The Amended 1973 Constitution

The 1973 Constitution : as Amended in October 16-17, 1976, on January 30, 1980, and April 7, 1981.

CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

PREAMBLE

We, the sovereign Filipino people, imploring the aid of Divine Providence, in order to establish a
government that shall embody our ideals, promote the general welfare, conserve and develop the
patrimony of our Nation, and secure to ourselves and our posterity the blessings of democracy
under a regime of justice, peace, liberty, and equality, do ordain and promulgate this Constitution.

ARTICLE I

NATIONAL TERRITORY

Section 1. The national territory comprises the Philippine archipelago, with all the islands and
waters embraced therein, and all the other territories belonging to the Philippines by historic or
legal title, including the territorial sea, the air space, the subsoil, the sea-bed, the insular shelves,
and the submarine areas over which the Philippines has sovereignty or jurisdiction. The waters
around, between, and connecting the islands of the archipelago, irrespective of their breadth and
dimensions, form part of the internal waters of the Philippines.

ARTICLE II

DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES AND STATE POLICIES

Section 1. The Philippines is a republican state. Sovereignty resides in the people and all
government authority emanates from them.

Section 2. The defense of the State is the prime duty of government, and in the fulfillment of this
duty all citizens may be required by law to render personal military or civil service.

Section 3. The Philippines renounces war as an instrument of national policy, adopts the generally
accepted principles of international law as part of the law of the land, and adheres to the policy of
peace, equality, justice, freedom, cooperation, and amity with all nations.

Section 4. The State shall strengthen the family as a basic social institution. The natural right and
duty of parents in the rearing of the youth for civic efficiency and the development of moral
character shall receive the aid and support of the government.

Section 5. The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-building and shall promote
their physical, intellectual and social well-being.
Section 6. The State shall promote social justice to ensure the dignity, welfare, and security of all
the people. Towards this end, the State shall regulate the acquisition, ownership, use, enjoyment,
and disposition of private property, and equitably diffuse property ownership and profits.

Section 7. The State shall establish, maintain, and ensure adequate social services in the field of
education, health, housing, employment, welfare, and social security to guarantee the enjoyment
of the people of a decent standard of living.

Section 8. Civilian authority is at all times supreme over the military.

Section 9. The State shall afford protection to labor, promote full employment and equality in
employment, ensure equal work opportunities regardless of sex, race, or creed, and regulate the
relation between workers and employers. The State shall assure the rights of workers to self-
organization, collective bargaining, security of tenure, and just and humane conditions of work.
The State may provide for compulsory arbitration.

Section 10. The State shall guarantee and promote the autonomy of local government units,
especially the barrio, to ensure their fullest development as self-reliant communities.

ARTICLE III

CITIZENS

Section 1. The following are citizens of the Philippines:

1. Those who are citizens of the Philippines at the time of the adoption of this Constitution.

2. Those whose fathers and mothers are citizens of the Philippines.

3. Those who elect Philippine citizenship pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution of nineteen
hundred and thirty-five.

4. Those who are naturalized in accordance with law.

Section 2. A female citizen of the Philippines who marries an alien retains her Philippine
citizenship, unless by her act or omission she is deemed, under the law, to have renounced her
citizenship.

Section 3. Philippine citizenship may be lost or reacquired in the manner provided by law.

Section 4. A natural-born citizen is one who is a citizen of the Philippines from birth without
having to perform any act to acquire or perfect his Philippine citizenship.

ARTICLE IV

BILL OF RIGHTS
Section 1. 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.

Section 2. Private property shall not be taken for public use without just compensation.

Section 3. The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against
unreasonable searches and seizures of whatever nature and whatever purpose shall not be violated,
and no search warrant or warrant of arrest shall issue except upon probable cause to be determined
by the judge, or such other responsible officer as maybe authorized by law, after examination under
oath or affirmation of the complainant and the witnesses he may produce, and particularly
describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Section 4.

1. The privacy of communication and correspondence shall be inviolable except upon lawful order
of the court, or when public safety and order require otherwise.

2. Any evidence obtained in violation of this or the preceding Section shall be inadmissible for any
purpose in any proceeding.

Section 5. The liberty of abode and of travel shall not be impaired except upon lawful order of the
court, or when necessary in the interest of national security, public safety, or public health.

Section 6. The right of the people to information on matters of public concern shall be recognized.
Access to official records, and to documents and papers pertaining to official acts, transactions, or
decisions, shall be afforded the citizen subject to such limitations as may be provided by law.

Section 7. The right to form associations or societies for purposes not contrary to the law shall not
be abridged.

Section 8. No law shall be made respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof. The free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without
discrimination or preference, shall forever be allowed. No religious test shall be required for the
exercise of civil or political rights.

Section 9. No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, or the press, or the right of the
people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances.

Section 10. No law granting a title of royalty or nobility shall be enacted.

Section 11. No law impairing the obligation of contracts shall be passed.

Section 12. No ex post facto law or bill of attainder shall be enacted.

Section 13. No person shall be imprisoned for debt or non-payment of a poll tax.
Section 14. No involuntary servitude in any form shall exist except as a punishment for a crime
whereof the party shall have been duly convicted.

Section 15. The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended except in cases of
invasion, insurrection, or rebellion, or imminent danger thereof, when the public safety requires it.

Section 16. All persons, shall have the right to a speedy disposition of their cases in all judicial,
quasi-judicial, or administrative bodies.

Section 17. No person shall be held to answer for a criminal offense without due process of law.

Section 18. All persons, except those charged with capital offenses when evidence of guilt is strong
shall, before conviction, be bailable by sufficient sureties. Excessive bail shall not be required.

Section 19. In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall be presumed innocent until the contrary
is proved, and shall enjoy the right to be heard by himself and counsel, to be informed of the nature
and cause of the accusation against him, to have a speedy, impartial, and public trial, to meet the
witnesses face to face, and to have compulsory process to secure the attendance of witnesses and
the production of evidence in his behalf. However, after arraignment, trial may proceed
notwithstanding the absence of the accused provided that he has been duly notified and his failure
to appear is unjustified.

Section 20. No person shall be compelled to be a witness against himself. Any person under
investigation for the commission of an offense shall have the right to remain silent and to counsel,
and to be informed of such right. No force, violence, threat, intimidation, or any other means which
vitiate the free will shall be used against him. Any confession obtained in violation of this section
shall be inadmissible in evidence.

Section 21. Excessive fines shall not be imposed nor cruel or unusual punishment inflicted.

Section 22. No person shall be twice put in jeopardy of punishment for the same offense. If an act
is punished by a law and an ordinance, conviction or acquittal under either shall constitute a bar to
another prosecution for the same act.

Section 23. Free access to the courts shall not be denied to any person by reason of poverty.

ARTICLE V

DUTIES AND OBLIGATIONS OF CITIZENS

Section 1. It shall be the duty of the citizen to be loyal to the Republic and to honor the Philippine
flag, to defend the State and contribute to its development and welfare, to uphold the Constitution
and obey the laws, and to cooperate with the duly constituted authorities in the attainment and
preservation of a just and orderly society.
Section 2. The rights of the individual impose upon him the correlative duty to exercise them
responsibly and with due regard for the rights of others.

Section 3. It shall be the duty of every citizen to engage in gainful work to assure himself and his
family a life worthy of human dignity.

Section 4. It shall be the obligation of every citizen qualified to vote to register and cast his vote.

ARTICLE VI

SUFFRAGE

Section 1. Suffrage shall be exercised by citizens of the Philippines not otherwise disqualified by
law, who are eighteen years of age or over and who shall have resided in the Philippines for at
least one year and in the place wherein they propose to vote for at least six months preceding the
election. No literacy, property or other substantive requirement shall be imposed on the exercise
of, suffrage. The Batasang Pambansa shall provide a system for the purpose of securing the secrecy
and sanctity of the vote.

ARTICLE VII

THE PRESIDENT AND VICE-PRESIDENT

Section 1. The President shall be the head of state and chief executive of the Republic of the
Philippines.

Section 2. There shall be a Vice-President who shall have the same qualifications and term of
office as the President and may be removed from office in the same manner as the President as
provided in Article XIII, Section 2 of this Constitution.

The Vice-President may be appointed as a member of the Cabinet and may be nominated and
elected as Prime Minister.

The Vice-President shall be elected with and in the same manner as the President.

The President shall be elected from among the Members of the National Assembly by a majority
vote of all its Members for a term of six years from the date he takes his oath of office, which shall
not be later than three days after the proclamation of the National Assembly, nor in any case earlier
than the expiration of the term of his predecessor. Upon taking his oath of office, the President
shall cease to be a Member of the National Assembly and of any political party. He shall be
ineligible to hold any other elective office during his term.

Section 3. No person may be elected President unless he is at least fifty years of age at the day of
his election as President, and a resident of the Philippines for at least ten years immediately
preceding his election. However, if no Member of the National Assembly is qualified or none of
those qualified is a candidate for President, any Member thereof may be elected President.
Section 4.

1. The President shall have an official residence and shall receive a compensation to be fixed by
law, which shall not be increased or decreased during his term of office. He shall not receive during
his tenure any other emolument from the government or any other source. Until the National
Assembly shall provide otherwise, the President shall receive an annual salary of one hundred
thousand pesos.

2. The President shall not during his tenure, hold any appointive office, practice any profession,
participate directly or indirectly in the management of any business, or be financially interested
directly or indirectly in any contract with, or in any franchise or special privilege granted by, the
government or any subdivision, agency, or instrumentality thereof, including government-owned
or controlled corporations.

Section 5. In case of permanent disability, death, removal from office, or resignation of the
President, the Speaker of the National Assembly shall act as President until a successor has been
elected for the unexpired portion of the term of the President.

Section 6. The President shall have the following duties and functions:

1. Address the National Assembly at the opening of its regular session.

2. Proclaim the election of the Prime Minister.

3. Dissolve the National Assembly and call for a general election as provided herein.

4. Accept the resignation of the Cabinet as provided herein.

5. Attest to the appointment or cessation from office of Members of the Cabinet, and of other
officers as may be provided by law.

6. Appoint all officers and employees in his office in accordance with the Civil Service Law.

7. Perform such other duties and functions of State as may be provided by law.

ARTICLE VIII

THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

Section 1. The Legislative power shall be vested in a National Assembly.

Section 2. The National Assembly shall be composed of as many Members as may be provided
by law to be appointed among the provinces, representative districts, and cities in accordance with
the number of their respective inhabitants and on the basis of a uniform and progressive ratio. Each
district shall comprise, as far as practicable, contiguous, compact, and adjacent territory.
Representative districts or provinces already created or existing at the time of the ratification of
this Constitution shall have at least one Member each.

Section 3.

1. The Members of the National Assembly shall be elected by the qualified electors in their
respective districts for a term of six years which shall begin, unless otherwise provided by law, at
noon on the thirtieth day of June next following their election.

2. In case the National Assembly is dissolved, the newly elected Members shall serve the unexpired
portion of the term from the time the Prime Minister convenes the Assembly, which shall not be
later than thirty days immediately following the elections.

Section 4. No person shall be a Member of the National Assembly unless he is a natural-born

citizen of the Philippines and, on the day of the election, is at least twenty-five years of age, able
to read and write, a registered voter in the district in which he shall be elected, and a resident
thereon for a period of not less than one year immediately preceding the day of the election.

Section 5.

1. Unless otherwise provided by law, the regular election of Members of the National Assembly
shall be held on the second Monday of May every six years thereafter.

2. In case a vacancy arises in the National Assembly one year or more before a regular election,
the Commission on Elections shall call a special election to be held within sixty days after the
vacancy occurs.

Section 6. The National Assembly shall convene once every year on the fourth Monday of July
for its regular session, unless a different date is fixed by law, and shall continue to be in session
until thirty days before the opening of its next regular session, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays,
and legal holidays. It may recess for periods not exceeding thirty days each, and not more than
ninety days during the year. However, it may be called to session at any time by the Prime Minister
to consider such subjects or legislation as he may designate.

Section 7.

1. The National Assembly, shall, by a majority vote of all its Members, elect its Speaker from the
Members thereof. It shall choose such other officers as it may deem necessary. The election of the
President and the Prime Minister shall precede all other business following the election of the
Speaker.

2. A majority of the National Assembly shall constitute a quorum to do business, but a smaller
number may adjourn from day to day and may compel the attendance of absent Members in such
manner, and under such penalties, as the National Assembly may provide.
3. The National Assembly may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its Members for
disorderly behavior, and with concurrence of two-thirds of all its Members, suspend or expel a
Member, but if the penalty is suspension, this shall not exceed sixty days.

4. The National Assembly shall keep a Journal of its proceedings, and from time to time publish
the same, excepting such parts as may, in its judgment, affect national security; and the yeas and
nays on any question shall, at the request of one-fifth of the Members present, be entered in the
Journal.

Section 8.

1. Unless otherwise provided by law, each Member of the National Assembly shall receive an
annual salary of sixty thousand pesos. The Speaker of the National Assembly shall receive an
annual salary of seventy-five thousand pesos. No increase in salary shall take effect until after the
expiration of the term of the Members of the National Assembly approving such increase.

2. The records and books of accounts of the National Assembly shall be open to the public in
accordance with law, and such books shall be audited by the Commission on Audit which shall
publish annually the itemized expenditures for each Member.

Section 9. A Member of the National Assembly shall, in all offenses punishable by not more than
six years imprisonment, be privileged from arrest during his attendance at its sessions, and in going
to and returning from the same; but the National Assembly shall surrender the Member involved
to the custody of the law within twenty-four hours after its adjournment for a recess or its next
session, otherwise such privilege shall cease upon its failure to do so. A Member shall not be
questioned or held liable in any other place for any speech or debate in the Assembly or in any
committee thereof.

Section 10. A Member of the National Assembly shall not hold any other office or employment in
the government, or any subdivision, agency, or instrumentality thereof, including government-
owned or controlled corporations during his tenure except that of Prime Minister or Member of
the Cabinet. Neither shall he be appointed to any civil office which may have been created or the
emoluments thereof increased while he was a Member of the National Assembly.

Section 11. No Member of the National Assembly shall appear as counsel before any court inferior
to a court with appellate jurisdiction, before any court in any civil case wherein the government,
or any subdivision, agency, or instrumentality thereof is the adverse party, or before any
administrative body. Neither shall he, directly or indirectly, be interested financially in any
contract with, or in any franchise or special privilege granted by, the government, or any
subdivision, agency, or instrumentality thereof, including any government-owned or controlled
corporation, during his term of office. He shall not intervene in any matter before any office of the
government for his pecuniary benefit.

Section 12.
1. There shall be a question hour at least once a month or as often as the rules of the National
Assembly may provide, which shall be included in its agenda, during which the Prime Minister or
any Minister may be required to appear and answer questions and interpellations by Members of
the National Assembly. Written questions shall be submitted to the Speaker at least three days
before a scheduled question hour. Interpellations shall not be limited to the written questions, but
may cover matters related thereto. The agenda shall specify the subjects of the question hour. When
the security of the State so requires and the Prime Minister so states in writing, the question hour
shall be conducted in executive session.

2. The National Assembly or any of its committees may conduct inquiries in aid of legislation in
accordance with its duly published rules of procedure. The rights of persons appearing in such
inquiries shall be respected.

Section 13.

1 The National Assembly may withdraw its confidence from the Prime Minister only by electing
a successor by a majority vote of all its Members. No motion for the election of such successor
shall be debated and voted upon until after the lapse of three days from the submittal of such
motion.

2. The Prime Minister may advise the President in writing to dissolve the National Assembly
whenever the need arises for a popular vote of confidence on fundamental issues, but not on a
matter involving his own personal integrity. Whereupon, the President shall dissolve the National
Assembly not earlier than five days nor later than ten days from his receipt of the advice, and call
for an election on a date set by the Prime Minister which shall not be earlier than forty-five days
nor later than sixty days from the date of such dissolution. However, no dissolution of the National
Assembly shall take place within nine months immediately preceding a regular election or within
nine months immediately following any general election.

3. In case of dissolution of the National Assembly or the termination of its regular term, the
incumbent Prime Minister and the Cabinet shall continue to conduct the affairs of government
until the new National Assembly is convoked and a Prime Minister is elected and has qualified.

Section. 14.

1. Except as otherwise provided in this Constitution, no treaty shall be valid and effective unless
concurred in by a majority of all the Members of the National Assembly.

2. The National Assembly, by a vote of two-thirds of all its Members, shall have the sole power to
declare the existence of a state of war.

Section 15. In times of war or other national emergency, the National Assembly may by law
authorize the Prime Minister, for a limited period and subject to such restrictions as it may
prescribe, to exercise powers necessary and proper to carry out a declared national policy. Unless
sooner withdrawn by resolution of the National Assembly, such powers shall cease upon its next
adjournment.
Section 16.

1. The Prime Minister shall submit to the National Assembly within thirty days from the opening
of each regular session, as the basis of the general appropriations bill, a budget of receipts based
on existing and proposed revenue measures, and of expenditures. The form, content, and manner
of preparation of the budget shall be prescribed by law.

2. No provision or enactment shall be embraced in the general appropriations bill unless it relates
specifically to some particular appropriation therein. Any such provision or enactment shall be
limited in its operation to the appropriation to which it relates.

3. The procedure in approving appropriations for the National Assembly shall strictly follow the
procedure for approving appropriations for other departments and agencies.

4. A special appropriations bill shall specify the purpose for which it is intended, and shall be
supported by funds actually available as certified to by the National Treasurer, or to be raised by
a corresponding revenue proposal included therein.

5. No law shall be passed authorizing any transfer of appropriations; however, the Prime Minister,
the Speaker, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and the heads of Constitutional Commissions
may by law be authorized to augment any item in the general appropriations law for their respective
offices from saving in other items of their respective appropriations.

6. If, by the end of the fiscal year, the National Assembly shall have failed to pass the general
appropriations bill for the ensuing fiscal year, the general appropriations law for the preceding
fiscal year shall be deemed re-enacted and shall remain in force and effect until the general
appropriations bill is passed by the National Assembly.

Section 17.

1. The rule of taxation shall be uniform and equitable. The National Assembly shall evolve a
progressive system of taxation.

2. The National Assembly may by law authorize the Prime Minister to fix within specified limits,
and subject to such limitations and restrictions as it may impose, tariff rates, import and export
quotas, tonnage and wharfage dues, and other duties or imposts.

3. Charitable institutions, churches, personages or convents appurtenant thereto, mosques and non-
profit cemeteries, and all lands, buildings and improvements actually, directly, and exclusively
used for religious or charitable purposes shall be exempt from taxation.

4. No law granting any tax exemption shall be passed without the concurrence of a majority of all
the Members of the National Assembly.

Section 18.
1. No money shall be paid out of the Treasury except in pursuance of an appropriation made by
law.

2. No public money or property shall ever be appropriated, applied, paid, or used, directly or
indirectly, for the use, benefit, or support of any sect, church, denomination, sectarian institution,
or system of religion or for the use, benefit, or support of any priest, preacher, minister, or other
religious teacher or dignitary as such, except when such priest, preacher, minister, or dignitary is
assigned to the armed forces, or to any penal institution, or government orphanage or leprosarium.

Section 19.

1. Every bill shall become a law unless it has passed three readings on separate days, and printed
copies thereof in its final form have been distributed to the Members three days before its passage,
except when the Prime Minister certifies to the necessity of its immediate enactment to meet a
public calamity or emergency. Upon the last reading of a bill, no amendment thereto shall be
allowed, and the vote thereon shall be taken immediately thereafter, and the yeas and nays entered
in the Journal.

2. No bill except those of local application shall be calendared without the prior recommendation
of the Cabinet.

Section 20.

1. Every bill passed by the national Assembly shall, before it becomes a law, be presented to the
Prime Minister. If he approves the same he shall sign it; otherwise, he shall veto it and return the
same with his objections to the National Assembly. The bill may be reconsidered by the National
Assembly and, if approved by two-thirds of all its Members, shall become a law. The Prime
Minister shall act on every bill passed by the National Assembly within thirty days after the date
of receipt thereof; otherwise, it shall become a law as if he had signed it.

2. The Prime Minister shall have the power to veto any particular item or items in appropriation,
revenue, or tariff bill, but the veto shall not affect the item or items to which he does not object.

ARTICLE IX

THE PRIME MINISTER AND THE CABINET

Section 1. The Executive power shall be exercised by the Prime Minister with the assistance of
the Cabinet. The Cabinet, headed by the Prime Minister, shall consist of the heads of ministries as
provided by law. The Prime Minister shall be the head of the government.

Section 2. The Prime Minister and the cabinet shall be responsible to the National Assembly for
the program of government and shall determine the guidelines of national policy.

Section 3. The Prime Minister shall be elected by a majority of all the Members of the National
Assembly from among themselves.
Section 4. The Prime Minister shall appoint the members of the Cabinet who shall be the heads of
ministries at least a majority of whom shall come from the National Assembly. Members of the
Cabinet may be removed at the discretion of the Prime Minister.

Section 5.

1. The Prime Minister shall appoint the Deputy Prime Minister from among the Members of the
National Assembly. The Deputy Prime Minister shall head a ministry and shall perform such other
functions as may be assigned to him by the Prime Minister.

2. The Prime Minister shall also appoint the Deputy Ministers who shall perform such functions
as may be assigned to them by law or by the respective heads of ministries.

Section 6. The Prime Ministers and the Members of the Cabinet, on assuming office, shall take
the following oath or affirmation:

“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully and conscientiously fulfill my duties as (name
of position) of the Philippines, preserve and defend its Constitution, execute its laws, do justice to
every man and consecrate myself to the service of the Nation. So help me God.” (In case of
affirmation, the last sentence will be omitted)

Section 7. The salaries and emoluments of the Prime Minister and the Members of the Cabinet
shall be fixed by law which shall not be increased or decreased during their tenure of office. Until
otherwise provided by law, the Prime Minister shall receive the same salary as that of the President.

Section 8. The Prime Minister and the Members of the cabinet shall be subject to the provisions
of sections ten and eleven of Article Eight hereof and may not appear as counsel before any court
or administrative body, or participate in the management of any business, or practice any
profession.

Section 9. The Prime Minister or any Member of the Cabinet may resign for any cause without
vacating his seat in the National Assembly.

Section 10. The Prime Minister shall, at the beginning of each regular session of the National
Assembly, and from time to time thereafter, present the program of government and recommend
for the consideration of the National Assembly such measures as he may deem necessary and
proper.

Section 11. The Prime Minister shall have control of all ministries.

Section 12. The Prime Minister shall be commander-in-chief of all armed forces of the Philippines,
and whenever it becomes necessary, he may call out such armed forces to prevent or suppress
lawless violence, invasion, insurrection, or rebellion. In case of invasion, or rebellion, or imminent
danger thereof when the public safety requires, it he may suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas
corpus, or place the Philippines or any part thereof under martial law.
Section 13. The Prime Minister shall appoint the heads of bureaus and offices, the officers of the
armed forces of the Philippines from the rank of brigadier general or commodore, and all other
officers of the Government whose appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and those
whom he may be authorized by law to appoint. However, the National Assembly may by law vest
in members of the cabinet, courts, heads of agencies, commissions, and boards the power to
appoint inferior officers in their respective offices.

Section 14. The Prime Minister may, except in cases of impeachment grant reprieves,
commutations, and pardons, remit fines and forfeitures after final conviction, and with the
concurrence of the National Assembly, grant amnesty.

Section 15. The Prime Minister may contract and guarantee foreign and domestic loans on behalf
of the Republic of the Philippines, subject to such limitations as may be provided by law.

Section 16. All powers vested in the President of the Philippines under nineteen hundred and
thirty-five Constitution and the laws of the land which are not herein provided for or conferred
upon any official shall be deemed, and are hereby, vested in the Prime Minister, unless the National
Assembly provides otherwise.

ARTICLE X

THE JUDICIARY

Section 1. The Judicial power shall be vested in one Supreme Court and in such inferior courts as
may be established by law. The Batasang Pambansa shall have the power to define, prescribe and
apportion the jurisdiction of the various courts, but may not deprive the Supreme Court of its
jurisdiction over cases enumerated in Section five thereof.

Section 2.

1. The Supreme Court shall be composed of a Chief Justice and fourteen Associate Justices. It may
sit en banc or in two divisions.

2. All cases involving the constitutionality of a treaty, executive agreement, or law shall be heard
and decided by the Supreme Court en banc, and no treaty, executive agreement, or law may be
declared unconstitutional without the concurrence of at least ten Members. All other cases, which
under its rules are required to be heard en banc, shall be decided with the concurrence of at least
eight Members.

3. Cases heard by a division shall be decided with the concurrence of at least five Members, but if
such required number is not obtained, the case shall be decided en banc: Provided, that no doctrine
or principle of law laid down by the Court in a decision rendered en banc or in a division may be
modified or reversed except by the Court sitting en banc.

Section 3.
1. No person shall be appointed Member of the Supreme Court unless he is a natural born citizen
of the Philippines, at least forty years of age, and has for ten years or more been a judge of a court
of record or engaged in the practice of law in the Philippines.

2. The Batasang Pambansa shall prescribe the qualifications of judges of inferior courts, but no
person may be appointed judge thereof unless he is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines and a
member of the Philippine Bar.

Section 4. The Members of the Supreme Court and judges of inferior courts shall be appointed by
the President.

Section 5. The Supreme Court shall have the following powers:

1. Exercise original jurisdiction over cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and
consuls, and over petitions for certiorari, prohibition, mandamus, quo warranto, and habeas corpus.

2. Review and revise, reverse, modify, or affirm on appeal or certiorari, as the law or the rules of
court may provide, final judgments and decrees of inferior courts in:

1. All cases in which the constitutionality or validity of any treaty, executive agreement, law,
ordinance, or executive order or regulation is in question.

2. All cases involving the legality of any tax, impost, assessment, or toll, or any penalty imposed
in relation thereto.

3. All cases in which the jurisdiction of any inferior court is in issue.

4. All criminal cases in which the penalty imposed is death or life imprisonment.

5. All cases in which only an error or question of law is involved.

3. Assign temporarily judges of inferior courts to other stations as public interest may require.
Such temporary assignment shall not last longer than six months without the consent of the judge
concerned.

4. Order a change of venue or place of trial to avoid a miscarriage of justice.

5. Promulgate rules concerning pleading, practice, and procedure in all courts, the admission to
the practice of law, and the integration of the bar, which, however, may be repealed, altered or
supplemented by the Batasang Pambansa. Such rules shall provide a simplified and inexpensive
procedure for the speedy disposition of cases, shall be uniform for all courts of the same grade,
and shall not diminish, increase, or modify substantive rights.

6. Appoint its officials and employees in accordance with the Civil Service Law.
Section 6. The Supreme Court shall have administrative supervision over all courts and the
personnel thereof.

Section 7. The Members of the Supreme Court and judges of inferior courts shall hold office
during good behavior until they reach the age of seventy years or become incapacitated to
discharge the duties of their office. The Supreme Court shall have the power to discipline judges
of inferior courts and, by a vote of at least eight Members, order their dismissal.

Section 8. The conclusions of the Supreme Court in any case submitted to it for decision en banc
or in division shall be reached in consultation before the case is assigned to a Member for the
writing of opinion of the Court. Any Member dissenting from a decision shall state the reasons for
his dissent. The same requirement shall be observed by all inferior collegiate courts.

Section 9. Every decision of a court of record shall clearly and distinctly state the facts and the
law on which it is based. The Rules of Court shall govern the promulgation of minute resolutions.

Section 10. The salary of the Chief Justice and of the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court,
and of judges of inferior courts shall be fixed by law, which shall not be decreased during their
continuance in office. Until the Batasang Pambansa shall provide otherwise, the Chief Justice shall
receive an annual salary of seventy-five thousand pesos, and each Associate Justice, sixty thousand
pesos.

Section 11.

1. Upon the effectivity of this Constitution, the maximum period within which a case or matter
shall be decided or resolved from the date of its submission, shall be eighteen months for the
Supreme Court, unless reduced by the Supreme Court, twelve months for all inferior collegiate
courts, and three months for all other inferior courts.

2. With respect to the Supreme Court and other collegiate appellate courts, when the applicable
maximum period shall have lapsed without the rendition of the corresponding decision or
resolution, because the necessary vote cannot be had, the judgment, order, or resolution appealed
from shall be deemed affirmed except in those cases where a qualified majority is required and in
appeals from judgments of conviction in criminal cases, and in original special civil actions and
proceedings for habeas corpus, the petition in such cases shall be deemed dismissed, and a
certification to this effect signed by the Chief Magistrate of the court shall be issued and a copy
thereof attached to the record of the case.

Section 12. The Supreme Court shall, within thirty days from the opening of each regular session
of the Batasang Pambansa, submit to the President, the Prime Minister, and the Batasang Pambansa
an annual report on the operations and activities of the Judiciary.

ARTICLE XI

LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Section 1. The territorial and political subdivisions of the Philippines are the provinces, cities,
municipalities, and barrios.

Section 2. The Batasang Pambansa shall enact a local government code which may not be
thereafter amended except by a majority vote of all its Members, defining a more responsive and
accountable local government structure with an effective system of recall, allocating among the
different local government units their powers, responsibilities, and resources, and providing for
the qualifications, election and removal, term, salaries, powers, functions, and duties of local
officials, and all other matters relating to the organization and operation of the local units.
However, any change in the existing form of local government shall not take effect until ratified
by a majority of the votes cast in a plebiscite called for the purpose.

Section 3. No province, city, municipality, or barrio may be created, divided, merged, abolished,
or its boundary substantially altered except in accordance with the criteria established in the local
government code, and subject to the approval by a majority of the votes cast in a plebiscite in the
unit or units affected.

Section 4.

1. Provinces with respect to component cities and municipalities with respect to component
barrios, shall ensure that the acts of their component units are within the scope of their assigned
powers and functions. Highly urbanized cities, as determined by standards established in the local
government code shall be independent of the province.

2. Local government units may group themselves, or consolidate or coordinate their efforts,
services, and resources for purposes commonly beneficial to them.

Section 5. Each local government unit shall have the power to create its own sources of revenue
and to levy taxes, subject to limitations as may be provided by law.

ARTICLE XII

THE CONSTITUTIONAL COMMISSIONS

A. Common Provisions

Section 1. The Constitutional Commissions shall be the Civil Service Commission, the
Commission on Elections, and the Commission on Audit.

Section 2. Unless otherwise provided by law, the Chairman and each Commissioner of a
Constitutional Commission shall receive an annual salary of sixty thousand pesos, and fifty
thousand pesos, respectively, which shall not be decreased during their continuance in office.

Section 3. No Member of the Constitutional Commission shall, during his tenure in office, engage
in the practice of any profession or in the management of any business, or be financially interested
directly or indirectly in any contract with, or in any franchise or privilege granted by, the
government, or any subdivision, agency, or instrumentality, thereof, including government- owned
or controlled corporations.

Section 4. The Constitutional Commissions shall appoint their officials and employees in
accordance with the Civil Service Law.

B. The Civil Service Commission

Section 1.

1. The Civil Service embraces every branch, agency, subdivision, and instrumentality of the
government, including every government- owned or controlled corporation. It shall be
administered by an independent Civil Service Commission composed of a Chairman and two
Commissioners who shall be natural-born citizens of the Philippines, and at the time of their
appointment, are at least thirty-five years of age and holders of a college degree, and must not have
been candidates for any elective position in the election immediately preceding their appointment.
The Chairman and the Commissioners shall be appointed by the Prime Minister for a term of seven
years without reappointment. Of the Commissioners first appointed, one shall hold office for seven
years, another for five years, and the third for three years. Appointment to any vacancy shall be
only for the unexpired portion of the term of the predecessor.

2. The Commissioner shall, subject to such limitations as may be provided by law, established a
career service and adopt measures to promote morale, efficiency, and integrity in the Civil Service.

Section 2. Appointments in the Civil Service, except as to those which are policy-determining,
primarily confidential, or highly technical in nature, shall be made only according to merit and
fitness, to be determined as far as practicable by competitive examination.

Section 3. No officer or employee in the Civil Service shall be suspended or dismissed except for
cause provided by law.

Section 4.

1. No elective official shall be eligible for appointment to any office or position during his term of
office.

2. No candidate who lost an election shall be eligible for appointment or reappointment to any
office in the government, or in any government-owned or controlled corporation, within one year
following such election.

Section 5. No officer or employee in the Civil Service, including members of the armed forces,
shall engage directly or indirectly in any partisan political activity or take part in any election,
except to vote.

Section 6. The National Assembly shall provide for the standardization of compensation of
government officials and employees, including those in government-owned and controlled
corporations, taking into account the nature of the responsibilities pertaining to, and the
qualifications required for, the positions concerned.

C. The Commission on Elections

Section 1.

1. There shall be an independent Commission on Elections composed of a Chairman and eight

Commissioners who shall be natural-born citizens of the Philippines and, at the time of their
appointment, at least thirty-five years of age and holders of college degree. However, a majority
thereof, including the Chairman, shall be Members of the Philippine Bar who have been engaged
in the practice of law for at least ten years.

2. The Chairman and the Commissioners shall be appointed by the Prime Minister for a term of
seven years without reappointment. Of the Commissioners first appointed, three shall hold office
for seven years, three for five years, and the last three for three years. Appointments to any vacancy
shall be only for the unexpired portion of the term of the predecessor.

Section 2. The Commission on Elections shall have the following powers and functions:

1. Enforce and administer all laws relative to the conduct of elections.

2. Be the sole judge of all contests relating to the elections, returns, and qualifications of all
Members of the National Assembly and elective provincial and city officials. provincial and city
officials.

3. Decide, save those involving the right to vote, administrative questions affecting elections,
including the determination of the number and location of polling places, the appointment of
election officials and inspectors, and the registration of voters.

4. Deputize, with the consent or at the instance of the Prime Minister, law enforcement agencies
and instrumentalities of the Government, including the Armed Forces of the Philippines, for the
purpose of ensuring free, orderly, and honest elections.

5. Register and accredit political parties subject to the provisions of Section Eight hereof.

6. Recommend to the National Assembly effective measures to minimize election expenses and
prohibit all forms of election frauds and malpractices, political opportunism, guest or nuisance
candidacy, or other similar acts.

7. Submit to the President, Prime Minister, and the National Assembly a report on the conduct and
manner of each election.

8. Perform such other functions as may be provided by law.

Section 3. The Commission on Elections may sit en banc or in three divisions. All election cases
may be heard and decided by divisions, except contests involving Members of the National
Assembly, which shall be heard and decided en banc. Unless otherwise provided by law, all
election cases shall be decided within ninety days from the date of their submission for decision.

Section 4. The Commission may recommend to the Prime Minister the removal of, or any other
disciplinary action against, any officer or employee it has deputized, for violation or disregard of,
or disobedience to its decision, order, or directive.

Section 5. The enjoyment or utilization of all franchises or permits for the operation of
transportation and other public utilities, media of communication, all grants, special privileges, or
concessions granted by the government, or any subdivision, agency or instrumentality thereof,
including any government-owned or controlled corporation, may be supervised or regulated by the
Commission during the election period for the purpose of ensuring free, orderly, and honest
elections.

Section 6. Unless otherwise fixed by the Commission in special cases, the election period shall
commence ninety days before the day of election and shall end thirty days thereafter.

Section 7. No pardon, parole, or suspension of sentence for violation of the law or rules and
regulations concerning elections be granted without the recommendation of the Commission.

Section 8. A political party shall be entitled to accreditation by the Commission if, in the
immediately preceding election, such party has obtained at least the third highest number of votes
cast in the constituency to which it seeks accreditation. No religious sect shall be registered as a
political party and no political party which seeks to achieve its goals through violence or
subversion shall be entitled to accreditation.

Section 9.

1. Bona fide candidates for any public office shall be free from any form of harassment and
discrimination.

2. No party or candidate shall have membership in the registration board, board of election
inspectors, board of canvassers, or other similar bodies.

Section 10. No elective public officer may change his political party affiliation during his term of
office and no candidate for any elective public office may change his political party affiliation
within six months immediately preceding or following an election.

Section 11. Any decision, order, or ruling of the Commission may be brought to the Supreme
Court on certiorari by the aggrieved party within thirty days from his receipt of a copy thereof.

D. Commission on Audit

Section 1.
1. There shall be an independent Commission on Audit composed of a Chairman and two
Commissioners who shall be natural-born citizens of the Philippines and, at the time of their
appointment, at least forty years of age and certified public accountants or members of the
Philippine Bar for at least ten years.

2. The Chairman and the Commissioners shall be appointed by the Prime Minister for a term of
seven years without reappointment. Of the Commissioners first appointed, one shall hold office
for seven years, another for five years, and the third for three years. Appointment to any vacancy
shall be only for the unexpired portion of the term of the predecessor.

Section 2. The Commission on Audit shall have the following powers and functions:

1. Examine, audit, and settle, in accordance with law and regulations, all accounts pertaining to
the revenues and receipts of, and expenditures or uses of funds and property, owned or held in trust
by, or pertaining to, the Government, or any of its subdivisions, agencies, or instrumentalities,
including government-owned and controlled corporations; keep the general accounts of the
government and, for such period as may be provided by law, preserve the vouchers pertaining
thereto; and promulgate accounting and auditing rules and regulations including those for the
prevention of irregular, unnecessary, excessive, or extravagant expenditures or use of funds and
property.

2. Decide any case brought before it within sixty days from the date of its submission for
resolution. Unless otherwise provided by law, any decision, order, or ruling of the Commission
may be brought to the Supreme Court on certiorari by the aggrieved party within days from his
receipt of a copy thereof.

3. Submit to the President, the Prime Minister, and the National Assembly, within the time fixed
by law, an annual financial report of the government, its subdivisions, agencies, and
instrumentalities, including government-owned and controlled corporations, and recommend
measures necessary to improve their efficiency and effectiveness. It shall submit such other reports
as may be required by law.

4. Perform such other duties and functions as may be prescribed by law.

ARTICLE XIII

ACCOUNTABILITY OF PUBLIC OFFICERS

Section 1. Public office is a public trust. Public officers and employees shall serve with the highest
degree of responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency, and shall remain accountable to the
people.

Section 2. The President, the Justices of the Supreme Court, and the Members of the Constitutional
Commissions shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, culpable
violation of the Constitution, treason, bribery, other high crimes, or graft and corruption.
Section 3. The National Assembly shall have the exclusive power to initiate, try, decide all cases
of impeachment. Upon the filing of a verified complaint, the National Assembly may initiate
impeachment by a vote of at least one-fifth of all its Members. No official shall be convicted
without the concurrence of at least two-thirds of all the members thereof. When the National
Assembly sits in impeachment cases, its Members shall be on oath or affirmation.

Section 4. Judgment in cases of impeachment shall be limited to removal from office and
disqualification to hold any office of honor, trust, or profit under the Republic of the Philippines,
but the party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to prosecution, trial, and
punishment, in accordance with law.

Section 5. The National Assembly shall create a special court, to be known as Sandiganbayan,
which shall have jurisdiction over criminal and civil cases involving graft and corrupt practices
and such other offenses committed by public officers and employees, including those in
government-owned or controlled corporations, in relation to their office as may be determined by
law.

Section 6. The National Assembly shall create an office of the Ombudsman, to be known as
Tanodbayan, which shall receive and investigate complaints relative to public office, including
those in government-owned or controlled corporations, make appropriate recommendations, and
in case of failure of justice as defined by law, file and prosecute the corresponding criminal, civil,
or administrative case before the proper court or body.

ARTICLE XIV

THE NATIONAL ECONOMY AND THE PATRIMONY OF THE NATION

Section 1. The National Assembly shall establish a National Economic and Development
Authority, to be headed by the Prime Minister, which shall recommend to the National Assembly,
after consultation with the private sector, local government units, and other appropriate public
agencies, continuing, coordinated, and fully integrated social and economic plans and programs.

Section 2. The State shall regulate or prohibit private monopolies when the public interest so
requires. No combinations in restraint of trade or unfair competition shall be allowed.

Section 3. The National Assembly shall, upon recommendation of the National Economic and
Development Authority, reserve to citizens of the Philippines or to corporations or associations
wholly owned by such citizens, certain traditional areas of investments when the national interest
so dictates.

Section 4. The National Assembly shall not, except by general law, provide for the formation,
organization, or regulation of private corporations, unless such corporations are owned or
controlled by the government or any subdivision or instrumentality thereof.

Section 5. No franchise, certificate, or any other form of authorization for the operation of a public
utility shall be granted except to citizens of the Philippines at least sixty per centum of the capital
of which is owned by such citizens, nor shall such franchise, certificate, or authorization be
exclusive in character or for a longer period then fifty years. Neither shall any such franchise or
right be granted except under the condition that it shall be subject to amendment, alteration, or
repeal by the National Assembly when the public interest so requires. The State shall encourage
equity participation in public utilities by the general public. The participation of foreign investors
in the governing body of any public utility enterprise shall be limited to their proportionate share
in the capital thereof.

Section 6. The State may, in the interest of the national welfare or defense, establish and operate
industries and means of transportation and communication, and, upon payment of just
compensation, transfer to public ownership utilities and other private enterprises to be operated by
the government.

Section 7. In times of national emergency when the public interest so requires, the State may
temporarily take over or direct the operation of any privately owned public utility or business
affected with public interest.

Section 8. All lands of public domain, waters, minerals, coal, petroleum and other mineral oils, all
forces of potential energy, fisheries, wildlife, and other natural resources of the Philippines belong
to the State. With the exception of agricultural, industrial or commercial, residential, or
resettlement lands of the public domain, natural resources shall not be alienated, and no license,
concession, or lease for the exploration, or utilization of any of the natural resources shall be
granted for a period exceeding twenty-five years, except as to water rights for irrigation, water
supply, fisheries, or industrial uses other than development of water power, in which cases,
beneficial use may by the measure and the limit of the grant.

Section 9. The disposition, exploration, development, exploitation, or utilization of any of the

natural resources of the Philippines shall be limited to citizens of the Philippines, or to corporations
or associations at least sixty per centum of the capital which is owned by such citizens. The
National Assembly, in the national interest, may allow such citizens, corporations or associations
to enter into service contracts for financial, technical, management, or other forms of assistance
with any foreign person or entity for the exploration, or utilization of any of the natural resources.
Existing valid and binding service contracts for financial, technical, management, or other forms
of assistance are hereby recognized as such.

Section 10. Lands of the public domain are classified into agricultural, industrial, or commercial,
residential, resettlement, mineral, timber or forest, and grazing lands, and such other classes as
may be provided by law.

Section 11. The National Assembly taking into account conservation, ecological, and
developmental requirements of the natural resources shall determine by law the size of lands of
the public domain which may be developed, held or acquired by, or leased to, any qualified
individual, corporation or association, and the conditions therefor. No private corporation or
association may hold alienable lands of the public domain except by lease not to exceed one
thousand hectares in area; nor may any citizen hold such lands by lease in excess of five hundred
hectares or acquire by purchase or homestead in excess of twenty-four hectares. No private
corporation or association may hold by lease, concession, license, or permit timber or forest lands
and other timber or forest resources in excess of one hundred thousand hectares; however, such
area may be increased by the National Assembly upon recommendation of the National Economic
and Development Authority.

Section 12. The State shall formulate and implement an agrarian reform program aimed at
emancipating the tenant from the bondage of the soil and achieving the goals enunciated in this
Constitution.

Section 13. The National Assembly may authorize, upon payment of just compensation, the
expropriation of public lands to be subdivided into small lots and conveyed at cost to deserving
citizens.

Section 14. Save in cases of hereditary succession, no private land shall be transferred or conveyed
except to individuals, corporations, or associations qualified to acquire or hold lands of the public
domain.

Section 15. Any provision of paragraph one, Section 14, Article VIII and of this Article
notwithstanding, the Prime Minister may enter into international treaties or agreement as the
national welfare and interest may require.

ARTICLE XV

GENERAL PROVISIONS

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.

Section 2. The Interim National Assembly may by law adopt a new name for the country, a
national anthem, and a national seal, which shall all be truly reflective and symbolic of ideas,
history, and traditions of the people. Thereafter the national name, anthem, and seal so adopted
shall not be subject to change except by constitutional amendment.

Section 3.

1. This Constitution shall be officially promulgated in English and in Pilipino, and translated into
each dialect spoken by over fifty thousand people, and into Spanish and Arabic. In case of conflict,
the English text shall prevail.

2. The National Assembly shall take steps towards the development and formal adoption of a
common national language to be known as Filipino.

3. Until otherwise provided by law, English and Pilipino shall be the official languages.

Section 4. All public officers and employees and members of the armed forces shall take an oath
to support and defend the Constitution.
Section 5. No elective or appointive public officer or employee shall receive additional or double
compensation unless specifically authorized by law, nor accept, without the consent of the National
Assembly, any present, emolument, office or title of any kind from any foreign state.

Section 6.No salary or any form of emolument of any public officer or employee, including
constitutional officers, shall be exempt from payment of income tax.

Section 7.

1. The ownership and management of mass media shall be limited to citizens of the Philippines or
corporations or associations wholly owned and managed by such citizens.

2. The governing body of every entity engaged in commercial telecommunications shall i all cases
be controlled by citizens of the Philippines.

Section 8.

1. All educational institutions shall be under the supervision of and subject to regulation by the
State. The State shall establish and maintain a complete, adequate, and integrated system of
education relevant to goals of national development.

2. All institutions of higher learning shall enjoy academic freedom.

3. The study of the Constitution shall be part of the curricula in all schools.

4. All educational institutions shall aim to inculcate love of country, teach the duties of citizenship,
and develop moral character, personal discipline, and scientific, technological, and vocational
efficiency.

5. The State shall maintain a system of free public elementary education and, in areas where
finances permit, establish and maintain a system of free public education at least up to the
secondary level.

6. The State shall provide citizenship and vocational training to adult citizens and out-of-school
youth, and create and maintain scholarships for poor and deserving students.

7. Educational institutions, other than those established by religious orders, mission boards, and
charitable organizations, shall be owned solely by citizens of the Philippines, or corporations or
associations sixty per centum of the capita;l of which is owned by such citizens. The control and
administration of educational institutions shall be vested in citizens of the Philippines. No
education institution shall be established exclusively for aliens, and no group of aliens shall
comprise more than one-third of the enrollment of any school. The provisions of this subsection
shall not apply to schools established for foreign diplomatic personnel and their dependents and,
unless otherwise provided by law, for other foreign temporary resident.
8. At the option expressed in writing by the parents or guardians, and without cost to them and the
government, religion shall be taught to their children or wards in public elementary and high
schools as may be provided by law.

Section 9.

1. The State shall promote scientific research and invention. The advancement of science and
technology shall have priority in the national development.

2. Filipino culture shall be preserved and developed for national identity. Arts and letters shall be
under the patronage of the State.

3. The exclusive right to inventions, writings, and artistic creations shall be secured to investors,
authors and artists for a limited period. Scholarships, grants-in-aid, or other forms of incentives
shall be provided for specially gifted children.

Section 10. It shall be the responsibility of the State to achieve and maintain population levels
most conducive to the national welfare.

Section 11. The State shall consider the customs, traditions, beliefs, and interests of national
cultural communities in the formulation and implementation of State policies.

Section 12. The State shall establish and maintain an integrated national police force whose
organization, administration, and operation, shall be provided by law.

Section 13.

1. The armed forces of the Philippines shall include a citizen army composed of all able-bodied
citizens of the Philippines who shall undergo military training as may be provided by law. It shall
keep a regular force necessary for the security of the State.

2. The citizen army shall have a corps of trained officers and men in active duty status as may be
necessary to train, service, and keep it in reasonable preparedness at all times.

Section 14. The National Assembly shall establish a central monetary authority which shall
provide policy direction in the areas of money, banking, and credit to achieve national economic
objectives. It shall have supervisory authority over the operation of banks and exercise such
regulatory authority as may be provided by law over the operations of finance companies and other
institutions performing similar functions. Until the National Assembly shall otherwise provide, the
Central Bank of the Philippines, operating under existing laws, shall function as the central
monetary authority.

Section 15. The separation of the church and the State shall be inviolable.

Section 16. The State may not be sued without its consent.
 ARTICLE XVI

AMENDMENTS

Section 1.

1. Any amendment to, or revision of, this Constitution may be proposed by the National Assembly
upon a vote of three-fourths of all its Members, or by a constitutional convention.

2. The National Assembly may, by a vote of two-thirds of all its Members, call a constitutional
convention, or by a majority vote of all its Members, submit the question of calling such a
convention to the electorate in an election.

Section 2. Any amendment to or revision of this Constitution shall be valid when ratified by a
majority of the votes cast in the plebiscite which shall be held not later than three months after the
approval of such amendment or revision.

ARTICLE XVII

TRANSITORY PROVISIONS

Section 1. There shall be an Interim National Assembly which shall exist immediately upon the
ratification of this Constitution and shall continue until the Members of the regular National
Assembly shall have been elected and shall have assumed office following an election called for
the purpose by the Interim National Assembly. Except as otherwise provided in this Constitution,
the Interim National Assembly shall have the same powers and its Members shall have the same
functions, responsibilities, rights, privileges, and disqualifications as the regular National
Assembly and the Members thereof.

Section 2. The Members of the Interim National Assembly shall be the incumbent President and
Vice-President of the Philippines, those who served as President of the nineteen hundred and
seventy-one Constitutional Convention, those Members of the Senate and the House of
Representatives who shall express in writing to the Commission on Elections within thirty days
after the ratification of this Constitution their option to serve therein, and those Delegates to the
nineteen hundred and seventy-one Constitutional Convention who have opted to serve therein by
voting affirmatively for this Article. They may take their oath of office before any officer
authorized to administer oaths and who qualify thereto, after the ratification of this Constitution.

Section 3.

1. The incumbent President of the Philippines shall initially convene the Interim National
Assembly and shall preside over its sessions until the interim Speaker shall have been elected. He
shall continue to exercise his powers and prerogatives under the nineteen hundred and thirty-five
Constitution and the powers vested in the President and the Prime Minister under this Constitution
until he calls upon the Interim National Assembly to elect the interim President and interim Prime
Minister who shall then exercise their respective powers vested by this Constitution.
2. All proclamations, orders, decrees, instructions, and acts promulgated, issued, or done by the
incumbent President shall be part of the law of the land, and shall remain valid, legal, binding, and
effective even after the lifting of the Martial Law or the ratification of this Constitution unless
modified, revoked, or superseded by subsequent proclamations, orders, decrees, instructions, or
unless expressly or implicitly modified or repealed by the regular National Assembly.

Section 4. The interim Prime Minister and his Cabinet shall exercise all the powers and functions,
and discharge the responsibilities of the regular Prime Minister and his Cabinet, and shall be
subject to the same disqualifications provided in this Constitution.

Section 5. The Interim National Assembly shall give priority to measures for the orderly transition
from the Presidential to the Parliamentary system, the reorganization of the government, the
eradication of graft and corruption, programs for the effective maintenance of peace and order, the
implementation of declared agrarian reforms, the standardization of compensation of government
employees, and such other measures as shall bridge the gap between the rich and the poor.

Section 6. The Interim National Assembly shall reapportion the Assembly seats in accordance
with Article Eight, Section two, of this Constitution.

Section 7. All existing laws not inconsistent with this Constitution shall remain operative until
amended, modified, or repealed by the National Assembly.

Section 8. All courts existing at the time of the ratification of this Constitution shall continue and
exercise their jurisdiction, until otherwise provided by law in accordance with this Constitution,
and all cases pending in said courts shall be held, tried, and determined under the laws then in
force. The provisions of the existing Rules of Court not inconsistent with this Constitution shall
remain operative unless amended, modified, or repealed by the Supreme Court or the National
Assembly.

Section 9. All officials and employees in the existing government of the Republic of the
Philippines shall continue in office until otherwise provided by law or decreed by the incumbent
President of the Philippines, but all officials whose appointments are by this Constitution vested
in the Prime Minister shall vacate their respective offices upon the appointment and qualification
of their successors.

Section 10. The incumbent Members of the Judiciary may continue in office until they reach the
age of seventy years, unless sooner replaced in accordance with the preceding section hereof.

Section 11. The rights and privileges granted to citizens of the United States or to corporations or
associations owned or controlled by such citizens under the ordinance appended to the nineteen
hundred and thirty-five Constitution shall automatically terminate on the third day of July, nineteen
hundred and seventy-four. Titles to private lands acquired by such persons before such date shall
be valid as against other private persons only.

Section 12. All treaties, executive agreements, and contracts entered into by the government or
any subdivision, agency, or instrumentality thereof, including government-owned or controlled
corporations are hereby recognized as legal, valid and binding. When the national interest so
requires, the incumbent President of the Republic or the interim Prime Minister may review all
contracts, concessions, permits, or other forms of privileges for the exploration, exploitation,
development, or utilization of natural resources entered into, granted, issued, or acquired before
the ratification of this Constitution.

Section 13. Any public officer or employee separated from the service as a result of the
reorganization effected under this Constitution shall, if entitled under the laws then in force,
receive the retirement and other benefits accruing thereunder.

Section 14. All records, equipment, buildings, facilities, and other properties of any office or body
abolished or reorganized under this Constitution shall be transferred to the office or body to which
its powers, functions, and responsibilities substantially pertain.

Section 15. The Interim National Assembly, upon special call by the interim Prime Minister may,
by a majority vote of all its Members propose amendments to this Constitution. Such amendment
shall take effect when ratified in accordance with Article Sixteen hereof.

Section 16. This Constitution shall take effect immediately upon its ratification by a majority of
the votes cast in a plebiscite called for the purpose and, except as herein provided, shall supersede
the Constitution of nineteen hundred and thirty-five and all amendments thereto.