RPH (Finals)

• The Malolos Congress composed of 85 Filipinos who were considered as the most intelligent men in the country, met in a revolutionary congress at Barasoain Church
• The Malolos Congress approved the independence of the Philippines and started drafting the constitution
• Malolos Constitution


  The first Philippine Constitution and the first republican constitution in Asia adopted by Philippine Republic
• The Malolos Constitution was inaugurated on January 21 1899 and ended March 23 1901 when Aguinaldo was captured by the Americans
• Officials of the First Philippine Republic


  • Emilio Aguinaldo - President
  • Apolinario Mabini - Prime Minister and Secretary of Foreign Affairs
  • Teodoro Sandico - Secretary of Interior
  • Baldomero Aguinaldo - Secretary of War
  • Gen. Mariano Trias - Secretary of Finance
  • Gracio Gonzaga - Secretary of Welfare
  • Aguedo Velarde - Secretary of Public Instruction
  • Maximo Paterno - Secretary of Public Works Communication
  • Leon María Guerrero - Secretary for Agriculture, Trade, and Commerce
• The First Philippine Republic had a free press with independent newspapers like "La Independencia" and the official government newspaper "El Heraldo de la Revolution"
• The First Philippine Republic had diplomats abroad like Felipe Agoncillo who was sent to Paris and Washington to work for the recognition of the Philippine independence
• The First Philippine Republic


  • It was a democratic government with three branches - Executive, Legislative and Judicial
  • The executive powers were exercised by the president with the help of his cabinet
  • Judicial powers were given to the Supreme Court and other lower courts
• The First Philippine Assembly composed of educated Filipinos from illustrious clans such as Sergio Osmeña and Manuel L Quezon, convened to revived the issue of immediate independence for the Filipinos
• The Hare Hawes Cutting Bill brought home by Osmeña Roxas mission from the US Congress in 1931 provided for a 10-year transition period before the granting of Philippine independence
• The Tydings McDuffie Act set July 4 after the tenth year of the commonwealth as date of Philippine independence
• 1935 Constitution


  • It had a bicameral legislature composed of a Senate and House of Representatives
  • The President was to be elected to a four-year term together with the Vice President
  • It extended the right of suffrage to women within two years after the adoption of the constitution
• The 1935 Constitution provided the legal basis of the Commonwealth Government which was considered a transition government before the granting of the Philippine independence
• The 1973 Constitution was approved by 95% of the voters in the referendum in barangay assemblies
• President Marcos signed Proclamation No 1081 on September 21 1972 placing the Philippines under Martial Law
• The Citizen Assemblies allowed the continuation of Martial Law and approved the amendments to the 1973 Constitution
• 1973 Constitution


  • It introduced a parliamentary system of government
  • The executive power was restored, and the president was directly elected
  • The Executive Committee was created which was composed of Prime Minister and 14 members that served as the Cabinet of the president
• Corazon Aquino became the unified opposition's presidential candidate when Ferdinand E Marcos unexpectedly called for presidential elections
• Aquino proclaimed a provisional constitution and soon thereafter appointed a commission to write a new constitution
• The 1987 Philippine Constitution took effect on February 2 1987 which is the date of its ratification in the plebiscite
• 1987 Constitution


  • It established the Philippines as a democratic republican state where sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them
  • It allocates governmental powers among the executive, legislative and the judicial branches of the government
• Constitution


  A social contract that is the very basis of the decision to constitute a civil society or State, breathing life to its juridical existence, laying down the framework by which it is to be governed, enumerating and limiting its powers and declaring certain fundamental rights and principles to be inviolable
• Branches of Government


  • Executive (President, Vice President, Cabinet)
  • Legislative (Senate, House of Representatives)
  • Judiciary (Supreme Court, RTC, MTC, Special Courts)
• Separation of Powers


  • Legislation belongs to Congress, execution to the executive, settlement of legal controversies to the judiciary
  • It prevents the concentration of authority in one person or group that might lead to irreparable error or abuse
• President's Powers


  The president is the chief executive and the head of the state but his power is limited by significant checks from the two other co-equal branches of government especially during times of emergency
• The president and the vice president are elected at large by a direct vote, serving a single six-year term
• There are 24 senators elected by large by popular vote and can serve no more than two consecutives six-year terms
• The House of Representative is composed of district representatives representing a particular their geographic area and makes up around 80 of the total number of representatives
• The president is the chief executive and the head of the state but his power is limited by significant checks from the two other co-equal branches of government especially during times of emergency
• In case of national emergency, the president may still declare martial law


  1. Congress through a majority vote can revoke this decision or extend it for a period that they determine

  2. The Supreme Court may also review the declaration of martial law and decide if there were sufficient justifying facts for the act
• The president and the vice president


  Elected at large by a direct vote, serving a single six-year term
• Senators


  24 elected by large by popular vote and can serve no more than two consecutives six-year terms
• House of Representatives


  Composed of district representatives representing a particular their geographic area and makes up around 80 of the total number of representatives
• Judicial system


  • Also called the Court System
  • Interprets and applies laws in the name of the state
  • Often tasked to ensure equal justice under the law
• Supreme Court or the Constitutional Court


  Consist of a court of Final Appeal together with the lower courts
• The Philippines is a democratic and republican State Sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them
• The prime duty of the Government is to serve and protect the people The government may call upon the people to defend the State and, in the fulfillment thereof, all citizens may be required, under conditions provided by law to render personal military or civil service
• 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
• Restore the freedom of speech and to form an association
• Theodore Roosevelt, Sr, one of the influential Americans wished that war between Spain and the U S should break out in order to expand the navy in Asia