READPH - created in accordance with the establishment of the

CONSTITUTION First Philippine Republic, 1899. - lasted until the

- The Fundamental LAW of the Land. Philippine-American War.
- is the organic and fundamental law of the State. The Salient Features:
- is a body of rules and maxims with which the power of • It is the first important Filipino document ever
the sovereign are habitually exercised. produced by the people's representatives.
- Latin term “ CONSTITUO” meaning ESTABLISHED, • It is anchored in democratic traditions that
FIXED OR DEFINED. ultimately had their roots in American soil.
- Part of a country's sovereignty. • It created a Filipino state whose government was
- Basis of all the other laws in the land. "popular, representative and responsible" with three
- Serves as a guide to the government in making distinct branches -- the executive, the legislative and
decisions. the judicial.
• It is specifically provided for safeguards against
Justice MALCOLM abuses, and enumerated. the national and individual
• A written instrument enacted by direct action of the rights not only of the Filipinos and of the aliens.
people by which the fundamental powers of the • The legislative powers were exercised by the
government are established, limited, and defined, and Assembly of Representatives composed of delegates
by which these powers are distributed among the elected according to law.
several departments for the safe, and useful exercise • To make the function of Congress continuous, the
for the benefit of the body politic. document provided for a Permanent Commission
which would sit as a lawmaking body when Congress
Nature and Purpose was not in session.
• It serves as the supreme and fundamental law. • The assembly elected the President of the Republic.
• It establishes the basic framework and underlying • The Cabinet, composed of the Secretaries of the
principles of government. different Departments of the government, was
responsible not to the President, but to the
ESSENTIAL PARTS of a Good, Written Constitution Assembly.
 Constitution of LIBERTY - Article 3 • The administration of justice was vested in the
 Constitution of GOVERNMENT - Articles 6,7,8 Supreme Court and in inferior courts to be
 Constitution of SOVEREIGNTY - Article 17 established according to law.
• The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court was to be
REQUISITES of a Good, Written Constitution elected by the Assembly with the concurrence of the
•BROAD •BRIEF •DEFINITE President and the Cabinet.

HISTORY 1935 Constitution

• 1787 – USA - written by Claro M. Recto
• 1791 – France - created in accordance with the establishment of the
• 1812 - Philippines ( Cadiz Constitution ) Commonwealth Republic.
• 1917 – Mexico - Tydings-Mcduffie Law of 1934 caused the drafting of
• 1918 – Russia the 1935 constitution.
- effectivity was halted during the Japanese occupation
HISTORY of the Philippine Constitution but continued in 1946 until 1972.
• 1812 – Cadiz Constitution - constitution had to be approved by Pres. Franklin
• January 21, 1899 – Malolos Constitution Roosevelt.
• May 14, 1935 – 1935 Constitution - ratification of constitution included women for the first
• January 17, 1973 – 1973 Constitution time.
• February 2, 1987 – 1987 Constitution The Salient Features:
• a bicameral legislature composed of a Senate and
Malolos Constitution House of Representatives;
- written by Felipe Calderon • the President is to be elected to a four-year term
- ratification and proclamation held at Barasoain Church together with the Vice-President without re-election;
in Malolos. • rights of suffrage by male citizens of the Philippines
who are twenty-one years of age or over and can
read and write;
 • extension of power right of suffrage to women - only parts about human rights were retained from the
within two years after the adoption of the previous constitution.
constitution; and - served as a temporary/transitional constitution.
• provided the legal basis of the Commonwealth 1987 Constitution
Government which was considered a transition - ratified February 2, 1987
government before the granting of the Philippine - formulated by Constitutional Commission led by
independence with the American-inspired Cecilia Munoz Palma.
constitution. - Pushed for the restoration of the presidential
government and protection of human rights.
1973 Constitution - Changes from previous constitutions:
Main purposes before Martial Law: 1. Longer term but without reelection for
1.To reflect genuine Philippine independence and president.
sovereignty. 2. Abolition of capital punishment.
Main purposes after Martial Law: 3. Party -list representation and creation of
1. To change the present government to parliamentary Sandigang Bayan.
form. 4. Creation of Human Rights Commission.
2. To give Marcos more power and postpone the 5. Controlled power of president in declaring
incoming 1973 elections. martial law.
- ratification was done through citizen’s assembly. The Salient Features:
- created in accordance with the Declaration of Martial • reinstitution of democratic government;
Law and the New Society. • separation of church and state;
- lasted until the People Power Revolution in 1986. • sovereignty of the people;
The Salient Features: • renunciation of war as a national policy;
•establishment of a modified parliamentary • supremacy of civilian authority over the military;
government; • separation of powers of the three branches of
• suspension of the Bill of Rights; the government;
• greater power of the Executive Department; • a result of the People Power Revolution;
• promulgated after Marcos’ declaration of martial • established a representative democracy with
law; powers divided among three separate and
• was supposed to introduce a Parliamentary-style independent branches of government
government; (EXECUTIVE, LEGISLATIVE, JUDICIAL);
• legislative power was vested in a unicameral Nation • the executive branch is headed by the president
Assembly whose members were elected for six-year and his appointed cabinet; the legislative power is
terms; vested in a congress which is divided into two
• the president was ideally elected as the symbolic and houses, the Senate and the House of
purely ceremonial head of the state chosen from Representatives; the court system of the
among the members of the National Assembly for a Philippines exercise the judicial power of the
six-year term and could be reelected to an unlimited government;
number of terms; and the President was not allowed • integrated into the constitution a full of bill of
to be a member of a political party or hold any other rights; and
office; • establishment of the independent constitutional
• was amended in 1980 and 1981: commissions.
 The 1980 amendment was about the retirement
age of the members of judiciary which was Constitution and Statute Compared
extended to 70 years. • Supreme law
• Subordinate law
 The 1981 amendment was the false • Comprehensive,
• Contemporaneous
parliamentary system formally modified into a inclusive of the past,
• Legislated to cope with
Frenchstyle semi-presidential system. present and future
the change in a society
• Relatively permanent
• Legislative Body
Freedom Constitution • Author- People
- promulgated on March 25 1986
- created in accordance with the establishment of the Different kinds of laws made by the government
Revolutionary Government of 1896.  National Laws
- implemented throughout the country.
 - drafted by the congress
- also called as Republic Acts
Examples of National Laws: Ordinances
1. Tax Laws - passed by local government bodies in
2. Local Government Code provinces, towns, cities, etc.
- other laws implemented throughout - implemented in LGU’s because they are
the country are the ff.: important to the communities.
1. International Laws Examples of Ordinances:
2. Laws coming from the President 1. Change in street name
3. Laws administered by the Supreme Court 2. Color coding (esp. Metro Manila)

Barangay Orders
- passed by Sangguniang Barangay
- implemented in barangays
- usually related to cleanliness, peace, and order.
 Examples of Barangay Orders:
- Prohibiting noisy vehicles
- Designation of places where trash is thrown
AGRARIAN REFORMS IN THE PHILIPPINES reform law aimed at helping the small and marginal
A brief history: Agrarian Condition in Philippines farmers of Philippines by providing them easy
 For a long period of time, the agrarian system of access to land and other necessary inputs.
Philippines was being controlled by the large
landlords. The small farmers in Philippines were Republic Act No. 6657
struggling for their rights to land and other natural  June 10,1988
resources. It was observed that about 2.9 million  Alternatively called the Comprehensive Agrarian
small farms occupied about half of the total arable Reform Law was signed by President Corazon C.
land of Philippines, whereas the medium and large Aquino .
farms occupied about 11.5% of the total farmland.  The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law is
The agrarian system in Philippines followed a responsible for the implementation of the
feudalistic approach. Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program
(CARP) in Philippines
HISTORY  The law focused on industrialization in
 1904 – Governor Taft Philippines together with social justice.
 Before the 2nd World War – President Manuel L.
Quezon Objectives
 After the 2nd World War – NO definite regulations  The primary objective of instituting the
 March 1954 – President Ramon Magsaysay Comprehensive Agrarian Reform law was to
R.A. 1160 –Land Resettlement Act successfully devise land reform in Philippines.
 1955 – R.A. 1400 – Land Tenure Administration  Apart from land reform, the Department of
 1958 – passed and provided the hereditary rights Agrarian Reform began to supervise other allied
over tenancy activities to improve the economic and social
 1965 – AGRICULTURAL Land Reform status of the beneficiaries of land reform in
 1988 – CARP Philippines.
 2009 – CARPER
Republic Act No. 9700
BASIC GOALS OF LAND REFORM  August 7, 2009
- It is a means of generating income.  AN ACT STRENGTHENING THE COMPREHENSIVE
- It provides security. AGRARIAN REFORM PROGRAM (CARP),
- It gives them opportunity to develop their personal EXTENDING THE ACQUISITION AND
talents. DISTRIBUTION OF ALL AGRICULTURAL LANDS,
INSTITUTING NECESSARY REFORMS, AMENDING
CONTENTS OF LAND REFORM FOR THE PURPOSE CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF
 Redistribution of land REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6657, OTHERWISE KNOWN
 Provision of land to landless tillers AS THE COMPREHENSIVE AGRARIAN REFORM
 Provision of greater security to land tenants on the LAW OF 1988, AS AMENDED, AND
land they cultivate APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFORE.
 Reduction of exorbitant tenants, when they are
present
 Provision of a land size ceiling

Implementation of Agrarian Reform in Philippines:

Drawbacks
 The implementation of Agrarian reforms proceeded
at a very slow pace.
 This was due to the lack of political will.
 As a consequence, a large amount of agrarian land in
Philippines was converted to industrial land.

Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law

 The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law was laid
down in the year 1988, to protect the agricultural
workers in Philippines. The comprehensive agrarian