Philippine Constitution: Understanding The Current Framework

what is the current constitution of the philippines

The current constitution of the Philippines is the 1987 Constitution, which came into force on February 11, 1987. It was approved by the 1986 Constitutional Commission on October 12, 1986, and was ratified in a national plebiscite held on February 2, 1987. The 1987 Constitution establishes the Philippines as a democratic and republican state with a presidential system of government. It provides for a separation of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, with the legislative power vested in the Congress of the Philippines, consisting of a Senate and a House of Representatives. The executive power is vested in the President, who is both the head of state and government and the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces. The judicial power is vested in the Supreme Court and the lower courts. The 1987 Constitution also contains provisions on intellectual property rights, the promotion of arts and culture, and the protection of the rights of indigenous cultural communities.

Characteristics Values
Current constitution 1987 Constitution
Date of adoption February 2, 1987
Date of effect February 11, 1987
Type of government Democratic and republican state
Legislative power Vested in the Congress of the Philippines, consisting of a Senate and a House of Representatives
Executive power Vested in the President, who is both the chief of state and head of government, as well as the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces
Judicial power Vested in the Supreme Court and lower courts
Intellectual property rights Protects exclusive rights of scientists, inventors, and artists; promotes arts and culture, recognizing and protecting the rights of indigenous cultural communities
Citizenship Natural-born citizens are those who are citizens from birth without having performed any act to acquire citizenship
Electoral requirements No person may be a Member of the House of Representatives unless they are a natural-born citizen, at least 25 years old, able to read and write, and meet other requirements
Presidential requirements No person may be elected President unless they are a natural-born citizen, a registered voter, able to read and write, and meet other requirements
Constitutional commissions Establishes three independent commissions: Civil Service Commission, Commission on Elections, and Commission on Audit
Local autonomy Mandates Congress to enact laws for local government
Ombudsman Establishes the Office of the Ombudsman to investigate and prosecute government officials, including the power to impeach the President, Vice President, and members of the Supreme Court
Goals and objectives Outlines goals for wealth distribution, division of goods and services, and job opportunities to improve the lives of Filipino people
Territory Comprises the Philippine archipelago and all islands, waters, and territories over which the Philippines has sovereignty or jurisdiction, including terrestrial, fluvial, and aerial domains

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The 1987 Constitution is the Philippines' current constitution

The legislative power is vested in the Congress of the Philippines, which consists of a Senate and a House of Representatives. Congress enacts laws, subject to the veto power of the President. The executive power is vested in the President, who is the chief of state, head of government, and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces. The President ensures the faithful execution of the laws. The judicial power is vested in the Supreme Court and the lower courts. The Supreme Court has the power to review and revise, reverse, and modify the final judgments and decrees of inferior courts.

The 1987 Constitution contains specific provisions on intellectual property, such as protecting the exclusive rights of scientists, inventors, and artists to their intellectual property creations. It also promotes arts and culture, including the recognition and protection of the rights of indigenous cultural communities.

The Philippines has had a total of six constitutions since its Proclamation of Independence on June 12, 1898. The 1987 Constitution replaced the 1973 Constitution, which was abolished by President Corazon Aquino in 1986.

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It establishes the Philippines as a democratic and republican state

The Philippines has had a total of six constitutions since the country's independence was proclaimed on June 12, 1898. The current constitution is the 1987 Constitution, which came into force on February 11, 1987, and establishes the Philippines as a democratic and republican state.

The 1987 Constitution was approved by the 1986 Constitutional Commission on October 12, 1986, and was ratified in a national plebiscite held on February 2, 1987. It replaced the 1973 Constitution, which had been abolished by President Corazon Aquino following her rise to power in 1986. The 1987 Constitution consists of a preamble and eighteen articles, including a bill of rights that guarantees freedoms and protections against governmental overreach.

The 1987 Constitution establishes a democratic and republican form of government, with a legislative department (Congress), an executive department (headed by the President), and a judicial department (including the Supreme Court and lower courts). The legislative power is vested in the Congress of the Philippines, which consists of a Senate and a House of Representatives. Congress enacts laws subject to the veto power of the President. The executive power is vested in the President, who is the chief of State, head of the government, and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces. The President ensures the faithful execution of the laws.

The 1987 Constitution also establishes three constitutional commissions that are independent of the three main branches of government: the Civil Service Commission, the Commission on Elections, and the Commission on Audit. It provides for the separation of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, and includes specific provisions on intellectual property rights and the promotion of arts and culture.

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It includes a bill of rights, protecting citizens' freedoms from governmental overreach

The current constitution of the Philippines is the 1987 Constitution, which came into force on 11 February 1987. It was approved by the 1986 Constitutional Commission on 12 October 1986 and was ratified in a national plebiscite held on 2 February 1987.

The 1987 Constitution is the supreme law of the Philippines. It includes a bill of rights, protecting citizens' freedoms from governmental overreach. The bill of rights guarantees Filipinos' entrenched freedoms and protections. This includes the right to protection from ex post facto laws or bills of attainder (as per Section 22) and protection from double jeopardy (as per Section 21). Citizens of the Philippines are also protected by the constitution's definition of citizenship. This includes those who were citizens at the time of the constitution's adoption, those with Filipino parents, those born before 17 January 1973, of Filipino mothers, who elected Philippine citizenship upon reaching the age of majority, and those who are naturalised in accordance with the law.

The 1987 Constitution also establishes the Philippines as a democratic and republican state (Article II, Section 1). It provides for the separation of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. The legislative power is vested in the Congress of the Philippines, which consists of a Senate and a House of Representatives (Article VI, Section 1). Congress enacts laws subject to the veto power of the President (Article VI, Section 27). The executive power is vested in the President, who is both the head of state and government and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces (Article VII, Section 17). The President must be a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, a registered voter, and able to read and write (Article VII, Section 2).

The judicial power is vested in the Supreme Court and the lower courts (Article VIII, Section 1). The Supreme Court has the power to review and revise, reverse, and modify the final judgments and decrees of inferior courts. The 1987 Constitution also establishes three constitutional commissions that are independent of the three main branches of government: the Civil Service Commission, the Commission on Elections, and the Commission on Audit.

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It outlines the structure of the government and its three branches

The current constitution of the Philippines is the 1987 Constitution, which came into force on February 11, 1987. It outlines the structure of the government and its three branches: the legislative, the executive, and the judicial.

The legislative branch is vested in the Congress of the Philippines, which consists of a Senate and a House of Representatives. Each legislative district shall comprise contiguous, compact, and adjacent territory, with each city of at least 250,000 people or province having at least one representative. Congress enacts laws, subject to the veto power of the President.

The executive branch is headed by the President, who is both the chief of state, head of government, and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces. The President is responsible for ensuring the faithful execution of laws and has the power to veto legislation passed by Congress. The President is elected and must be a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, a registered voter, able to read and write, and at least forty years old.

The judicial branch is vested in the Supreme Court and the lower courts. The Supreme Court has the power to review and revise, reverse, and modify the final judgments and decrees of inferior courts. It also has the power to advise on and concur with any law passed by Congress that increases its appellate jurisdiction.

The 1987 Constitution also establishes three constitutional commissions that are independent of the three main branches of government: the Civil Service Commission, the Commission on Elections, and the Commission on Audit. Additionally, it establishes the Office of the Ombudsman, which is responsible for investigating and prosecuting government officials, including the President, Vice President, and members of the Supreme Court.

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It defines Filipino citizenship and the rights of citizens

The current constitution of the Philippines is the 1987 Constitution, which came into force on 11 February 1987. It defines Filipino citizenship and the rights of citizens, including the following:

Firstly, it outlines who is a citizen of the Philippines. This includes those who were citizens at the time of the adoption of the Constitution, those with Filipino parents, those born before 17 January 1973, to Filipino mothers who elect Philippine citizenship upon reaching adulthood, and those who are naturalised in accordance with the law. Natural-born citizens are defined as those who are citizens from birth and do not have to perform any additional actions to acquire or perfect their citizenship.

Secondly, the 1987 Constitution establishes specific rights and protections for Filipino citizens. It provides for the separation of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government. The legislative power is vested in the Congress of the Philippines, which consists of a Senate and a House of Representatives. The executive power is vested in the President, who is both the head of state and government and the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The judicial power is vested in the Supreme Court and the lower courts.

The 1987 Constitution also includes a bill of rights that guarantees freedoms and protections for Filipino citizens against governmental overreach. It establishes the Philippines as a democratic and republican state, promoting ideals such as truth, justice, freedom, love, equality, and peace. It ensures that no person shall be put in jeopardy of punishment for the same offence twice and prohibits the enactment of ex post facto laws or bills of attainder.

Furthermore, the Constitution establishes three constitutional commissions that are independent of the main branches of government: the Civil Service Commission, the Commission on Elections, and the Commission on Audit. It also mandates Congress to enact laws for local government and establishes the Office of the Ombudsman, responsible for investigating and prosecuting government officials. The Constitution outlines the goals of the Philippine government, including wealth distribution, division of goods and services, and providing job opportunities to improve the lives of Filipino citizens.

Overall, the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines provides a comprehensive framework that defines Filipino citizenship and guarantees the rights and freedoms of Filipino citizens within a democratic and republican state.

Frequently asked questions

The current constitution of the Philippines is the 1987 Constitution.

The 1987 Constitution consists of a preamble and 18 articles. It establishes the Philippines as a democratic and republican state with a bill of rights that protects citizens against governmental overreach. It also organises the three main branches of the Philippine government: the legislative, executive, and judicial departments.

The legislative power is vested in the Congress of the Philippines, which consists of a Senate and a House of Representatives. The executive power is vested in the President, who is the chief of state, head of government, and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces. The judicial power is vested in the Supreme Court and the lower courts.

The 1987 Constitution includes provisions on citizenship, intellectual property rights, and cultural heritage protection. It also establishes three constitutional commissions independent of the three main branches of government: the Civil Service Commission, the Commission on Elections, and the Commission on Audit.

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