1973:

Constituontial Authoritarianism
Ferdinand E. Marcos was elected in 1965 was elected president, and in Philippine
Congres passed a resolution caliing for a constitutions convention to change the
1935 Constitutions. Marcos won the re-election 19 69, in a bid boosted by campaign
overspending and use of governments funds. Elections of the delegates to the
constitutional convention were held on 20 november 1970, and the convention
began formally on 1 june1971, with former President Carlos P. Garcia being elected
as convention president . Unfortunately, he died and was succeeded by another
former president, Diosdado Macapagal. Before the convention finished it’s work,
Martial Law was declared . Marcos Cited a growing communist insugerncy as
reason for the Martial Law, which was provided for in the 1935 Constitutions. Some
delegates of the ongoing constitutional convention werw placed behind bars and
others went into hiding oe were voluntary exiled. With Marcos as dictator, the
direction of the convention turned, with accountants that the president himself
dictated some provisions of the constitutions, manipulating the documents to be able
to hold on to power for as long as he could. On 29 November 1972, the convention
approved its proposed conctitution. The constitutions was supposed to introduce a
parliamentary-style government, where legislative power was vested in a unicameral
National Assembly, with members being elected to a six year term. The president
was to be able elected as the symobolic
The Philippine constitutional plebiscite of 1973 ratified the 1973 Constitution of the Philippines.
In 1970, delegates were elected to a constitutional convention which began to meet in 1971. In
September 1972, President Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law and arrested 11 members of the
convention. The convention then re-convened and wrote a constitution in line with what
President Ferdinand Marcos wanted, at least, according to many critics and victims of martial law.
Marcos issued Presidential Decree No. 86 calling for the cancellation of the plebiscite and
instituted barangays' citizens' assemblies to ratify the new constitution by a referendum from 10–15
January 1973.
On 17 January 1973, Marcos issued Proclamation No. 1102 certifying and proclaiming that the 1973
Constitution had been ratified by the Filipino people and thereby was in effect.
These results were challenged by the Ratification Cases heard by the Philippine Supreme Court in
1973. The court upheld the results and the ratification of the 1973 Constitution.
For this plebiscite to changes to voting requirements were implemented. The voting age was reduced
from 18 to 15 years old and those who were illiterate, as described by the opposition, were allowed to
vote.
 The Constitution was supposed to introduced a
parliamentary-style government, where legislative power
was vested in a numerical National Assembly, with
members being elected to six-year term. The president was
to be elected as the symbolic and ceremonial head of
state chosen from the members of the National Assembly.
The president would serve a six-year term and could be re-
elected to an unlimited number of terms. Executive power
was relegated to the Prime Minister, who was also the of
government and Commander-in-chief of the Armed forces
who was also to be elected from the National Assembly.
1987:
Constitution After Martial Law
Changing the constitution is a perennial issue that crops up, a
terms such as "cha-cha", con-ass and con-con are thrown
around. Article XVII of the 1987 constitution provides for the
ways by which the constitution can be changed. Congress
(house pf the representatives and the senate) may convene a
constinuent assembly(or con ass) to propose amendments to
constitution. It is not clear however if congress vote as single.
Attemps to Amend or Change the 1987 Constitution
The 1987 Constitution provided for three methods by
which the Constitution can be amended, all requiring
ratification by a majority vote in a national referendum.
These methods were Constinuent Assembly,
Constitutional Convention, and People's Initiative.
Using this modes there were efforts to amend or
change the 1987 Constitution, starting with the
presidency of Fidel V. Ramos who succeeded Corazon
Aquino. The first attempt was in 1995, when then
Secretary of National Security Council Jose Almonte
drafted a constitution, but it was exposed to the media
and it never prospered. The second effort was in 1997,
when a group called PIRMA hoped to gather signatures
from the voters to change the constitution through
people's initiative. Many were against this including
Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, who brought the
issue to the court and won. The supreme court judging
that a people's initiative cannot push through without an
enabling law.
Only the House of Representatives can initiate the
impeachment of the president, members of the Supreme
Court, and other constitutionally protected public officials
such as the ombudsman. The Senate will then try the
impeachment case. This is another safeguard to promote
moral and ethical conduct in the government.
Attemps to Amend or Change the 1987 Constitution

The 1987 Constitution provided for three methods by which the Constitution can be
amended, all requiring ratification by a majority vote in a national referendum. These
methods were Constinuent Assembly, Constitutional Convention, amd People's
Initiative. Using this modes there were efforts to amend or change the 1987
Constitution, starting with the presidency of Fidel V. Ramos who succeeded Corazon
Aquino. The first attempt was in 1995, when then Secretary of National Security
Council Jose Almonte drafted a constitution, but it was exposed to the media and it
never prospered. The second effort was in 1997, when a group called PIRMA hoped to
gather signatures from the voters to change the constitution through people's
initiative. Many were against this including Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, who
brought the issue to the court and won. The supreme court judging that a people's
initiative cannot push through without an enabling law.
THE END