Law Summary
Article I: National Territory
- Defines the Philippine archipelago, islands, waters, airspace, subsoil, seabed, and insular shelves as national territory.
- Includes internal waters among islands regardless of breadth and dimensions.
Article II: Declaration of Principles and State Policies
- Sovereignty resides with the people; the Philippines is a republican state.
- Defense of the State is a prime duty of government and citizens, including personal military or civil service.
- Renounces war as national policy; adopts international law principles.
- Strengthens family as a basic social institution; supports parental duties.
- Promotes youth development in physical, intellectual, and social aspects.
- Ensures social justice and equitable property ownership.
- Guarantees adequate social services: education, health, housing, employment, social security.
- Civilian authority supremacy over military.
- Affords labor protection, equal employment opportunities, rights to organize, collective bargaining; may provide compulsory arbitration.
- Guarantees autonomy of local government units to develop self-reliant communities.
Article III: Citizenship
- Enumerates citizenship: by birth, parentage, election, or naturalization.
- Female citizens marrying aliens retain citizenship unless renounced by law.
- Citizenship loss or reacquisition as provided by law.
- Defines natural-born citizen as one with citizenship from birth without further act.
Article IV: Bill of Rights
- Protects life, liberty, property without due process.
- Expropriation only with just compensation.
- Prohibits unreasonable searches, seizures; requires probable cause and judicial warrant.
- Protects privacy of communication and correspondence; excludes unlawfully obtained evidence.
- Guarantees liberty of abode and travel with lawful restrictions.
- Recognizes right to information on public matters.
- Guarantees freedoms of association, religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition.
- Prohibits royalty titles, impairs no contract obligation, bars ex post facto laws and bills of attainder.
- Abolishes imprisonment for debt and involuntary servitude except lawful punishment.
- Preserves writ of habeas corpus except in specific emergencies.
- Affirms speedy disposition of cases, presumption of innocence, bailability, and right to counsel.
- Prohibits self-incrimination and any confession obtained by force.
- Forbids excessive fines and cruel or unusual punishment.
- Bars double jeopardy.
- Ensures access to courts regardless of poverty.
Article V: Duties and Obligations of Citizens
- Loyalty, defense of the State, respect for the flag and Constitution.
- Responsible exercise of individual rights.
- Duty to engage in gainful work supporting self and family.
- Obligation to register and vote if qualified.
Article VI: Suffrage
- Right to vote for citizens 18 or older, residents for specified periods.
- No literacy, property, or other substantive restrictions.
- Secure voting system to maintain vote secrecy.
Article VII: The President
- President: head of state and chief executive.
- Qualifications: natural-born citizen, registered voter, literate, minimum age 50, resident for 10 years.
- Six-year term; direct popular election; procedures for election returns and tie votes.
- Succession rules and interim powers of Executive Committee and Speaker.
- Official oath for the President.
- Salary fixed by law; prohibited from holding other offices or receiving other emoluments.
- Control over ministries and armed forces; power to call military to suppress insurrection.
- Appointment powers; with law provisions for delegation.
- Power to grant clemency except impeachment cases.
- Power to contract loans subject to legal limitations.
- Policy formulation and legislative address duties.
- Presidential immunity during and after tenure.
Article VIII: Batasang Pambansa (Legislature)
- Legislative power vested in a Batasang Pambansa with up to 200 members.
- Composed of regional, sectoral, and Cabinet representatives.
- Member qualifications: natural-born, age, residency, literacy.
- Terms of six years; election procedures including special elections.
- Annual sessions; quorum and procedural rules.
- Salaries fixed by law; transparency through public records and audits.
- Legislative privileges, immunity from arrest during sessions; free speech in proceedings.
- Restrictions on holding other government offices or financial interests.
- Powers include question hours, legislative inquiries, no-confidence motions.
- Power to approve treaties and declare war (two-thirds vote for war).
- Emergency powers for the President upon legislative authorization.
- Budgetary processes, appropriations rules, and taxation policy.
- Bill enactment procedures and presidential veto powers.
Article IX: Prime Minister, Cabinet, and Executive Committee
- Cabinet composed of Ministers appointed by the President.
- Prime Minister elected by Batasang Pambansa from its Members.
- Cabinet responsible to the legislature.
- Executive Committee assists the President; composition requirements.
- Terms and removal conditions.
- Deputies for Prime Minister and Ministers appointed.
- Official oath; fixed salaries without alteration during term.
- Restrictions on professional practice and business management.
- Resignation does not affect legislative seats.
- Prime Minister supervises ministries.
Article X: Judiciary
- Judicial power vested in Supreme Court and inferior courts as established by law.
- Supreme Court composition, quorum, and voting requirements.
- Qualifications for justices and judges require natural-born citizenship and bar membership.
- Presidential appointments of judiciary members.
- Supreme Court powers: original jurisdiction in specific cases, appellate review, administrative supervision.
- Promulgation of rules and procedures.
- Tenure until age 70; disciplinary powers.
- Decision-making processes and publication requirements.
- Salary protections.
- Timelines for case resolution.
- Annual Judiciary reports.
Article XI: Local Government
- Defines territorial subdivisions: provinces, cities, municipalities, barrios.
- Local Government Code to be enacted defining structure, powers, and officials.
- Rules on creation, division, merger, abolition, or boundary changes subject to plebiscite.
- Supervision among component units; independence for highly urbanized cities.
- Local units may consolidate resources.
- Power to create revenue sources and levy taxes subject to law.
Article XII: Constitutional Commissions
- Includes Civil Service Commission, Commission on Elections, and Commission on Audit.
- Salaries fixed, no practice of profession or business during tenure.
- Appointment of officials under Civil Service law.
- Civil Service Commission manages merit-based appointments, morale, and discipline.
- Prohibits suspension or dismissal except for legal causes; restrictions on elective officials assuming office.
- Election Commission enforces election laws, adjudicates contests; supervises election period.
- Commission on Audit audits government accounts, settles cases, and reports to branches of government.
Article XIII: Accountability of Public Officers
- Public office as a public trust requiring integrity and accountability.
- Removal by impeachment for high crimes and corruption.
- Impeachment initiated and tried exclusively by Batasang Pambansa.
- Impeachment penalties limited to removal and disqualification.
- Creation of Sandiganbayan for graft cases and Ombudsman for investigation and prosecution of public office complaints.
Article XIV: National Economy and Patrimony
- National Economic and Development Authority to recommend integrated plans.
- Prohibition of monopolies and unfair trade combinations.
- Reserved investment areas for Filipino citizens or majority Filipino-owned entities.
- Private corporations regulated except government-owned corporations.
- Public utilities franchise restricted to Filipino ownership (60%), limited duration (50 years), and subject to amendment.
- State may establish or nationalize industries and public utilities.
- Temporary government takeover of public utilities under emergencies.
- Natural resources owned by the State; limits on grant duration and alienation.
- Exploitation of resources limited to majority Filipino ownership; service contracts with foreigners allowed under conditions.
- Classification and limitation of land holdings by individuals and corporations.
- Agrarian reform to emancipate tenants.
- Expropriation for subdivision to deserving citizens.
- Restrictions on transfer of private lands.
- Rights of former citizens to acquire private lands under certain conditions.
- Presidential authority to enter international treaties as national welfare requires.
Article XV: General Provisions
- National flag and symbols established and protected.
- Promotion and development of a national language, Filipino, alongside official languages.
- Oath of office required for public officers and armed forces.
- Prohibitions on double compensation and acceptance of foreign gifts.
- Taxation applied equally to all public officials.
- Ownership and management of mass media reserved for Filipinos.
- State supervision and regulation of education with academic freedom guaranteed.
- Education to include constitutional studies and values formation.
- Promotion of science, culture, and intellectual property rights.
- Responsibility for population control and respect for cultural communities.
- Establishment of national police and citizen army.
- Central monetary authority under legislative direction.
- Strict separation of church and state.
- Sovereign immunity of the State.
Article XVI: Amendments
- Amendments may be proposed by Batasang Pambansa (three-fourths vote) or constitutional convention.
- Ratification by majority vote in a plebiscite within three months.
Article XVII: Transitory Provisions
- Interim National Assembly established until regular assembly elected.
- Composition includes incumbent officials, Convention members, and elected legislators.
- Transitional arrangements for executive powers and validity of prior acts.
- Continuation of powers, courts, laws, and officials during t