Three Branches of the Philippine Government

Legislative – taga-gawang batas

authorized to make laws, alter, and repeal them through the power vested in the Philippine
Congress. This institution is divided into the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Senate (24) - exists to create and promote a national perspective on national policy in order to
build a prosperous, secure, honest and democratic nation.
House of Representatives (not more than 250) - has power to impeach certain officials and all
franchise and money bills must originate from the lower house.

Executive – nagpapatupad ng batas

President, vice-president, cabinet (advise the president on the different affairs of the state)
composed of the President and the Vice President who are elected by direct popular vote and
serve a term of six years. The Constitution grants the President authority to appoint his Cabinet.
These departments form a large portion of the country’s bureaucracy.

Judiciary – pagpapasya sa mga kontrebersyang legal

Supreme Court, regional trial court(second level court), municipal trial court(first level court),
special courts
The Judicial branch holds the power to settle controversies involving rights that are legally
demandable and enforceable. This branch determines whether or not there has been a grave
abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction on the part and instrumentality
of the government. It is made up of a Supreme Court and lower courts.
The Constitution expressly grants the Supreme Court the power of Judicial Review as the power
to declare a treaty, international or executive agreement, law, presidential decree,
proclamation, order, instruction, ordinance or regulation unconstitutional.
 The 1987 Contitution of the Republic of the Philippines

Approved by the 1986 Constitutional Commission on October 12, 1986, the 1987 Constitution
of the Republic of the Philippines was presented to President Corazon C. Aquino on October 15,
1986. It was ratified on February 2, 1987 by a plebiscite. It was proclaimed in force on February
11, 1987.

PREAMBLE – signifies what the Filipinos strive for, what they believe in, and what they aspire
to be. It also states the goals, aspirations, and what to expect on a nation’s set of laws.
ARTICLE I National Territory - It is important to know so that we and the other nations
would know the boundaries of our country. the Philippines can promulgate and enforce its laws
within our country.

ARTICLE II Declaration of Principles and State Policies -

Article 2, sec. 1 – sovereignty resides in people, however, since we are an indirect democracy,
we pass our power to the legislators

ARTICLE III Bill of Rights

– list of rights of a person or an individual
- declaration and enumeration of the individual rights and privileges which the Constitution
designed to protect against violations by the government or by individual or groups of
individual
- a charter of liberties for the individual and a limitation upon the power of the state
Classification of Rights
 Natural rights - our rights as humans.
 Constitutional rights - rights which are conferred and protected by the Constitution
 Political Rights - rights of the citizens which gave them the power to participate
directly or indirectly, in the establishment or administration of the government
 Civil Rights - are rights which the law will enforce at the instance of private individuals
for the purpose of securing them the enjoyment of their means of happiness
  Social and Economic Rights - intended to insure the well-being and security of the
individual
 Rights of the Accused - intended for the protection of a person accused of any crime
 Statutory Right - rights provided by laws promulgated by the lawmaking body and can be
abolished by the same body

ARTICLE IV Citizenship
– mermership of a permanent character in a political community
- a citizen of a state is one who owes allegiance to it and is correspondingly entitled to its
protection
ARTICLE V Suffrage
- rights and obligations of every Filipino to vote as a Filipino citizen.
- when we vote we have the power to change the officials that we don’t like, that is why we
shouldn’t sell our vote because it is the only power we have to change the leadership Scope of
Suffrage
 Election - political exercise whereby the sovereign people choose a candidate to fill up an
elective government position ( 3 years for local official, 6 for president)
 Plebiscite (about the constitution or national government) - political right of the sovereign
people to ratify or reject constitutional amendments or proposed laws
 Referendum (desisyon na walang kinalaman sa Constitution and national government
structure) - right reserved to the people to adopt or reject any act or measure which has
been passed by a legislative body and which in most cases would without action on the
part of the electors become a law
 Initiative - power of the people to propose bills and laws, and to enact or reject them at
the polls, independent of the legislative assembly
 Recall - system which an elective official is removed by popular vote before the end of his
term

ARTICLE VI Legislative Department

– legislative power is the authority under the Constitution to make laws and to alter and repeal
them
ARTICLE VII Executive Department - power is vested in the President
- power to administer the laws, which means carrying them into practical operation and
enforcing their due observance
ARTICLE VIII Judicial Department

ARTICLE IX Constitutional Commissions

- are independent constitutional body (hindi kayang buwagin kahit ng President)
 The Civil Service Commission (7 years)- composed of a chairman and 2 commissioners
- the chairman is appointed by the President with the consent of the Commission on
Appointments
 Commission on Election - composed of a chairman and six commissioners
 Commission on Audit - composed of a chairman and two commissioners
- should be a CPA with not less than ten years of auditing experience

ARTICLE X Local Government

Local government refers to a political subdivision of a nation or state which is constituted by
law and has a substantial control of local affairs, with officials elected or otherwise locally
selected
ARTICLE XI Accountability of Public Officers –a public office is a public trust.
- Dito pumapasok yung impeachment (a legislative body addresses charges against a
government official)
- Impeachable Officials are: President, Vice Presidents, Members of the Supreme Court,
Members of the Constitutional Commissions
Grounds for Impeachment
 Culpable violations of the Constitution
 Treason
 Bribery
 Graft and corruption
 Other high crimes

 Betrayal of public trust

ARTICLE XII National Economy and Patrimony (refers to our natural resources)
- no private lands shall be transferred or conveyed except to individuals, corporations, or
associations qualified to acquire or hold lands of the public domain

ARTICLE XIII Social Justice and Human Rights - for protection of human rights
 Labor - for promotion of the rights and welfare of the laborers in the private sector
 Agrarian and Natural Resources Reform
 Urban Land Reform and Housing
 Health - Magna Carta for Public health workers
 Women - Magna Carta of Women

ARTICLE XIV Education, Science and Technology, Arts, Culture and Sports

ARTICLE XV The Family

-The Filipino family is the foundation of the nation

ARTICLE XVI General Provisions

- The flag of the Philippines shall be red, white, and blue, with a sun and three stars, as
consecrated and honored by the people and recognized by law.
Philippine flag - design was decided by General Emilio Aguinaldo
- First flag was made in Hong-Kong by Marcela Agoncillo assisted by Lorenza Agoncillo and
Delfina Herbosa De Natividad
National anthem - Composed by Julian Felipe, draft of his musical compisition is entitled
Marcha Filipina Magdalo and then changed it to Marcha Nacional Filipina
- First time it was played, it has no lyrics. Only in 1899, did it have a lyrics made by Jose Palma
titled Filipinas

- first sung the translated anthem on May 26, 1956

Final version was made in 1962
ARTICLE XVII Amendments or Revisions
- it is where we will know how to change or revise the Philippine Constitution and eventually,
know why it is a Constitution of sovereignty, it is because we still are the ones who rule. For
example, there may be changes in the constitution, however, after these, they would still have
to submit it to us and it is up to us to decide
Amendment - change effected in some parts of the Constitution without considering the whole
document
Revision - rewriting or changing of the Constitution in its entirety

ARTICLE XVIII Transitory Provisions

- schedules and ordinances forming part of, or appended to a Constitution to provide for the
transition from the old government to the new Constitution into effect, or to qualify, restrict or
limit some permanent provisions for a limited period