THE 1987 PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION

PREAMBLE
We, the sovereign Filipino people, imploring the
aid of Almighty God, in order to build a just and
humane society and establish a Government that
shall embody our ideals and aspirations, promote
the common good, conserve and develop our
patrimony, and secure to ourselves and our
posterity the blessings of independence and
democracy under the rule of law and a regime of
truth, justice, freedom, love, equality, and peace,
do ordain and promulgate this Constitution.
ARTICLE I : National Territory
The national territory comprises the Philippine
archipelago, with all the islands and waters embraced
therein, and all other territories over which the
Philippines has sovereignty or jurisdiction, consisting
of its terrestrial, fluvial, and aerial domains,
including its territorial sea, the seabed, the subsoil,
the insular shelves, and other submarine areas. The
waters around, between, and connecting the islands
of the archipelago, regardless of their breadth and
dimensions, form part of the internal waters of the
Philippines.
 ARTICLE II: Declaration of Principles and State
Policies

Article II lays out the basic social and

political creed of the Philippines,
particularly the implementation of the
constitution and sets forth the objectives
of the government.
 ARTICLE III: Bill of Rights
ArticleIII enumerates specific protections
against the abuse of state power, most of
which are similar to the provisions of the
U.S. Constitution. of public concern .
1. Natural Rights
2. Constitutional Rights
3. Statutory Rights
 ARTICLE IV: Citizenship
Article IV defines the citizenship of Filipinos. It enumerates two
kinds of citizens: natural-born citizens and naturalized citizens.
Natural-born citizens are those who are citizens from birth
without having to perform any act to acquire or perfect
Philippine citizenship. The Philippines follows a jus sanguinis
system where citizenship is mainly acquired through a blood
relationship with Filipino citizens. Natural-born citizenship
forms an important part of the political system as only natural-
born Filipinos are eligible to hold high offices, including all
elective offices beginning with a representative in the House of
Representatives up to the President
 ARTICLE V: Suffrage

Article V mandates various age and

residence qualifications to vote and a
system of secret ballots and absentee
voting. It also mandates a procedure for
overseas and disabled and illiterate
Filipinos to vote.
 ARTICLE VI: Legislative Department
Article VI provides for a bicameral legislature
called the Congress composed of the Senate and the
House of Representatives. It vests upon Congress,
among others, the power of investigation and
inquiry in aid of legislation, the power to declare
the existence of a state of war, the power of the
purse, the power of taxation, and the power of
eminent domain
 ARTICLE VII: Executive Department
Article VII provides for a presidential form of
government where the executive power is vested on
the President. It provides for the qualification,
terms of office, election, and power and functions
of the President. It also provides for a Vice
President and for the presidential line of succession.
Article VI
 ARTICLEVIII: Judicial Department
Article VIII vests the judicial power upon the Supreme
Court and other lower courts as may be established by
law (by Congress). While the power to appoint justices
and judges still reside with the President, the President
may only appoint nominees pre-selected by the Judicial
and Bar Council, a body composed of the Chief Justice
of the Supreme Court, the Secretary of Justice, the
Chairs of the Senate and House Committees on Justice,
and representatives from the legal profession.
 ARTICLE IX: Constitutional Commissions
a) Article IX establishes three constitutional
commissions: the Civil Service Commission,
the Commission on Elections, and the
Commission on Audit.
 ARTICLE X: Local Government

Article X pursues for local autonomy and

mandates Congress to enact a law for the local
government, now currently the Local
Government Code
ARTICLE XI: Accountability of Public Officers
Public office is a public trust. Public officers and
employees must, at all times, be accountable to the
people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity,
loyalty, and efficiency; act with patriotism and justice,
and lead modest lives.
ARTICLE XII: National Economy and Patrimony

The goals of the national economy are a more equitable

distribution of opportunities, income, and wealth; a sustained
increase in the amount of goods and services produced by the
nation for the benefit of the people; and an expanding
productivity as the key to raising the quality of life for all,
especially the underprivileged
ARTICLE XIII: Social Justice and Human Rights
The Congress shall give highest priority to the enactment of
measures that protect and enhance the right of all the people
to human dignity, reduce social, economic, and political
inequalities, and remove cultural inequities by equitably
diffusing wealth and political power for the common good. To
this end, the State shall regulate the acquisition, ownership,
use, and disposition of property and its increments.
ARTICLE XIV: Education, Science and Technology, Arts,
Culture and Sports Education

Section 1. The State shall protect and promote the right of all
citizens to quality education at all levels and shall take
appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all
ARTICLE XV: The Family

The State recognizes the Filipino family as the foundation of

the nation. Accordingly, it shall strengthen its solidarity and
actively promote its total development.
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.
ARTICLE XVII: Amendments or Revisions

Any amendment to, or revision of, this Constitution may be

proposed by: (1)The Congress, upon a vote of three-fourths of
all its Members; or (2) A constitutional convention.
 ARTICLE XVIII: Transitory Provisions

The first elections of Members of the Congress under this Constitution

shall be held on the second Monday of May, 1987. The first local elections
shall be held on a date to be determined by the President, which may
simultaneous with the election of the Members of the Congress. It shall
include the election of all Members of the city or municipal councils in the
Metropolitan Manila area.
Article XIV, Section 3 of the 1987 Constitution also
states that: “ Education for the Filipinos shall be
rooted in their culture and tradition, which are
anchored on positive values and beliefs of the people.
It shall develop and enlightened nationalistic citizenry
imbued with democratic ideals, unselfish in their
commitment to serve the national community and
proud of being Filipinos, yet receptive to international
development. It shall further develop God – loving,
creative, disciplined, productive and self – reliant
citizens leading to meaningful lives.
 WHEREAS, Article 11, Section 22 of the 1987
Constitution expressly provides that the State
“recognizes and promotes the rights of indigenous
cultural communities within the framework of
national unity and development;”
WHEREAS, Article XII, Section 5 of the
Constitution likewise mandates that
the State shall “protect the rights of
indigenous cultural communities to
their ancestral lands to ensure their
economic, social, and cultural well-
being;”
 WHEREAS, Section 2, paragraph (c) of Republic Act 8371,
or the Indigenous People’s Rights Act (IPRA), further
provides that the State shall “recognize, respect and protect
the rights of indigenous cultural communities to preserve
and develop their cultures, traditions and institutions, and
that it shall consider these rights in the formulation of
national laws and policies;”
 WHEREAS, the Philippines is a signatory of the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which
declares that “in those States in which ethnic, religious or
linguistic minorities exist, persons belonging to such
minorities shall not be denied ‘the right, in community with
the other members of their group, to enjoy their own
culture, to profess and practice their own religion, or to use
their own language;”
ARTS AND CULTURE

Section 14. The State shall foster the preservation,

enrichment, and dynamic evolution of a Filipino
national culture based on the principle of unity in
diversity in a climate of free artistic and intellectual
expression.
Section 15. Arts and letters shall enjoy the
patronage of the State. The State shall
conserve, promote, and popularize the nation’s
historical and cultural heritage and resources,
as well as artistic creations.
Section 16. All the country’s artistic and
historic wealth constitutes the cultural treasure
of the nation and shall be under the protection
of the State which may regulate its
disposition.
Section 17. The State shall recognize, respect,
and protect the rights of indigenous cultural
communities to preserve and develop their
cultures, traditions, and institutions. It shall
consider these rights in the formulation of
national plans and policies.
Section 18. (1) The State shall ensure equal access
to cultural opportunities through the educational
system, public or private cultural entities,
scholarships, grants and other incentives, and
community cultural centers, and other public
venues.
(2) The State shall encourage and support
researches and studies on the arts and culture.