THE 1935 PHILIPPINE

CONSTITUTION
1907
• The Philippine Assembly was established
• Filipinization policy of the government was put
in place where Filipinos were given a hand in
running the country.

1916
• The Jones Law also known as the Philippine
Autonomy Act was passed by the US Congress.
The Jones Law
• Reorganized the government with an American
governor-general, a Cabinet, and an all-Filipino
legislature composed of the Senate and House of
Representatives.

October 16, 1916

• The new Philippine legislature was inaugurated with
Sergio Osmena as House Speaker and Manuel
Quezon as Senate President
Commonwealth Government
• “transitional period”

March 24, 1934

• Approval of the Tydings-McDuffie Law or the
Philippine Independence Act by the US Congress

Declaration of the Philippine Independence

• The Commonwealth shall be known as the Republic of
the Philippines.
July 10, 1934
• An election was held to vote
for the delegates to write a
constitution for the
Philippines.

March 23, 1935

• The 1935 Constitution was
approved by US President
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
 THE 1935
CONSTITUTION
• Led by Manuel L. Quezon
who is known as “The Father
of the National Language”
• Enumerated the composition,
powers, and duties of the
three branches of the
government (the executive,
legislative, and judicial)
3 BRANCHES OF
THE PHILIPPINE
GOVERNMENT
 EXECUTIVE
• The executive power is vested in the President of
the Philippines
• The President leads the country. He/she is the
head of state, leader of the national government,
and Commander in Chief of all armed forces of
the Philippines.
• The President hold his office during a term of 4
years together with the Vice-President who were
elected by direct vote of people.
• The returns of every election for the President
and Vice-President is transmitted to the seat of
National Government, directed to the President
of Senate who opens all certificates and count
votes.
• The person who has the highest number of
votes for the position of President and Vice-
President is declared elected.
• The President has the control of all executive
departments, bureaus or offices, exercise
general provision over all local governments.
• The President is the commander in chief of all
armed forces of the Philippines.
 LEGISLATIVE
• The legislative power is vested in a Congress of
the Philippines which consists of a Senate and
House of Representatives.

• The members of legislative department are

authorized to make, alter, and repeal laws.
1. SENATE
• The senate is composed of 24 senators who is
chosen at large by the qualified electors of the
Philippines.
• The term of the senator is 6 years.
• The senator must be a natural born citizen of
the Philippines, age must be at least 35 years
old, a qualified elector, and a resident of the
Philippines for not less than 2 prior to his
election.
2. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
• The House of Representatives is composed of
not more than 120 members who shall be
apportioned among the several provinces as
nearly as may be accorded to the number of
their respective inhabitants but each province
has only one member.
• The House of Representatives has a 4year
term.
 JUDICIAL
• The judicial power is vested in one Supreme
Court and in such inferior courts as may be
established by law.
• The Supreme Court is composed of a Chief
Justice and 10 associate Justices.
• The members of the Supreme Court and all
judges of Inferior courts are appointed by the
President with the consent of the Commission on
Appointments.
• Member of the Supreme Court should be a
citizen of the Philippines for five years, is at
least 40 years of age, and has been a judge of
a court or engaged in the practice of law in
the Philippines.
• The Supreme Court has the power to
promulgate rules concerning pleading,
practice, and procedure in all courts, and the
admission to the practice of law.
 NATIONAL LANGUAGE
• President Manuel L. Quezon was one of the original
champions of developing a national language,
instrumental in the introduction into the 1935
Constitution of the provision that “Congress shall
take steps toward the development and adoption
of a common national language based on one of
the existing native languages.”
• While president of the Commonwealth from 1935 to
1944, Quezon was dismayed to realize that Filipinos
from different regions, provinces and localities had to
speak in a foreign tongue, like English or Spanish, to
understand each other. He forthwith established the
Institute of National Language that recommended
Tagalog as the basis for a national language.
REFERENCES:

Lopez, M. (2012). National Language: Catalyst of unity.

Philippine Star. https://www.philstar.com/other-
sections/starweek-magazine/2012/09/02/844468/national-
language-catalyst-unity

Commission on Elections (2013). 1935 Constitution of the

Republic of the Philippines.
http://www.comelec.gov.ph/?r=References/RelatedLaws/Consti
tution/1935Constitution