Constitutional Convention (Philippines)

A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION, IS ONE OF THE THREE METHODS TO AMEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE PHILIPPINES. THE OTHERS ARE A PEOPLE'S INITIATIVE OR A CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY. ARTICLE XVII, SECTION 3 OF THE CONSTITUTION SAYS, "THE CONGRESS 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 TO THE ELECTORATE THE QUESTION OF CALLING SUCH A CONVENTION.

THE 1987 CONSTITUTION DOES NOT SPECIFY HOW DELEGATES TO A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION SHOULD BE CHOSEN. FOR PAST CONVENTIONS, THE LEGISLATION CALLING FOR THE CONVENTION SPECIFIED HOW THE DELEGATES WOULD BE CHOSEN. IN 1971, UNDER AN EARLIER CONSTITUTION, REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6132 PROVIDED THAT DELEGATES TO A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION WOULD BE ELECTED BY THE NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT, IN A SPECIAL ELECTION.THE 1987 CONSTITUTION SPECIFIES THAT ANY PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE 1987 CONSTITUTION MUST BY RATIFIED BY A MAJORITY OF VOTERS IN A PLEBISCITE.

process of amending or revising the 1987 Constitution has become known as Charter Change.

There have been five constitutional conventions in Philippine history

• TEJEROS CONVENTION (1897)

• Malolos Congress (1899)

• 1934 Constitutional Convention

• 1971 Constitutional Convention 

• 1986 Constitutional Commission

TEJEROS CONVENTION

The Tejeros Convention (alternate names include Tejeros Assembly and Tejeros Congress) was the meeting held between the Magdiwang and Magdalo factions of the Katipunan at San Francisco de Malabon (now General Trias, but the site is now at Rosario), Cavite on March 22, 1897. These are the first presidential and vice presidential elections in Philippine history, although only the Katipuneros (members of the Katipunan) were able to take part, and not the general populace.

Malolos Congress

The Malolos Congress or formally known as the "National Assembly" of representatives was the constituent assembly of the First Philippine Republic. It met at the Barasoain Church in Malolos, Bulacan.It drafted the Malolos Constitution. The Congress was not much more than a decoration."That is to show to the foreign correspondents that we Filipinos are civilized, but the bulk of the work in nation building were done at the Malolos Cathedral by the executive branch of government led by President Emilio Aguinaldo, who was in command of the army fighting the Americans", said attorney Cris Santiago, past president of the historical society of Bulacan (known as Samahang Pangkasaysayan ng Bulacan or Sampaka).

Philippine Constitutional Convention election, 1934

Election of delegates to the 1934 Philippine Constitutional Convention was held on July 10, 1934, in accordance with the Tydings-McDuffie Act. The Convention drafted the 1935 Constitution, which was the basic law of the Philippines under the American-sponsored Commonwealth of the Philippines and the post-War, sovereign Third Republic.

Philippine Constitutional Convention election, 1970

The Constitutional Convention of 1970 was called to change the then Philippine Constitution, written to establish the Commonwealth of the Philippines. A special election was held on November 10, 1970 to elect the delegates.

Former Philippine President Carlos P. Garcia was sworn in as the President of the Constitutional Convention on June 1, 1971. However, he died thirteen days after taking oath. Former President Diosdado Macapagal replaced Garcia. Sotero H. Laurel served as the President Pro-Tempore of the convention.

Other prominent delegates were former Senators Raul Manglapus and Roseller T. Lim. Other delegates would become influential political figures including Hilario Davide, Jr., Marcelo Fernan, Sotero Laurel, Aquilino Pimentel, Jr., Teofisto Guingona, Jr., Raul Roco, Edgardo Angara, Richard Gordon, Margarito Teves and Federico Dela Plana

The work of the Convention was affected by the declaration of martial law in September 1972 by President Ferdinand Marcos. Eventually, on November 29, 1972, the Convention approved the new constitution. It was submitted to a vote in the 1973 constitutional plebiscite. The results of the plebiscite and the legality of the 1973 Constitution was questioned before the Philippine Supreme Court in the Ratification Cases. The constitution was upheld. Marcos would continue to rule as a dictator until being ousted by the People Power Revolution in 1986

Philippine Constitutional Commission of 1986

The Philippine Constitutional Commission of 1986 was the Constitutional convention tasked with drafting the present iteration of the Constitution of the Philippines in 1986.