This document provides an overview of the 18 articles of the 1987 Philippine Constitution. It summarizes the key points of each article, including establishing the national territory, declaring principles and state policies, enumerating bill of rights protections, defining citizenship, mandating suffrage qualifications, establishing the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government, creating constitutional commissions, pursuing local autonomy, ensuring accountability of public officers, goals for the national economy and social justice, protecting education and the family, general provisions, and processes for amendments and revisions. The transitory provisions set the dates for the first elections under the new constitution.

1. THE 1987 PHILIPPINE
CONSTITUTION
The PREAMBLE and
an overview of the articles
Ryan Cloyd Q. Villanueva, LPT
MAEd - Social Science

2. THE 1987 PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION
PREAMBLE
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.

3. Article I. National Territory
Article II. Declaration of Principles and State Policies
Article III. Bill of Rights
Article IV. Citizenship
Article V. Suffrage
Article VI. The Legislative Department
Article VII. The Executive Department
Article VIII. The Judicial Department
Article IX. Constitutional Commissions

4. Article X. Local Government
Article XI. Accountability of Public Officers
Article XII. National Economy and Patrimony
Article XIII. Social Justice and Human Rights
Article XIV. Education, Science & Technology, Arts, Culture
& Sports
Article XV. The Family
Article XVI. General Provisions
Article XVII. Amendments and Revisions
Article XVIII. Transitory Provisions

5. The national territory comprises the Philippine archipelago,
with all the islands and waters embraced therein, and all
other territories over which the Philippines has sovereignty
or jurisdiction, consisting of its terrestrial, fluvial, and aerial
domains, including its territorial sea, the seabed, the
subsoil, the insular shelves, and other submarine areas. The
waters around, between, and connecting the islands of the
archipelago, regardless of their breadth and dimensions,
form part of the internal waters of the Philippines.
Article I. National Territory

6. Article II lays out the basic social and political creed of the
Philippines, particularly the implementation of the
constitution and sets forth the objectives of the
government.
Article II. Declaration of Principles and State
Policies

7. Article III enumerates specific protections against the abuse
of state power, most of which are similar to the provisions
of the U.S. Constitution. of public concern
Article III. Bill of Rights

8. Article IV defines the citizenship of Filipinos. It enumerates
two kinds of citizens: natural-born citizens and naturalized
citizens. Natural-born citizens are those who are citizens
from birth without having to perform any act to acquire or
perfect Philippine citizenship. The Philippines follows a jus
sanguinis system where citizenship is mainly acquired
through a blood relationship with Filipino citizens.
Natural-born citizenship forms an important part of the
political system as only natural-born Filipinos are eligible to
hold high offices, including all elective offices beginning
with a representative in the House of Representatives up to
the President.
Article IV. Citizenship

9. Article V mandates various age and residence qualifications
to vote and a system of secret ballots and absentee voting. It
also mandates a procedure for overseas and disabled and
illiterate Filipinos to vote.
Article V. Suffrage

10. Article VI provides for a bicameral legislature called the
Congress composed of the Senate and the House of
Representatives. It vests upon Congress, among others, the
power of investigation and inquiry in aid of legislation, the
power to declare the existence of a state of war, the power
of the purse, the power of taxation, and the power of
eminent domain.
Article VI. The Legislative Department

11. Article VII provides for a presidential form of government
where the executive power is vested on the President. It
provides for the qualification, terms of office, election, and
power and functions of the President. It also provides for a
Vice President and for the presidential line of succession.
Article VII. The Executive Department

12. rticle VIII vests the judicial power upon the Supreme Court
and other lower courts as may be established by law (by
Congress). While the power to appoint justices and judges
still reside with the President, the President may only
appoint nominees pre-selected by the Judicial and Bar
Council, a body composed of the Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court, the Secretary of Justice, the Chairs of the
Senate and House Committees on Justice, and
representatives from the legal profession.
Article VIII. The Judicial Department

13. Article IX establishes three constitutional commissions: the
Civil Service Commission, the Commission on Elections,
and the Commission on Audit.
Article IX. Constitutional Commissions
Article X pursues for local autonomy and mandates
Congress to enact a law for the local government, now
currently the Local Government Code.
Article X. Local Government

14. Section 1. Public office is a public trust. Public officers and
employees must, at all times, be accountable to the people,
serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty,
and efficiency; act with patriotism and justice, and lead
modest lives.
Article XI. Accountability of Public Officers

15. Section 1. The goals of the national economy are a more
equitable distribution of opportunities, income, and wealth;
a sustained increase in the amount of goods and services
produced by the nation for the benefit of the people; and an
expanding productivity as the key to raising the quality of
life for all, especially the underprivileged.
Article XII. National Economy and Patrimony

16. Section 1. The Congress shall give highest priority to the
enactment of measures that protect and enhance the right of
all the people to human dignity, reduce social, economic,
and political inequalities, and remove cultural inequities by
equitably diffusing wealth and political power for the
common good.
To this end, the State shall regulate the acquisition,
ownership, use, and disposition of property and its
increments.
Article XIII. Social Justice and Human Rights

17. Section 1. The State shall protect and promote the right of
all citizens to quality education at all levels and shall take
appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all.
Article XIV. Education, Science & Technology,
Arts, Culture & Sports

18. Article XV. The Family
Section 1. The State recognizes the Filipino family as the
foundation of the nation. Accordingly, it shall strengthen its
solidarity and actively promote its total development.
Section 1. The flag of the Philippines shall be red, white,
and blue, with a sun and three stars, as consecrated and
honored by the people and recognized by law.
Article XVI. General Provisions

19. Section 1. Any amendment to, or revision of, this
Constitution may be proposed by:
(1)The Congress, upon a vote of three-fourths of all its
Members; or
(2) A constitutional convention.
Article XVII. Amendments and Revisions

20. Section 1. The first elections of Members of the Congress
under this Constitution shall be held on the second Monday
of May, 1987.
The first local elections shall be held on a date to be
determined by the President, which may simultaneous with
the election of the Members of the Congress. It shall include
the election of all Members of the city or municipal councils
in the Metropolitan Manila area.
Article XVIII. Transitory Provisions