1899 Malolos Constitution

Group 3
In accordance with the decrees of June 18 and 23, 1898, Aguinaldo convoked the Revolutionary
Congress at Barasoain, Malolos. Peace and order conditions in some provinces were such that
Aguinaldo was compelled to appoint their delegates to Congress. Consequently, on September 4,
he appointed fifty delegates to the Congress. This number was increased by ten on September 10.
The number of delegates to the Congress fluctuated from time to time.
In the morning of September 15, the basilica at Barasoain was filled with delegates and
spectators. Outside, the Banda Pasig played the National Anthem. When Aguinaldo and his
officers arrived, the delegates, the cream of the Filipino intelligentsia, spread out to give way to
the President. With the President seated, the secretary read the names of the delegates, after
which Aguinaldo was introduced. Cries of "Viva!" reverberated and Aguinaldo acknowledged
the applause of the throng. Then he stood up and read his message, first in Tagalog, then in
Spanish. A round of applause followed Aguinaldo's speech, which Felipe Buencamino wrote.
Aguinaldo then announced that the ceremonies were over and that Congress was to convene after
electing its officers.
In the afternoon, the Congress proceeded to elect its officers, namely, Pedro A. Paterno,
President; Benito Legarda, Vice-President; Gregorio Araneta, First Secretary; and Pablo
Ocampo, Second Secretary.
The first significant act of the Congress was the ratification on September 29, of the
independence proclaimed at Kawit on June 12, 1898. Aguinaldo, whose office and official
residence were located at the convent of Malolos Church, arrived at Barasoain, where Congress
was holding its sessions, amidst the "vociferous acclamations of he people and strains of music."
The ceremonies began at 10:30am and Aguinaldo, after congratulating Paterno for having been
elected to the presidency of Congress, partly said in Tagalog:
‘’ now we witness the truth of what the famous President Monroe said to the effect that the
United States was for the Americans; now I say that the Philippines is for the Filipinos.’’
A committee to draft the constitution was created with Felipe G. Calderon as its most prominent
member. Having set Mabini's Constitutional Program aside, the committee. Under the influence
of Calderon, also set aside, but in a subtle manner, Paterno's constitutional plan, which smelled
strongly of the Spanish Constitution of 1869. With the advice of Cayetano Arellano, a brilliant
but unreconstructed mestizo, Calderon drew up his plans for a constitution, deriving inspiration
from the constitutions of Mexico, Belgium, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Brazil and France. In the
session of Oct 8, Calderon presented the draft of this constitution.

A few other amendments were inserted in the draft constitution before it was sent to Aguinaldo
for approval.
The Malolos Republic
Owing to the objections of Mabini to some provisions in the Constitution, Aguinaldo did not
immediately promulgate it.
The leaders of Congress compromised by inserting some amendments. After promulgating the
Malolos Constitution, the Filipino leaders proceeded to inaugurate the first Filipino Republic on
January 23, 1899.
Excerpts from the Malolos Constitution
Article 3. Sovereignity resides exclusively in the people.
Article 5. The State recognizes the freedom and equality of all religions, as well as the separation
of Church and State.
Article 19. No Filipino in the full enjoyment of his civil and political rights shall be hindered in
the free exercise of the same.
Article 20.1. Neither shall any Filipino be deprived of: The right of expressing freely his ideas
and opinions either by word or by writing, availing himself of the press or any other similar
means.
Article 20.2. Neither shall any Filipino be deprived of: The right of joining any association for all
the objects of human life which may not be contrary to public morals.
Article 23. Any Filipino can found and maintain establishments of instruction or of education, in
accordance with the regulations that may be established. Popular education shall be obligatory
and gratuitous in the schools of the nation.

On January 21, 1899, Aguinaldo promulgated what is now known as the Malolos Constitution.
The Malolos constitution is the first important Filipino document ever produced by the people's
representatives. It is anchored in democratic traditions that ultimately had their roots in American
soil. It created a Filipino state whose government was "popular, representative and responsible"
with three distinct branches -- the executive, the legislative and the judicial. The constitution
specifically provided for safeguards against abuses, and enumerated the national and individual
rights not only of the Filipinos and of the aliens.
The legislative powers were exercised by the Assembly of Representatives composed of
delegates elected according to law. To make the function of Congress continuous, the document
provided for a Permanent Commission which would sit as a law-making body when Congress
was not in session. The assembly elected the President of the Republic. The Cabinet, composed
of the Secretaries of the different Departments of the government, was responsible not to the
President, but to the Assembly. The administration of justice was vested in the Supreme Court
and in inferior courts to be established according to law. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
was to be elected by the Assembly with the concurrence of the President and the Cabinet.
The constitution as a whole is a monument to the capacity of the Filipinos to chart their own
course along democratic lines. In a period of storm and stress, it symbolized the ideals of a
people who had emerged from the Dark Ages into the Light of Reason.
1899 Malolos Constitution
Group 3
As per the pronouncements of June 18 and 23, 1898, Aguinaldo convened the Revolutionary Congress at
Barasoain, Malolos. Harmony and request conditions in certain areas were with the end goal that
Aguinaldo was constrained to designate their representatives to Congress. Therefore, on September 4,
he named fifty agents to the Congress. This number was expanded by ten on September 10. The
quantity of agents to the Congress vacillated every once in a while.

Toward the beginning of the day of September 15, the basilica at Barasoain was loaded up with agents
and onlookers. Outside, the Banda Pasig played the National Anthem. Whenever Aguinaldo and his
officials showed up, the representatives, the cream of the Filipino scholarly people, spread out to offer
path to the President. With the President situated, the secretary read the names of the agents, after
which Aguinaldo was presented. Cries of "Viva!" resounded and Aguinaldo recognized the
commendation of the crowd. At that point he stood up and read his message, first in Tagalog, at that
point in Spanish. A series of praise pursued Aguinaldo's discourse, which Felipe Buencamino composed.
Aguinaldo then reported that the services were finished and that Congress was to meet in the wake of
choosing its officials.

Toward the evening, the Congress continued to choose its officials, in particular, Pedro A. Paterno,
President; Benito Legarda, Vice-President; Gregorio Araneta, First Secretary; and Pablo Ocampo, Second
Secretary.

The main noteworthy demonstration of the Congress was the sanction on September 29, of the
autonomy declared at Kawit on June 12, 1898. Aguinaldo, whose office and authority living arrangement
were situated at the religious circle of Malolos Church, landed at Barasoain, where Congress was holding
its sessions, in the midst of the "vociferous acclaims of the individuals and strains of music." The
functions started at 10:30am and Aguinaldo, in the wake of saluting Paterno for having been chosen for
the administration of Congress, somewhat said in Tagalog:

* now we witness reality of what the well-known President Monroe said such that the United States was
for the Americans; presently I state that the Philippines is for the Filipinos.

A board to draft the constitution was made with Felipe G. Calderon as its most unmistakable part.
Having saved Mabini's Constitutional Program, the advisory group. Affected by Calderon, likewise put in
a safe spot, however in an unpretentious way, Paterno's protected arrangement, which smelled firmly
of the Spanish Constitution of 1869. With the educate regarding Cayetano Arellano, a splendid yet
unreconstructed mestizo, Calderon drew up his arrangements for a constitution, getting motivation
from the constitutions of Mexico, Belgium, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Brazil and France. In the session of
Oct 8, Calderon exhibited the draft of this constitution.

A couple of different alterations were embedded in the draft constitution before it was sent to
Aguinaldo for endorsement.
The Malolos Republic
Owing to the objections of Mabini to some provisions in the Constitution, Aguinaldo did not
immediately promulgate it.
The leaders of Congress compromised by inserting some amendments. After promulgating the
Malolos Constitution, the Filipino leaders proceeded to inaugurate the first Filipino Republic on
January 23, 1899.
Excerpts from the Malolos Constitution
Article 3. Sovereignity resides exclusively in the people.
Article 5. The State recognizes the freedom and equality of all religions, as well as the separation
of Church and State.
Article 19. No Filipino in the full enjoyment of his civil and political rights shall be hindered in
the free exercise of the same.
Article 20.1. Neither shall any Filipino be deprived of: The right of expressing freely his ideas
and opinions either by word or by writing, availing himself of the press or any other similar
means.
Article 20.2. Neither shall any Filipino be deprived of: The right of joining any association for all
the objects of human life which may not be contrary to public morals.
Article 23. Any Filipino can found and maintain establishments of instruction or of education, in
accordance with the regulations that may be established. Popular education shall be obligatory
and gratuitous in the schools of the nation.

On January 21, 1899, Aguinaldo promulgated what is now known as the Malolos Constitution.
The Malolos constitution is the principal significant Filipino archive at any point delivered by the
individuals' delegates. It is tied down in vote based conventions that at last had their foundations in
American soil. It made a Filipino express whose administration was "famous, delegate and mindful" with
three particular branches - the official, the authoritative and the legal. The constitution explicitly given
to shields against maltreatment, and counted the national and individual rights not just of the Filipinos
and of the outsiders.

The authoritative forces were practiced by the Assembly of Representatives made out of agents chose
concurring for law. To make the capacity of Congress ceaseless, the report accommodated a Permanent
Commission which would sit as a law-production body when Congress was not in session. The gathering
chose the President of the Republic. The Cabinet, made out of the Secretaries of the various
Departments of the administration, was dependable not to the President, yet to the Assembly. The
organization of equity was vested in the Supreme Court and in sub-par courts to be built up as indicated
by law. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court was to be chosen by the Assembly with the
simultaneousness of the President and the Cabinet.

The constitution overall is a landmark to the limit of the Filipinos to outline their very own course along
law based lines. In a time of tempest and stress, it symbolized the standards of a people who had risen
up out of the Dark Ages into the Light of Reason.