Constitution of the Philippines

Published by Good Press, 2021

goodpress@okpublishing.info

EAN 4064066453022

Table of Contents

Preamble

Article I: The National Territory

Article II: Declaration of Principles and State Policies

Article III. Bill of Rights

Article IV. Citizenship

Article V. Duties and Obligations of Citizens

Article VI: Suffrage

Article VII. The President and Vice-President

Article VIII: The National Assembly

Article IX: The Prime Minister and the Cabinet

Article X: The Judiciary

Article XI: Local Government

Article XII: The Constitutional Commissions

A. Common Provisions

B. The Civil Service Commission

C. The Commission on Elections

D. Commission on Audit

Article XIII: Accountability of Public Officers

Article XIV: The National Economy and the Patrimony of the Nation

Article XV: General Provisions

Article XVI: Amendments

Article XVII: Transitory Provisions

Final Paragraph

1976 Amendments

Final Paragraph

1980 Amendment

1981 Amendments

Article VII (as amended) : The President

Article VIII (as amended) : The Batasang Pambansa

Article IX (as amended) : The Prime Minister, the Cabinet and the Executive Committee

1984 Amendment

1986 Amendment (Proclamation No. 3 and the 1986 Provisional Constitution)

Proclamation No. 3

Provisional Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines

Final Paragraph

Preamble

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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: The National Territory

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The national territory comprises the Philippine archipelago, with all the islands and waters embraced therein, and all the other territories belonging to the Philippines by historic or legal title, including the territorial sea, the air space, the subsoil, the sea-bed, the insular shelves, and the submarine areas over which the Philippines has sovereignty or jurisdiction. The waters around, between, and connecting the islands of the archipelago, irrespective of their breadth and dimensions, form part of the internal waters of the Philippines.

Article II: Declaration of Principles and State Policies

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Section 1. The Philippines is a republican state. Sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them.

Section 2. The defense of the State is the prime duty of government, and in the fulfillment of this duty all citizens may be required by law to render personal military or civil service.

Section 3. The Philippines renounces war as an instrument of national policy, adopts the generally accepted principles of international law as part of the law of the land, and adheres to the policy of peace, equality, justice, freedom, cooperation, and amity with all nations.

Section 4. The State shall strengthen the family as a basic social institution. The natural right and duty of parents in the rearing of the youth for civic efficiency and the development of moral character shall receive the aid and support of the government.

Section 5. The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-building and shall promote their physical, intellectual and social well-being.

Section 6. The State shall promote social justice to ensure the dignity, welfare, and security of all the people. Towards this end, the State shall regulate the acquisition, ownership, use, enjoyment, and disposition of private property, and equitably diffuse property ownership and profits.

Section 7. The State shall establish, maintain, and ensure adequate social services in the field of education, health, housing, employment, welfare, and social security to guarantee the enjoyment of the people of a decent standard of living.

Section 8. Civilian authority is at all times supreme over the military.

Section 9. The State shall afford protection to labor, promote full employment and equality in employment, ensure equal work opportunities regardless of sex, race, or creed, and regulate the relation between workers and employers. The State shall assure the rights of workers to self-organization, collective bargaining, security of tenure, and just and humane conditions of work. The State may provide for compulsory arbitration.

Section 10. The State shall guarantee and promote the autonomy of local government units, especially the barrio, to ensure their fullest development as self-reliant communities.

Article III. Bill of Rights

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Section 1. No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law, nor shall any person be denied the equal protection of the laws.

Section 2. Private property shall not be taken for public use without just compensation.

Section 3. The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures of whatever nature and whatever purpose shall not be violated, and no search warrant or warrant of arrest shall issue except upon probable cause to be determined by the judge, or such other responsible officer as maybe authorized by law, after examination under oath or affirmation of the complainant and the witnesses he may produce, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Section 4.

(1) The privacy of communication and correspondence shall be inviolable except upon lawful order of the court, or when public safety and order require otherwise.

(2) Any evidence obtained in violation of this or the preceding section shall be inadmissible for any purpose in any proceeding.

Section 5. The liberty of abode and of travel shall not be impaired except upon lawful order of the court, or when necessary in the interest of national security, public safety, or public health.

Section 6. The right of the people to information on matters of public concern shall be recognized. Access to official records, and to documents and papers pertaining to official acts, transactions, or decisions, shall be afforded the citizen subject to such limitations as may be provided by law.

Section 7. The right to form associations or societies for purposes not contrary to the law shall not be abridged.

Section 8. No law shall be made respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. The free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or preference, shall forever be allowed. No religious test shall be required for the exercise of civil or political rights.

Section 9. No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, or the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances.

Section 10. No law granting a title of royalty or nobility shall be enacted.

Section 11. No law impairing the obligation of contracts shall be passed.

Section 12. No ex post facto law or bill of attainder shall be enacted.

Section 13. No person shall be imprisoned for debt or non-payment of a poll tax.

Section 14. No involuntary servitude in any form shall exist except as a punishment for a crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted.

Section 15. The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended except in cases of invasion, insurrection, or rebellion, or imminent danger thereof, when the public safety requires it.

Section 16. All persons, shall have the right to a speedy disposition of their cases in all judicial, quasi-judicial, or administrative bodies.

Section 17. No person shall be held to answer for a criminal offense without due process of law.

Section 18. All persons, except those charged with capital offenses when evidence of guilt is strong shall, before conviction, be bailable by sufficient sureties. Excessive bail shall not be required.

Section 19. In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall be presumed innocent until the contrary is proved, and shall enjoy the right to be heard by himself and counsel, to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation against him, to have a speedy, impartial, and public trial, to meet the witnesses face to face, and to have compulsory process to secure the attendance of witnesses and the production of evidence in his behalf. However, after arraignment, trial may proceed notwithstanding the absence of the accused provided that he has been duly notified and his failure to appear is unjustified.

Section 20. No person shall be compelled to be a witness against himself. Any person under investigation for the commission of an offense shall have the right to remain silent and to counsel, and to be informed of such right. No force, violence, threat, intimidation, or any other means which vitiates the free will shall be used against him. Any confession obtained in violation of this section shall be inadmissible in evidence.

Section 21. Excessive fines shall not be imposed nor cruel or unusual punishment inflicted.

Section 22. No person shall be twice put in jeopardy of punishment for the same offense. If an act is punished by a law and an ordinance, conviction or acquittal under either shall constitute a bar to another prosecution for the same act.

Section 23. Free access to the courts shall not be denied to any person by reason of poverty.

Article IV. Citizenship

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Section 1. The following are citizens of the Philippines:

(1) Those who are citizens of the Philippines at the time of the adoption of this Constitution.

(2) Those whose fathers and mothers are citizens of the Philippines.

(3) Those who elect Philippine citizenship pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution of nineteen hundred and thirty-five.

(4) Those who are naturalized in accordance with law.

Section 2. A female citizen of the Philippines who marries an alien retains her Philippine citizenship, unless by her act or omission she is deemed, under the law, to have renounced her citizenship.

Section 3. Philippine citizenship may be lost or reacquired in the manner provided by law.

Section 4. A natural-born citizen is one who is a citizen of the Philippines from birth without having to perform any act to acquire or perfect his Philippine citizenship.

Article V. Duties and Obligations of Citizens

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Section 1. It shall be the duty of the citizen to be loyal to the Republic and to honor the Philippine flag, to defend the State and contribute to its development and welfare, to uphold the Constitution and obey the laws, and to cooperate with the duly constituted authorities in the attainment and preservation of a just and orderly society.

Section 2. The rights of the individual impose upon him the correlative duty to exercise them responsibly and with due regard for the rights of others.

Section 3. It shall be the duty of every citizen to engage in gainful work to assure himself and his family a life worthy of human dignity.

Section 4. It shall be the obligation of every citizen qualified to vote to register and cast his vote.

Article VI: Suffrage

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Suffrage shall be exercised by citizens of the Philippines not otherwise disqualified by law, who are eighteen years of age or over and who shall have resided in the Philippines for at least one year and in the place wherein they propose to vote for at least six months preceding the election. No literacy, property or other substantive requirement shall be imposed on the exercise of, suffrage. The Batasang Pambansa shall provide a system for the purpose of securing the secrecy and sanctity of the vote.

Article VII. The President and Vice-President

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Section 1. The President shall be the head of state and chief executive of the Republic of the Philippines.

Section 2. There shall be a Vice-President who shall have the same qualifications and term of office as the President and may be removed from office in the same manner as the President as provided in Article XIII, Section 2 of this Constitution.

The Vice-President may be appointed as a member of the Cabinet and may be nominated and elected as Prime Minister.

The Vice-President shall be elected with and in the same manner as the President.