With our class discussion as your springboard (starting point), you are now tasked to trace and complete

the 'Timeline and Evolution of Government Structure and Law', using the template below.
1. Read history and legal research textbooks in completing the timeline.
2. You may adjust the time period as you wish, to fit your timeline table.
3. What is given are just the basics (constitution, legislature, statutes), you may expound or modify the
information as you wish. (For example, expound on whether the legislature is unicameral or bicameral,
and what are they called. You may also cite significant legislation during that time period, under statutes
or add another column)
4. Complete what is lacking in the table (executive, significant issuances, judiciary). For the executive
part, do not just mention who was/were the presidents during that period, but also include what are the
administrative agencies and their respective heads called at that time.
5. The more comprehensive the work, the more factual, the more credit you will receive. If it's all
'Wikipedia'd, the less credit.
6. Do not forget to type your full name in the header of the template used. Do not forget your references.
7. Save your work with <family name>-timeline.doc as file name (example: parker-timeline.doc)
8. Upload your work here before due date and time.

The Philippine Revolution

The Malolos Congress

In accordance with the decrees of June 18

and 23, 1898, Aguinaldo convoked the
Revolutionary Congress at Barasoain,
Malolos. Peace and order conditions in some
provinces were such that Aguinaldo was
compelled to appoint their delegates to
Congress. Consequently, on September 4, he
appointed fifty delegates to the Congress.
This number was increased by ten on
September 10. The number of delegates to
the Congress fluctuated from time to time.
In the morning of September 15, the basilica at
Barasoain was filled with delegates and
spectators. Outside, the Banda Pasigplayed

Malolos Congress and Constitution

Delegates to the Malolos Congress

Signatories to the Draft Constitution
Full Text of Malolos Constitution

Excerpts from the Malolos

Constitution
Article 3. Sovereignity resides
exclusively in the people.
Article 5. The State recognizes the
freedom and equality of all religions,
as well as the separation of Church
and State.
Article 19. No Filipino in the full
enjoyment of his civil and political
rights shall be hindered in the free

the National Anthem. When Aguinaldo and

his officers arrived, the delegates, the cream
of the Filipino intelligentsia, spread out to
give way to the President. With the President
seated, the secretary read the names of the
delegates, after which Aguinaldo was
introduced. Cries of "Viva!" reverberated and
Aguinaldo acknowledged the applause of the
throng. Then he stood up and read his
message, first in Tagalog, then in Spanish. A
round of applause followed Aguinaldo's
speech, which Felipe Buencamino wrote.
Aguinaldo then announced that the
ceremonies were over and that Congress was
to convene after electing its officers.
In the afternoon, the Congress proceeded to
elect its officers, namely, Pedro A. Paterno,
President; Benito Legarda, Vice-President;
Gregorio Araneta, First Secretary; and Pablo
Ocampo, Second Secretary.
***
The first significant act of the Congress was
the ratification on September 29, of the
independence proclaimed at Kawit on June
12, 1898. Aguinaldo, whose office and
official residence were located at the convent
of Malolos Church, arrived at Barasoain,
where Congress was holding its sessions,
amidst the "vociferous acclamations of he
people and strains of music." The ceremonies
began at 10:30am and Aguinaldo, after
congratulating Paterno for having been
elected to the presidency of Congress, partly
said in Tagalog:
* * * now we witness the truth of what the
famous President Monroe said to the effect that
the United States was for the Americans; now I
say that the Philippines is for the Filipinos.
***
A committee to draft the constitution was
created with Felipe G. Calderon as its most
prominent member. Having set
Mabini'sConstitutional Program aside, the
committee. under the influence of Calderon,
also set aside, but in a subtle manner,

exercise of the same.

Article 20.1. Neither shall any Filipino
be deprived of: The right of expressing
freely his ideas and opinions either by
word or by writing, availing himself of
the press or any other similar means.
Article 20.2. Neither shall any Filipino
be deprived of: The right of joining
any association for all the objects of
human life which may not be contrary
to public morals.
Article 23. Any Filipino can found and
maintain establishments of instruction
or of education, in accordance with the
regulations that may be established.
Popular education shall be obligatory
and gratuitous in the schools of the
nation.
Table of Titles
1. The Republic
2. The Government
3. Religion
4. The Filipinos and Their National and
Individual Rights

5. The Legislative Power

6. The Permanent Commission
7. The Executive Power
8. The President of the Republic
9. The Secretaries of Government
10. The Judicial Power
11. Provincial and Popular Assemblies
12. Administration of the State
13. Amendment of the Constitution
14. Constitutional Observance, Oath, and
Language
On January 21, 1899, Aguinaldo promulgated
what is now known as the Malolos Constitution.
***
The Malolos constitution is the first important
Filipino document ever produced by the people's
representatives. It is anchored in democratic

Paterno's constitutional plan, which smelled

strongly of the Spanish Constitution of 1869.
With the advise of Cayetano Arellano, a
brilliant but unreconstructed mestizo,
Calderon drew up his plans for a
constitution, deriving inspiration from the
constitutions of Mexico, Belgium,
Guatemala, Costa Rica, Brazil and France. In
the session of Oct 8, Calderon presented the
draft of this constitution.
...
A few other amendments were inserted in the
draft constitution before it was sent to Aguinaldo
for approval.
History of the Filipino People. Teodoro A. Agoncillo
The Malolos Republic
Owing to the objections of Mabini to some provisions in the
Constitution, Aguinaldo did not immediately promulgate it.
The leaders of Congress compromised by inserting
some amendments. After promulgating the Malolos
Constitution, the Filipino leaders proceeded to
inaugurate the first Filipino Republic on January 23,
1899.

traditions that ultimately had their roots in

American soil. It created a Filipino state whose
government was "popular, representative and
responsible" with three distinct branches -- the
executive, the legislative and the judicial. The
constitution specifically provided for safeguards
against abuses, and enumerated the national
and individual rights not only of the Filipinos and
of the aliens.
The legislative powers were exercised by the
Assembly of Representatives composed of
delegates elected according to law. To make the
function of Congress continuous, the document
provided for a Permanent Commission which
would sit as a law-making body when Congress
was not in session. The assembly elected the
President of the Republic. The Cabinet,
composed of the Secretaries of the different
Departments of the government, was
responsible not to the President, but to the
Assembly. The administration of justice was
vested in the Supreme Court and in inferior
courts to be established according to law. The
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court was to be
elected by the Assembly with the concurrence of
the President and the Cabinet.
***
The constitution as a whole is a monument to
the capacity of the Filipinos to chart their own
course along democratic lines. In a period of
storm and stress, it symbolized the ideals of a
people who had emerged from the Dark Ages
into the Light of Reason

http://msc.edu.ph/centennial/malolos.html

The Philippine Revolutionary Government

The Malolos Congress

Emilio Aguinaldo issued a decree on July 18, 1898 asking for the election of delegates to the
revolutionary congress, another decree was promulgated five days later, which declared that
Aguinaldo would appoint representatives of congress because holding elections is not

practical at that time. He appointed 50 delegates in all (but this number fluctuated from
time to time). In accordance with these two decrees, Aguinaldo assembled the
Revolutionary Congress at the Brasoain Church in
Malolos, Bulacan on September 15, 1898.

The atmosphere was festive and the Pasig Band played

the national anthem. After Aguinaldo had read his
speech congressional elections were held among the
delegates present. The following were among the
most important achievements of the Malolos Congress:

1. In September 29, 1898, ratified the declaration of Philippine independence held at Kawit,
Cavite on June 12, 1898
2. Passage of a law that allowed the Philippines to borrow P 20 million from banks for
government expenses
3. Establishment of the Universidad Literatura de Filipinas and other schools
4. Drafting of the Philippine Constitution
5. Declaring war against the United States on June 12, 1899

Malolos Constitution

A committee headed by Felipe Calderon and aided by Cayetano Arellano, the constitution
was drafted, for the first time by representatives of the Filipino people and it is the first
republican constitution in Asia. The constitution was inspired by the constitutions of
Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Brazil, Belgium and France. After some minor revisions
(mainly due to the objections of Apolinario Mabini), the final draft of the constitution was
presented to Aguinaldo. This paved the way to launching the first Philippine Republic. It
established a democratic, republication government with three branches - the Executive,
Legislative and the Judicial branches. It called for the separation of church and state. The
executive powers were to be exercise by the president of the republic with the help of his
cabinet. Judicial powers were given to the Supreme Court and other lower courts to be
created by law. The Chief justice of the Supreme Court was to be elected by the legislature
with the concurrence of the President and his Cabinet.

First Philippine Republic

The first Philippine Republic was inaugurated in Malolos, Bulacan on

January 21, 1899. After being proclaimed president, Emilio Aguinaldo
took his oath of office. The constitution was read article by article and
followed by a military parade. Apolinario Mabini was elected as a prime
minister. The other cabinet secretaries were: Teodoro Sandico, interior;
Baldomero Aguinaldo, war; Gen. Mariano Trias, finance & war; Apolinario
Mabini, foreign affairs; Gracio Gonzaga for welfare, Aguedo Velarde,
public instruction; Maximo Paterno, public works & communication; and Leon Mara
Guerrero for agriculture, trade & commerce.

The Philippine National Anthem

Aguinaldo commissioned Julian Felipe, a composer from Cavite province was asked to write
an an instrumental march for the proclamation of independence ceremony. The original title
was "Marcha Filipina Magdalo". This was later changed to "Marcha Nacional Filipina". The
lyrics was added in August 1899 based on the poem titled "Filipinas" by Jose Palma. The
original lyrics was written in Spanish, then to English (when the Flag Law was abolished
during the American period) then later, was translated to Tagalog, which underwent another
change of title to Lupang Hinirang, the Philippine National Anthem. Continue to FilipinoAmerican Hostilities

http://www.philippine-history.org/malolos-congress.htm

Constitutional history of the Philippines

Introduction

The Republic of the Philippines sits on an archipelago in Southeast Asia and consists of 7,107
islands with a total area of 300,000 square kilometres. It is located at the intersection of several
bodies of water: it is bounded by the Pacific Ocean in the north, the South China Sea in the west, the
Sulu and Celebes Seas in the south, and the Philippine Sea in the east. Over 90 million people live
on the islands, some 12 million of whom live in the capital region, Metro Manila. Most of the people
on the islands are of the same racial stock as the Malays and the Indonesians, but a Chinese
minority (around 1.5%) make up an influential part of the Philippine economy. There are eight major
languages and close to a hundred dialects.

Constitutional history
The Philippines had long been used as a trading port in Asia, and this led to their colonization by the
Spanish and later by the Americans. The Spanish converted most of the population to Catholicism
and the religion remains the dominant one in the country. During the later part of more than 300
years of Spanish rule, nationalist sentiment began to grow among groups of Indios (which was how
the Spanish referred to the Filipinos), fuelled in large measure by the writings of national hero Jose
Rizal (later executed by the Spanish authorities) and other ilustrados (the Filipino intellegensia). A
revolution was launched against Spain and the revolutionaries declared Philippine independence in
Kawit, Cavite on June 12, 1898. What became known as the Malolos Congress was convened on
September 15, 1898 and the first Philippine Constitution, called the Malolos Constitution, was
approved on January 20, 1899, ushering what is called the First Philippine Republic. In the SpanishAmerican War of 1898, the revolutionaries sided with the Americans, hoping that, with the defeat of
Spain, independence would be granted by the US to the Philippines. This, however, did not happen.
After Spain ceded (or sold) the islands to the United States in the Treaty of Paris, the US
immediately proceeded to brutally suppress the Philippine independence movement.
In 1916, the US passed the Jones Act which specified that independence would only be granted
upon the formation of a stable democratic government modelled on the American model, not the
French model as the previous constitution had been. The US approved a ten-year transition plan in
1934 and drafted a new constitution in 1935. World War II and the Japanese invasion on December
8, 1941, however, interrupted that plan. After heroic Filipino resistance against overwhelming odds
finally ended with the fall of Bataan and Corregidor in 1942, a Japanese republic was established,
in reality, a period of military rule by the Japanese Imperial Army. A new constitution was ratified in
1943 by Filipino collaborators who were called the Kapisanan sa Paglilingkod ng Bagong Pilipinas
(Kalibapi). An active guerilla movement continued to resist the Japanese occupation. The Japanese
forces were finally defeated by the Allies in 1944 and this sorry chapter came to a close.
Philippine independence was eventually achieved on July 4, 1946. The 1935 Constitution, which
featured a political system virtually identical to the American one, became operative. The system
called for a President to be elected at large for a 4-year term (subject to one re-election), a bicameral
Congress, and an independent Judiciary.

Independence to martial law

From the moment of independence, Filipino politics have been plagued by the twin demons of
corruption and scandal. Notwithstanding, Presidents Ramon Magsaysay (1953-57), Carlos Garcia
(1957-61), and Diosdado Macapagal (1961-65) managed to stabilize the country, implement
domestic reforms, diversify the economy, and build Philippine ties not only to the United States, but
also to its Asian neighbours.
Ferdinand Marcos was elected president in 1965 and was re-elected in 1969, the first president to
be so re-elected. Desirous of remaining in power beyond his legal tenure, he declared martial law in
1972, just before the end of his second and last term, citing a growing communist insurgency as its
justification. He then manipulated an ongoing Constitutional Convention and caused the drafting of a
new constitution the 1973 Constitution which allowed him to rule by decree until 1978 when the
presidential system of the 1935 Constitution was replaced with a parliamentary one. Under this new
system, Marcos held on to power and continued to govern by decree, suppressing democratic
institutions and restricting civil freedoms. In 1981, martial law was officially lifted, but Marcos
continued to rule by the expedient of being re-elected in a farce of an election to a new 6-year
term. He continued to suppress dissent and thousands of vocal objectors to his rule either
mysteriously disappeared or were incarcerated. Despite economic decline, corruption allowed
Marcos and his wife Imelda to live extravagantly, causing resentment domestically and criticism
internationally.

The peoples choice

When opposition leader Benigno Aquino Jr. was assassinated upon returning from exile in 1983,
widespread outrage forced Marcos to hold snap elections a year early. The election was marked by
fraud on the part of Marcos and his supporters but Marcos had himself declared the winner
constitutionally, amidst international condemnation and nationwide domestic protests. A small band
of military rebels tried to mount a coup, which failed because of its discovery, but this triggered what
became internationally celebrated as the People Power revolution, when droves of people spilled
out onto the streets to protect the rebels, eventually numbering well over a million. Under pressure
from the United States, Marcos and his family fled into exile. His election opponent, Benigno Aquino
Jr.s widow Corazon, was installed as president on February 25, 1986.

The 1987 Constitution

Aquino began her term by repealing many of the Marcos-era regulations that had repressed the
people for so long. In March, she issued a unilateral proclamation establishing a provisional
constitution. This constitution gave the President broad powers and great authority, but Aquino
promised to use them only to restore democracy under a new constitution. This new constitution was
drafted in 133 days by an appointed Constitutional Commission of 48 members and ratified by the
people in a plebiscite held on February 2, 1987. It was largely modelled on the American
Constitution which had so greatly influenced the 1935 Constitution, but it also incorporated Roman,
Spanish, and Anglo law.

The 1987 Constitution established a representative democracy with power divided among three
separate and independent branches of government: the Executive, a bicameral Legislature, and the
Judiciary. There were three independent constitutional commissions as well: the Commission on
Audit, the Civil Service Commission, and the Commission on Elections. Integrated into the
Constitution was a full Bill of Rights, which guaranteed fundamental civil and and political rights, and
it provided for free, fair, and periodic elections. In comparison with the weak document that had
given Marcos a legal fiction behind which to hide, this Constitution seemed ideal to many Filipinos
emerging from 20 years of political repression and oppression.

Executive branch
The Executive branch is headed by the President and his appointed Cabinet. The President is the
head of the state and the chief executive, but he is subject to significant checks from the other
branches, especially in times of emergency, which, given the history of the country, was obviously
intended to be a safeguard against a repeat of Marcos martial law despotism. For example, in cases
of national emergency, the President can still declare martial law, but not for a period longer than 60
days. Congress can revoke this decision by a majority vote, or it can also extend it for a period to be
determined by the Congress. Additionally, the Supreme Court can review the declaration to decide if
there were sufficient facts to justify martial law. The President can grant pardons and amnesty. He is
also empowered to make or accept foreign loans. He cannot, however, enter into treaties without the
consent of the Senate. The President and Vice-President are elected at large by a direct vote, but
the President may only serve one 6-year term. The Cabinet, consisting of the Presidents advisers
and heads of departments, is appointed by the President and it assists him in his governance
functions.

Legislative branch
The legislative power is vested in a Congress which is divided into two Houses, the Senate and the
House of Representatives. The 24 members of the Senate are elected at large by a popular vote
and can serve no more than two consecutive 6-year terms. The House is composed of 250 elected
members. Most of these Representatives are elected by district for 3-year terms, but 20% of the total
membership is chosen in proportion to party representation. Besides the exclusive power to
legislate, one of the most important powers of Congress is the ability to declare war, which it can
through a two-thirds vote in both houses. Even the power to legislate, however, is subject to an
executive check. The President retains the power to veto a bill passed by both houses, and
Congress may override this veto only with a two-thirds vote in both houses.

Judicial branch
The Court system in the Philippines exercises the judicial power of government and it is made up of
a Supreme Court and lower courts created by law. The Supreme Court is a 15-member court
appointed by the President without need for confirmation by Congress. Appointment, however, is
limited to a list of nominees presented to the President by a constitutionally-specified Judicial and
Bar Council. This Council consists of 7 members: the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the
Secretary of Justice, a representative from Congress, a representative of the Integrated Bar, a
professor of law, a retired member of the Supreme Court, and a representative of the private sector.

The first four serve for four years, the law professor for three, the retired Justice for two, and the
private sector representative for one year. The Supreme Court Justices may hear, on appeal, any
cases dealing with the constitutionality of any law, treaty, or decree of the government, cases where
questions of jurisdiction or judicial error are concerned, or cases where the penalty is sufficiently
grave. It may also exercise original jurisdiction over cases involving government or international
officials. The Supreme Court also is charged with overseeing the functioning and administration of
the lower courts and their personnel.

Government oversight bodies

The Constitution also establishes three independent Constitutional Commissions. The Civil Service
Commission acts as a central agency in charge of government personnel. The Commission on
Elections enforces and administers all election laws and regulations to ensure that they are free and
fair for all involved. Finally, the Commission on Audit examines all funds, transactions, and property
accounts of the government and its agencies. Each of these Commissions is given governing and
financial autonomy from the other branches of government to ensure unbiased decision-making. All
decisions made by these Commissions are reviewable by the Supreme Court. To further ensure the
ethical and lawful functioning of the government, the Constitution also creates an Office of the
Ombudsman to investigate complaints regarding public corruption, unlawful behaviour of public
officials, and other public misconduct. The Ombudsman can then charge such misbehaving public
officials before a special court called the Sandiganbayan. The Ombudsman is also independent
administratively and financially from the other branches of government, although the President is
vested with the power to appoint the Ombudsman and his Deputies (from a list also prepared by the
Judicial and Bar Council) for single 7-year terms. Only the House has the power to initiate
impeachment of the President, the members of the Supreme Court, and a few other constitutionally
protected public officials like the Ombudsman. The Senate is then supposed to try the impeachment
case. Each of these aforementioned independent agencies was created for the purpose of
promoting moral and ethical conduct in government.

System of Government under 1987 Constitution

Branch

Hierarchy

Appointment

Executiv
e

President

Elected by a direct vote

Cabinet
Nominated by the
President and confirmed by a
commission on appointments

Powers

Removal

Nominates the
Cabinet and other high
officials

Up
end of 6 y
term

Head of
Government

Up
resignatio

Ensures faithful
execution of the laws

Up
impeachm

Branch

Hierarchy

Appointment

Powers

Removal

Commander-in-Chief
of the Armed Forces

the legisla

Contracts for foreign

loans
Declares martial law

Up
removal b
President

Up
resignatio
Advises the
President

Legislati
ve

Senate
Elected by a direct vote
House of
Representatives
Elected by districts or a
party-list system

Election monitoring
Introduces and
passes legislation by a
majority vote

Up
resignatio

Up
end of a 6
term

Conductes inquiries
in pursuit of passing
legislation
Declares war with
joint two-thirds vote of
Congress

Election monitoring
Introduces and
passes legislation
Introduces and
passes financial legislation
Conduct inquiries in
pursuit of passing
legislation

Up
resignatio

Up
end of a 3
term

Branch

Hierarchy

Appointment

Powers

Removal

Declaring war with

joint two-thirds vote of
Congress

Judicial

Supreme Court
Appointed by the
President

Administrative
supervision over other
courts
Jurisdiction over
cases involving
ambassadors and public
officials
Constitutional
review

Issues and Challenges

Issues

Economic development how to

ensure that economic growth also
benefits the poorer classes?
Minority rights how to ensure
multi-ethnicity and pluralism for
religious and ethnic minorities?
De-concentration of power how to
reduce the considerable power of
the political and economic elites and
give more actual power to the
people?
Better governance how to make
government more effective in
meeting the nations aspirations?

Challenges

Corruption

Poor law enforcement and an

ineffective justice system

Lack of transparency and

accountability in public office

Polarization between the few who

are wealthy and the many who
are poor

Weak actual protection of the

human rights of vulnerable
groups (women, children,
minorities, journalists, political
activists)

Up
resignatio

Up
reaching t
of 70

Issues

Challenges

Spreading growth how to have

more even regional development?

Involvement of the military in

political questions

Ending the Muslim insurgency in

southern Mindanao

Timeline
1542

Spanish claim the islands

1898

Spain cedes the Philippines to the US

1902

US establishes civil government to replace military rule

1935

The Commonwealth of the Philippines is established under President

Manuel Quezon and the US promises independence in 10 years

1941

Japanese forces invade the islands

1944

The US retakes the islands

1946

The US grants the new Republic of the Philippines full independence

1965

Ferdinand Marcos becomes President

1969

Marcos is reelected despite allegations of elections fraud, Vietnam

protests begin, Muslim separatists begin guerrilla war in the south

1972

Marcos declares martial law, suspends parliaments, arrests opposition

leaders, and imposes censorship regulations

1973

New constitution adopted granting Marcos broad powers

1981

Marcos wins reelection, martial law lifted

1983

Oppoisiton leader Benigno Aquino killed as he returns to the Philippines

from exile

1986

Marcos opposed in elections by Aquinos widow Corazon, mass protests

of election results in favour of Marcos forces him into exile

11
February
1987

New Constitution passed

1992

Aquino replaced as President by defence minister Fidel Ramos

1996

Peace agreement signed with Muslim separatist group

1998

Joseph Estrada, former film star, elected President

January
2000

Impeachment trial against Estrada suspended, leading to mass protests

which replace Estrada with Vice-President Gloria Arroyo

April 2001 Estrada found guilty of stealing more than 80 million dollars of state
funds during Presidency, but later pardoned
June 2004 Arroyo elected to Presidency
2005

Arroyo resists attempt to impeach her under allegations of vote-rigging,

declares a state of emergency in response to an alleged military coup

2007-2009 Ethnic tensions mount between Islamic separatist groups and Christian
majority
June 2010 Beningo Noynoy Aquino, son of Corazon Aquino, elected President
*Developed with input from Dr Florangel Braid (former member of the Constitutional Commission)
and Rene Azurin

Bibliography

United States. CIA World Factbook: Philippines. , 2011. Web. 27 Jun 2011.

"Philippines Country Profile." 22/04/2011. BBC News. Web. 27 Jun 2011.

United States Department of State. Background Note: Philippines. , 2011. Web. 27 Jun 2011.

United States Library of Congress. A Country Study: Philippines. , 2011. Web. 27 Jun 2011.

1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines. 1987. Web. 27 Jun 2011.

Maddex, Robert L. Constitutions of the World. 3rd ed. Washington, D.C.: CQ Press, 2008.
Print.

Bacani, Benedicto. Presidential System in the Philippines: Some Issues and Concerns. Web.
8 Jul. 2011.

http://www.constitutionnet.org/country/constitutional-history-philippines

https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/2142663.pdf