that lazy gove?n^o + loyalty. Whereas the Japanese az-e loj'-al to their coun-
try, people and Constitution, because such loyalty was
''tone'' collector, that kickback ^ taught them since childhood, we, on the other hand,
^^nure become
overpricer, thatbecause
possible violent you
radical allSS^^
and I all of
having atmosphei;e of permissiveness, have toL^' wLreK°nJL?"®"r
educatfon of th"
ideologies,
complete control in the
ted """W
Renub iV fl ^ we have allowed in this
practic President, all is not lost. tTo,!. How can delicate task for us.
neonlp n complain if our own children, our own
But, Mr- gggj^ remedies to fh
-T administrative aspects ©f our in
fogical and motive to urge this Convention
hSL"57^^"al
to '^ appa^Dnf proper educational
^^d it uew Charter a democracy vo heLts to fppl ri? i stimulate their
^ nose on th® "^e%ices, our characters a coSry
our own of foei?+LWh.'^^W
naJt vll ®.^own the glory of
ou? histori^ irations and our national goals ^wfth' and dignitv of om- Patriotism, the courage
ed out to them and^n" forefathers? Have we point-
Piinds the need for their impressionable
i" restrue<^"I'® nsive administrative bodies, to SnH living Constitution? Filipino nation under a
(or ^tnp?e& 'ho
to the ■we are"a^demncv^+-^® ^1^^® flatter ourselves that
-Aa-ni we must therefore realize thaf educational svstpm ^^f'on. But the truth is, our
Mr. Constitution work effectively, it must democratic LnnP^ Prevents us from becoming truly
to make our ^ our present od
ideological structure to with sue 4.- ^'leh children, under
stand on the" ^ competing ideologies which try tLir ?+„d- system, are allowed to pur-
stand the o , ^.g and minds. The first is our own affording them^aiwi®^^®^ equipped, exclusive schools
to win our nc ^g^ocracy; the second, the framework already tdvaV^4.a ® opportunities to enhance their
Filipino mea o to carry out that idea; and in social orientation
program, What is evoiwd ?
or program w
the third, the p p ggjdent, I have chosen to address ist arrogance spirit of exclusivismis and
absent,
elit-
That IS why, Mr. ^ h
people, because in that trinity, they occu-
our
+hf most pivotal and strategic corner to make our in pomdf poor children? They are enrolled
Sorts toe succeed. Our people, therefore, must the rain f roofs leak when
be oriented to the demands of the Constitution. We ' vation salarmo ^ ixln where teachers are paid
es. Where is equal opportunity here, star-
Mr."'
Page 1546 September 1, 1971 — Vol. IV, No. 62

President? Where is the beautiful word "democracy"? PRIVILEGED SPEECH OF

Experience has opened our eyes, Mr. President, that DELEGATE MOLINA
our present system of education, which is private in
character, is individualistic, self-centered, hence divi DELEGATE MOLINA: Mr. President, Ladies and
sive, for it has caused the growth of intellectual and Gentlemen:
economic elitism. It has perpetuated the establish
ment of a clique composed of men and women who Three months ago, we gathered in this historic
think only in terms of the protection of their special hall to declare before our countrymen that by their
and selfish class interests. This group, however, is supreme mandate, we have commenced our task. We
not to be condemned, Mr. President, but the system. were convened to draft a new Constitution which will
I repeat, Mr. President, the members of this elite govern the future conduct of this nation. Whether
group who started and who continue to assert their the proposed Charter will be merely a rehash, a dis
economic advantage are but prisoners of an iniqui tinct improvement or a document entirely different
tous system. In fact, some of them — perhaps, I am from the present fundamental law is for us to decide.
even ^ one of them — having realized the anomaly This is our mission; this is our task.
and^ injury it has caused our country and people and
having seen the light, Mr. President, now pledge to I found it necessary to restate the purpose for
system. I, therefore, propose which we were called in the light of what has tran
in the new Charter a provision which would make spired for the past three months.
education state-controlled, free, and compulsory from
primary to high school levels. While it is true that we have organized ourselves,
it is obvious that we still have to organize our
thoughts. We now have our assignments, but are we
+ ^ envision that under a state- sure of what we are going to do?
compulsory education, our youth
S in vocational or ap- The 1971 Constitutional Convention is laboring
nVpf^il S n ® creative, productive and under a great disadvantage, compared with the Ma-
tovTi is
ic the
?^nally important lolos and the 1934 Conventions. Our forefathers who
tern setting up of ato self-generating
this work-oriented pat met at Barasoain Church were driven by a strong
develop-
Fmnin^o^°S"^ sense of urgency and purpose: to declare Philippine
discipline based on our traditional independence
fpp^ m/ manners and right conduct. I strongly and let the world know that the Fili
discing n' • program of personal pinos are capable of governing themselves and of
SsS order S • ^"^°^Po^nted into our national charting their own destiny as a people. The Delegates
to the 1934 Convention were conscious of their man
S tL vo^fnfrMVie in the minds date — to forge a Constitution for the Commonwealth
bility consciousness and social responsi- and for the Republic of the Philippines upon the
withdrawal of American sovereignty. In this Con
framing thfs^^oTi*^t-^f efforts here go beyond the vention, what can we say for ourselves? Are we
selves and the generatfon^^v i- t assure our- propelled by a sense of urgency and purpose? Are
i^nsiness in reforming our ^bat we mean we conscious of our historic mission? Are we honest
oi the people. We can onlv dXv ^be lives ly and sincerely motivated?
Constitution upon the livp<5 ^ building this Mr. President, it took us almost three months
equitable and state-contmlle/T^^ through an
which would make ourSMDlo just to organize ourselves. We are already being
lenges of our times. responsive to the chal- called a lot of names. Our motives are being im
pugned. Our characters have been assailed. Our
Mr. President, Ladies and Pqv,+i sincerity is being doubted. Our competence is being
vention, let me close with this^n tbe Con- questioned. And not a few of our citizens are sneer
these reforms within ourselvit PP^^i" Let us start ing at us; they doubt if we can ever manage to write
and deed. Let us beginS by a new Constitution.
living example of personal us set a We cannot dismiss these doubts and accusa
and our people to follow Let f ^n"th tions with a shrug of the shoulder, Mr. President.
any further. Let us make tliiL confuse them
we, the Delegates to the 1971 realize that For
by
indeed, these doubts and accusations are shared
some, if not most of us. We should, therefore,
tion, practice what we prSch ^Sl'^'onal Conven- take these criticisms as well-meaning. In fact, we
fore, let us start a crusE and mreafrb"™' should even welcome them. The best government is
personal and national discioline tiFJ 1. gospel of still the government that is subjected to the closest
and breadth of this aJSpe al Tof scrutiny of its own people. The laest assembly is still
goes, "What I am, so is Ay cMntry?' the assembly that accepts criticisms and draws in
I thank you. spiration from the people. The only truly self-govern
ing people are those who interrogate and criticize
PRESIDENT MACAPAGAL: With the in,i 1 their own administration, their own legislative as
sembly.
tlrielTate^thT expressed their desire to'"2 Mr. President, I stood up to share the precious
themselves of the half-hour privilege, it has been time of this Convention not to deliver a speech but
to raise the most important point of order — to re
Mionf^^cept
lations the^ last one if there is still time.
except the interpel-
So mind ourselves that there is only one paramount or
the next speaker will be the Gentleman from Cag£ der of business before us, and that is, the making of
a new Constitution. For it seems, Mr. President,
yan, Delegate Molina.
that many of us are forgetting this vital point.