THE 1935

CONSTITUTIO
N

PREAMBLE
The Filipino people, imploring the aid of
Divine Providence, in order to establish a
government that shall embody their ideals,
conserve and develop the patrimony of the
nation, promote the general welfare, and
secure to themselves and their posterity the
blessings of independence under a rgime of
justice, liberty, and democracy, do ordain and

Features:
a) Established

the

Commonwealth

Government
b) Provided a Democratic and Republican
government
c) Inclusion of the Bill of Rights

HISTORY
The 1935 Constitution of the Philippines
served as the fundamental law of the land
from 1935 to 1972. It establishes the
Commonwealth of the Philippines and
provides that upon withdrawal of American
sovereignty in the country and the
declaration of Philippine independence, said
commonwealth shall be known as the

the composition, powers and duties of the

three
branches
of
government
(the
Executive, Legislative and Judicial) and
creates the General Auditing Office and lays
down the framework in the establishment of
the civil service in the country. The
Constitution vests the President with the
veto power on legislative bills and
emergency powers in times of war and other
national emergencies. Also, the Constitution
adopts the Regalian Doctrine or the Principle
of State ownership for all its natural wealth

The draft of the 1935 Constitution,

adopted by the Philippine Constitutional
Convention on 8 February 1935, provides for
a unicameral Legislature and a single sixyear term for the President. The draft was
submitted to US President Franklin D.
Roosevelt on 18 March 1935. He, in turn,
certified that it conforms with Public Act No.
127 which was passed by the U.S. Congress
on 23 March 1935 and forwarded the same
to the Governor General of the Philippine
Islands for ratification of the Filipino people.

On 11 April 1940, the [Philippine] Second

National Assembly adopted Resolution No.
73
proposing
amendments
to
the
Constitution. The amendments provide for
the creation of a bicameral Congress and the
establishment of a Commission on Elections.
It also limits the term of office of the
President to four years, but may continue to
serve as such for a maximum of eight years.

On 11 March 1947, a plebiscite was held for

the purpose of ratifying the proposed
amendment granting US Citizens the right to
the disposition, exploitation, development
and
utilization
of
Philippine
natural
resources (Ordinance Appended to the
Constitution). The amendment passed.

CONSTITUTIONAL
ARTICLES & SECTIONS
ARTICLE
ARTICLE
ARTICLE
ARTICLE
ARTICLE

IThe National Territory

IIDeclaration Of Principles
IIIBill Of Rights
IVCitizenship
VSuffrage

 ARTICLE
ARTICLE
ARTICLE
ARTICLE
ARTICLE
ARTICLE
ARTICLE

VILegislative Department
VIIExecutive Department
VIIIJudicial Department
IXImpeachment
XGeneral Auditing Office
XICivil Service
XIIConservation And
Utilization Of Natural Resources

 ARTICLE
ARTICLE
ARTICLE
ARTICLE

XIIIGeneral Provisions
XIVAmendments
XVTransitory Provisions
XVISpecial Provisions
Effective Upon The Proclamation Of
The Independence Of The Philippines
ARTICLE XVIIThe Commonwealth
And The Republic

ORDINANCE APPENDED TO
THE 1935 CONSTITUTION
Notwithstanding the provisions of section
one, Article Thirteen, and section eight,
Article
Fourteen,
of
the
foregoing
Constitution, during the effectivity of the
Executive Agreement entered into by the
President of the Philippines with the
President of the United States on the fourth
of July, nineteen hundred and forty-six,

bered Seven hundred and thirty-three, but

in no case to extend beyond the third of
July, nineteen hundred and seventy-four, the
disposition, exploitation, development, and
utilization of all agricultural, timber, and
mineral lands of the public domain, waters,
minerals, coal, petroleum, and other
mineral oils, all forces of potential energy,
and other natural resources of the
Philippines, and the operation of public
utilities, if open to any person, be open to
citizens of the United States and to all

rectly or indirectly, by citizens of the United

States in the same manner as to, and under
the same conditions imposed upon, citizens
of the Philippines or corporations or
associations owned or controlled by citizens
of the Philippines.