ARTICLE I: NATIONAL TERRITORY
Archipelago - from Greek word pelagos, meaning “sea” or “part of a sea studded with islands”. It
includes both sea and land which geographically may be considered as an independent whole.
Philippines territory consist of its Terrestrial, Fluvial and Aerial Domains
Territorial Sea - part of the sea extending 12 nautical miles (19kms) from the low watermark. Also
known as “marginal sea”, “marine belt”.
• The seabed (sea floor or sea bottom) - land that holds the sea, lying beyond the sea shore,
including mineral and natural resources.
• Subsoil - refers to everything beneath the surface soil and the seabed including mineral and
natural resources.
• Insular Shelves - submerged portion of a continent or offshore island, which slope gently
seaward.
ARTICLE II: DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES AND STATE POLICY
Section I: The Philippine is a democratic and Republican State.
Republican Government - democratic government by representatives chosen by the people at
large
Manifestation of a Democratic and Republican State
1. Existence of Bill of Rights (Art.III)
2. Observance of the rule of Majority
3. Observance of the principles that ours is a government of laws and not of men.
4. Presence of election through popular will.
5. Observance of the principles of separation of powers and the system of checks and balances.
6. Observance of the principles that the legislature cannot pass irreparable laws
7. Observance on the law on public officers
8. Observance of the principles that the State cannot be sued without its consent
Sovereignty
• Implies the supreme authority to govern
• Can be exercised directly through public officials
• Can be exercised indirectly through suffrage
Right of People to Revolt
• People as the ultimate judges of their destiny, can resort to revolution as a matter of right.
Section 2: The Philippines renounces war as an instrument of national policy
International Laws - refers to the body of rules and principles w/c governs the relations of nations
and their respective people in their intercourse with one another.
Section 3: Civilian authority is, at all times, supreme over the military
• Armed Forces of the Philippines - protector of the people and the State. The goal is to secure
the sovereignty of the State and the integrity of the national territory
Supremacy of Civilian Authority over the Military
1. Inherent in a republican system - the idea of the supremacy of civilian authority. The highest of
such authority being the President
2. Safeguard against military dictatorship - a civilian, the President is the commander in chief of all
armed forces of the Philippines
Section 4: The prime duty of the Government is to serve and protect the people.
Military and Civil Defense by the People
1. Defense of State performed by the people - the duty of the government and the people to
defend the State, cannot be performed except through an army.
2. Compulsory - citizen may be compelled to render personal military or civil service .
3. Civil Service - refers to any service for the defense of the State other than as soldiers, like as
workers in ammunition factories
4. Personal - one cannot render the service required through another. The service must be
“personal”.
5. By Law - the phrase “ under conditions provided by law” is intended to prevent arbitrariness on
the part of certain officials to require military or civil service.
Role of women in nation building
1. Proven capabilities of Filipino women
2. Expansion of women’s role
3. Equality of men before the law
Equal access to opportunities for public service
• Limitation of term of office
• Prohibition of political dynasties
• Prohibition constitutionally mandated
Section 5: The maintenance of peace and order, the protection of life, liberty, and property.
Section 6: The separation of Church and State shall be inviolable.
Section 7: The State shall pursue an independent foreign policy.
Foreign Policy - is the basic direction underlying the conduct by a state of its affairs vis-à-vis those
of other States.
Section 8: Freedom from nuclear weapons in its territory.
Section 9: The State shall promote a just and dynamic social order.
Section 10: The State shall promote social justice.
Social Justice - state must give preferential attention to the welfare of the less fortunate members of
the community.
Section 11: The State values the dignity and guarantees full respect for human rights.
Section 12: The State recognizes the sanctity of family life.
Family - as the basic autonomous social institution
• Right to life of the unborn from conception and of the mother.
• Rearing of the youth for civic efficiency and development of moral character
1. duty both of parents and government
2. right of State to interfere with education of children
3. power of state to regulate all schools
4. State and parental obligation
5. duty of the State to encourage educational institutions
Section 13: State recognize the vital role of the youth for Nation Building.
Section 14: The State recognizes the role of women in nation-building, and shall ensure the
fundamental equality before the law of women and men.

Role of women in nation building
1. Proven capabilities of Filipino women - history shows that our women past and present, have
ably proven their capabilities in all fields of human endeavors.
2. Expansion of women’s role - the constitution gives recognition to the role Filipino women have
played and continue to play as partners in the task of nation building.
3. Equality of men before the law - Men and women are fundamentally equal. As a rule, women has
narrower occupational choices and have lower earnings than men.
Section 15: The right to health of the people and instil health consciousness among them.
Health - is the state of physical social and mental well-being rather than merely the absence of
physical disease.
Section 16: The right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm
and harmony of nature.
Ecology - branch of science that deals with the study of the interrelationships of living things and
their environment
Section 17: The State shall give priority to education, science and technology, arts, culture, and
sports.
Section 18: The State affirms labor as a primary social economic force.
Section 19: The State shall develop a self-reliant and independent national economy effectively
controlled by Filipinos.
Section 20: The State recognizes the indispensable role of the private sector, encourages private
enterprise, and provides incentives to needed investments.
Section 21: The State shall promote comprehensive rural development and agrarian reform.
Comprehensive rural Development - covers all phases of rural development - economic, social,
political, cultural and industrial
Section 22: The State recognizes and promotes the rights of indigenous cultural communities within
the framework of national unity and development.
Indigenous cultural community - refers to those non-dominant group w/c possess and wish to
preserve characteristic markedly different from the rest of the population.
Ex: Ethnic, religious and linguistic traditions
Section 23: The State shall encourage non-governmental, community-based, or sectoral
organizations that promote the welfare of the nation.
Section 24: The State recognizes the vital role of communication and information in nation-building.
Section 25: The State shall ensure the autonomy of local governments.
Section 26: The State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service, and prohibit
political dynasties as may be defined by law.
Equal access to opportunities for public service
• Limitation of the term - enhance equal access to political opportunities
• Prohibition of political dynasties - expresses a national commitment to democratize elections and
appointment to positions in the government
• Prohibition constitutionally mandated
Section 27: The State shall maintain honesty and integrity in the public service and take positive
and effective measures against graft and corruption.
Section 28: Subject to reasonable conditions prescribed by law, the State adopts and implements a
policy of full public disclosure of all its transactions involving public interest.
ARTICLE III: BILL OF RIGHTS
Bill of rights - may be defined as a declaration and enumeration of a persons right and privileges
which the constitution designed to protect against violations by the government or by an individual
or groups of individuals.
Example: right to receive a minimum wage and the right to adopt a child by an unrelated person.
Classes of Rights
1. Natural Rights - Rights posses by every citizen without being granted by the state for they are
given to man by God as human being created to his image.
2. Constitutional Rights - Rights which are conferred by the constitution.
3. Statutory Rights - Rights which are provided by laws by the law making body and consequently
maybe abolish by the same body.
Classification of Constitutional Rights
1. Political Rights - Gives the citizen the power to participate directly or indirectly.
2. Civil Rights - Rights which the law enforce. Includes the rights to due process and equal
protection of the law.
3. Social and Economic Rights - Includes the right which are intended to insure the well-being and
economic security of the individual.
4. Rights of the Accused - Civil rights intended for the protection of the person accused of any
crime. Like the right to presumption of innocence.
Due Process of Law - a law or a policy that hears before it condemns, a principle of fair play.
Aspects of Due Process of Law
1. Procedural Due Process - refers to the method or manner by which the law is enforced.
2. Substantive Due Process - requires that the law itself not merely the procedure by which the law
would be enforced is fair, reasonable, and just.
Procedural Due Process
1. Judicial Proceedings Requisite
• An impartial court clothed by law with authority to hear and determine the matter before it
• Jurisdiction lawfully acquired over the person of the defendant or property w/c is the subject
matter of the proceedings
• Opportunity to be heard given the defendant
• Judgment to be rendered after lawful hearing
2. Administrative Proceedings - notice and hearing may be dispensed with, where because of
public need or for practical reasons, the same is not feasible.
Substantive Due Process - Law requires that the law in question affecting life, liberty or property be
a valid law.
Life - means something more than mere animal existence.
Liberty – denotes merely freedom from physical restraint. It also embraces the rights of man to use
his faculties with which he has been endowed by his Creator.
Property – may refer to the thing itself or the right over a thing.
Equal protection of the law – signifies that “all persons subject to legislation should be treated
alike, under like circumstances and conditions both in the privileges conferred and liabilities
imposed”.