commonwealth

• Malolos Constitution


  Also known as "The Political Constitution of 1899", the constitution of the First Philippine Republic
• Malolos Constitution


  • Written by Felipe Calderon Y Roca and Felipe Buencamino
  • An alternative to a pair of Malolos Congress by Apolinario Mabini and Pedro Paterno
• Philippine Declaration of Independence issued


  June 12, 1898
• Aguinaldo returned to the Philippines


  May 1, 1898
• Defeat of the Spanish to the Americans in the Battle of Manila Bay

  May 19, 1898
• Emilio Aguinaldo issued a decree asking for the election of delegates to the revolutionary congress


  July 18, 1898
• Aguinaldo appointed representatives of Congress


  September 15, 1898
• Barasoian Church, Malolos Bulacan chosen as the site of the Malolos Congress headed by Don Pedro A. Paterno


  September 1, 1898
• Malolos Congress ratified the declaration of Philippine independence held at Kawit, Cavite on June 12, 1898


  September 29, 1898
• "The Political Constitution of 1899" was approved by congress


  November 29, 1898
• Aguinaldo finally approved the draft constitution


  December 23, 1898
• "The Political Constitution of 1899" was adopted by the Malolos Congress


  January 20, 1899
• "The First Republic of The Philippines" was established in Malolos


  January 21, 1899
• The constitution was promulgated by President Aguinaldo


  January 23, 1899
• Malolos Constitution


  • Written in Spanish
  • Patterned after the Spanish Constitution of 1812, with influences from charters of Belgium, Mexico, Brazil, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and the French Constitution of 1793
  • 39 articles divided into 14 titles with 8 articles of transitory provisions
• Malolos Constitution


  • Established a democratic republican government with Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches
  • Separation of church and state
• Executive branch


  Comprises the Cabinet and all executive departments led by the President
• Legislative branch


  Has the authority to make, change, and revoke laws
• Judicial branch


  Interprets the meaning of laws, applies laws to individual cases, and determines if laws are constitutional
• Malolos Constitution


  • Enumerates natural rights and popular sovereignty of Filipinos, without prohibiting other rights not expressly stated
  • Declares freedom and equality of all beliefs, and separation of Church and state
  • Form of government to be popular, representative, alternative, and responsible, exercising three powers: legislative, executive, and judicial
• President


  Elected by a Constituent Assembly of the Assembly of Representatives and Special Representatives, serving a 4-year term without re-election. In case of vacancy, a President was to be selected by the Assembly
• The 1899 Malolos Constitution was never enforced due to the ongoing war. The Philippines was effectively a territory of the United States upon the signing of the Treaty of Paris between Spain and the United States, transferring sovereignty from Spain to the United States