Name: David C.

Cornejo
Reading in Philippine History
Course/Yr/Section: BSAC – 1A Ms. Mheralyn F. Silang

Activity 3

Direction: Complete the table below to compare and contrast the seven constitutions framed in the country.

LENGTH OF
TYPE FORM OF GOVERNMENT RATIFYING/PROMULGATING BODY DISTINCTIVE FEATURES
EFFECTIVITY

- The first presidential and vice

presidential elections in Philippine
History were held.

- The organs of the government

under the Constitution consisted of
three (3) divisions: (1) the Supreme
Council, which was authorized with
De Facto Constitutional
the power of the Republic in which it
Republic
was headed by the President and
the four different secretaries which
was the interior, foreign affairs,
treasury, and war; (2) the Consejo
PROMULGATING BODY:
Katipunan, acting as Constitutional November 1, 1897 – Supremo de Garcia Y Justicia,
BIAK NA BATO Assembly, Drafted by Isabelo Artacho December 14, 1897 which has the authority to create
Flag
CONSTITUTION and Felix Ferrer decisions and validate and refute
1897 (1 month and 14 the sentences given by the other
RATIFICATION: days) courts and to command rules for the
No signing or voting was conducted. administration of justice; and (3) the
Asamblea de Representantes,
which was to be assembled after the
revolution to create a new
constitution and to choose a new
Seal Council of Government and
Representatives of the People.

- The Constitution of Biak-na-Bato

was never fully implemented and
was overtaken by the Pact of Biak-
na-Bato between the Spanish and
the Philippine Revolutionary Army.
- The basic law of the First
Unitary Semi – Philippine Republic. It was created
Presidential PROMULGATING BODY: during the fight for the Philippine
Constitutional Republic Malolos Congress independence from Spain.
RATIFICATION: - The first republican constitution in
Choice Votes % Asia. It declared that sovereignty
resides exclusively in the people,
January 23, 1899 –
MALOLOS For 98 100 stated basic civil rights, separated
March 23, 1901
CONSTITUTION Flag the church and state, and called for
1899 the creation of an Assembly of
Against 0 0 (more than 2 years)
Representatives to act as the
Invalid/blank legislative body.
-
votes
Total 98 100 - The constitution placed limitations
on unsupervised freedom of action
by the chief executive which would
Emblem
have hampered rapid decision-
making.
- The Commonwealth Constitution
Presidential was ratified to prepare the country
Commonwealth for its independence. This
constitution was dominantly
influenced by the Americans, but
possess the traces of the Malolos
Constitution, the German, Spanish,
and Mexican Constitution,
constitutions of several South
November 15, 1935 American countries, and the
– 1943 unwritten English Constitution.
Flag PROMULGATING BODY: (8 years) - It was written with an eye to
1934 Constitutional Convention meeting the approval of the United
States Government as well, so as to
RATIFICATION: ensure that the U.S. would live up to
its promise to grant the Philippines
Choice Votes % independence and not have a
premise to hold onto its possession
For 1,213,046 96.43
on the grounds that it was too
1935
CONSTITUTION
politically immature and hence
Coat of Arms Against 44,963 3.57 unready for full, real independence.
Invalid/blank
- - The draft of the constitution was
Unitary Presidential votes
approved by the convention on
Constitutional Republic Total 1,258,009 100 February 8, 1935 and was ratified
Registered by President Roosevelt in
1,953,972 Washington D.C. on March 25,
voters/turnout
1935. Elections were held on
September 16, 1935 and Manuel L.
Flag July 4, 1946 – Quezon was elected as the first
January 16, 1973 President of the Commonwealth of
the Philippines.
(27 years)
- The original 1935 Constitution
provided for a unicameral National
Assembly, and the President was
elected to a six-year term without
the possibility re-election. It was
Coat of Arms amended in 1940 to have a
bicameral Congress.
 - The 1943 Constitution remained in
force in Japanese – controlled areas
of the Philippines, but was never
recognized as legitimate or binding
by the governments of the United
Single – Party States, the Commonwealth of the
Authoritarian Republic Philippines, or the guerilla
organizations loyal to them.

- In late 1944, President Laurel

declared war on the United States
and the British Empire and
PROMULGATING BODY:
Flag October 14, 1943 – proclaimed martial law, essentially
1943/SECOND Preparatory Committee for Philippine
August 17, 1945 ruling by decree. His government, in
PHILIPPINE Independence
REPUBLIC turn, went into exile in December
(more than a year) 1944, first to Taiwan and then
RATIFICATION:
Japan. After the announcement of
No signing or voting was conducted.
Japan's surrender, Laurel formally
dissolved the Second Republic.

- The 1943 Constitution provided for

strong executive powers. The
Coat of Arms Legislature consisted of a
unicameral National Assembly and
only those considered to be anti-US
could stand for election, although in
practice most legislators were
appointed rather than elected.

- Promulgated after Marcos’

declaration of martial law and
supposed to introduce a
parliamentary – style government.
Unitary Dominant – Legislative power was vested in a
Party Pseudo – unicameral National Assembly
Parliamentary Republic PROMULGATING BODY: whose members were elected for
Under Totalitarian Civic 1973 Constitutional Convention six-year-terms. The President was
– Military Rule ideally elected as the symbolic and
RATIFICATION: purely ceremonial head of state
chosen from amongst the Members
Choice Votes %
of the National Assembly for a six-
January 17, 1973 –
Yes 14,976,561 95.3 year-term and could be re-elected to
1973 February 22, 1986
CONSTITUTION
an unlimited number of terms.
Flag
No 743,869 4.7 (13 years)
- Executive power was meant to be
Total valid exercised by the Prime Minister who
15,720,430 79.0 was also elected from among the
votes
Total votes sitting Assemblymen. The Prime
19,908,760 87.0 Minister was to be the head of
cast
Registered government and Commander-in-
22,883,632 100 Chief of the Armed Forces. This
voters
constitution was subsequently
Coat of Arms amended four times (arguably five,
depending on how one considers
Proclamation No. 3 of 1986, see
below).
- It adopted certain provisions from
the 1973 Constitution while
abolishing others. It granted the
President broad powers to
reorganize government and remove
officials, as well as mandating the
Revolutionary president to appoint a commission
Government to draft a new, formal Constitution.
PROMULGATING BODY:
March 25, 1986 – This document, described above,
President Corazon Aquino, Drafted by
FREEDOM February 1, 1987 supplanted the "Freedom
Reynato Puno
CONSTITUTION Constitution" upon its ratification in
1986 (not more than a 1987. This is the transitional
RATIFICATION:
year) constitution that lasted a year and
No signing or voting was conducted.
came before the permanent
constitution. It maintained many
provisions of the 1973 Constitution,
including in rewritten form the
presidential right to rule by decree.
The Convention composes of 48
members appointed by the
President.

- The constitution provided for three

governmental powers, namely the
executive, legislative, and judicial
branches. The executive branch is
headed by the president and his
appointed cabinet members. The
executive has limited power. This is
Unitary Presidential PROMULGATING BODY:
to ensure that the country will be
Constitutional Republic 1986 Constitutional Convention
"safeguarded" if martial law is to be
declared. The president can still
RATIFICATION:
declare martial law, but it expires
Choice Votes % within 60 days and Congress can
either reject or extend it.
Yes 16,622,111 77.04 February 2, 1987 –
Flag - The legislative power consists of
present
1987 No 4,953,375 22.96 the Senate and the House of
CONSTITUTION Representatives. There are twenty-
(22 years and
Valid votes 21,575,486 99.04 four senators and the House is
counting)
composed of district
Invalid or representatives. It also created
209,730 0.96
blank votes opportunities for under-represented
sectors of community to select their
Total votes 21,785,216 100 representative through party-list
Coat of Arms system. The judiciary branch
comprises the Supreme Court and
the lower courts. The Supreme
Court is granted the power to hear
any cases that deals with the
constitutionality of law, about a
treaty or decree of the government.
It is also tasked to administrate the
function of the lower courts.