PHILIPPINE HISTORY, GOVERNMENT AND CONSTITUTION

Prepared by: Mr. Jerson G. Madrona

Prelim
THE FOUNDATIONS OF PHILIPPINE HISTORY

products of events that have taken

place such as a birth certificate,
diploma, diary, and transcripts. They
also offer an inside view of a particular
event. Secondary sources, on the other
hand, are materials that interpret and
analyze primary sources like newspaper
articles,
history
textbook,
and
magazines.

History

It is a discipline which deals with the study

of significant events in the past in order to
ascertain the truth.
It refers to the study of chronological
events that happened in the past. It is also a
descriptive study of recorded events.
It is the study of texts which are presented
in narrative form. Its scope is somehow
related to anthropology because it
examines relics and things that occurred
and used in the past.
It is not only about facts which happened in
the past but also about how people
interpret those facts. Thus, it is a very
contentious field of study.

These materials include folklores,

legends, myths, and others.

Artistic production refer to historical

sources that are in the form of visual arts
and the like such as paintings, woven
tapestries, sketches, carvings, engravings,
and others.

Electronic data refer to historical sources

that can be acquired from films,
documentaries, television shows, computer
data, and others.

Relics and remains refer to historical

sources that can be extracted from
artifacts, fossils, bones, potteries, language,
traditions, buildings, and others .

Purposes of Studying History

It narrates the events that happened in the

past in order to understand the present and
somehow predict and/or influence the
future.
It helps us understand people and societies
because it offers a wide range of
information on how people and societies
behave.
It teaches us to appreciate our heritage in a
broad perspective. Heritage is also known
as a legacy which was passed on by our
forefathers. Appreciating our heritage is
also a way of being grateful for the
nationalistic efforts of our forebears.
It enables us to think critically. As we
discover the events that transpired in the
past, we tend to relate them with the issues
of the present. This enhances our ability to
evaluate the concerns of our period.

Sources of Historical Data

Orally transmitted materials refer to

unwritten historical accounts which are
often passed on from generation to
generation through word of mouth.

Criticisms of Historical Sources

External Criticism
It examines the authenticity of a source by focusing
on the physical attributes of the recovered materials.
This includes carbon dating and handwriting
analysis.
Internal Criticism

Written sources refer to recorded events

through manuscripts, testaments, wills,
newspaper articles, diaries, contracts,
books, etc.

It verifies the authenticity of the information by

focusing on the materials language consistency and
historical reliability (through eyewitness evidences,
indirect witnesses, and oral tradition).

These sources may either be primary or

secondary. Primary sources are by-

Causative Interpretations of History

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PHILIPPINE HISTORY, GOVERNMENT AND CONSTITUTION

Prepared by: Mr. Jerson G. Madrona
Prelim
The Philippine Natural Resources

Greeks and Romans believed that events in

history are determined and controlled by
destiny. They are written on fate and
people have no way to do something about
it.
Christians believed that all historical events
lead to the universality of a true religion.
The Bible, for example, contains a great
deal of history of Christs teachings. For
Christians, the narration of historical events
in the Bible is accurate.
Francois-Marie Arouet also known as
Voltaire, a French Enlightenment writer,
historian, and philosopher, believed that
historical events unfold not because of a
divine entity but are the results of chance
and luck/misfortune.
Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, a German
philosopher, stated that the continuity of
historical events is brought about by a
dominant and inferior idea.
Charles Darwin, an English naturalist and
author of the book On the Origin of the
Species, related the theory of survival in
the animal kingdom to history in which he
believed that the rule of the survival of the
fittest applies
and that acquired
characteristics of society are passed on to
succeeding generations.

The Philippines largely depends on

agricultural crops and products since
there are 8,400,000 hectares of land in
the country that can be used for
agricultural purposes.
The Philippines is blessed with fertile
lands that are yet to be developed.

The Philippines surrounding seas have

brought prestige in the country
because it dwells the worlds largest
fish (Rheneodon typus) and the worlds
smallest fish (Pandaka pygmaea). In
addition, the so-called Glory of the
Sea, the rarest and most expensive
shell, is found in the Philippine
archipelago.

Two types of change

Aside from palay as the main

agricultural crop, fish is one of the
staple foods of the Filipinos.

Quantitative Changes These refer to

changes that can be measured. They
include growth in the economy, literacy
rate, and poverty incidents, among others.

There are a total of 174,000 hectares of

fish farms and aquaculture spaces in
the Philippines. Aquaculture refers to
the farming of marine organisms that
seeks to discover scientific and
practical ways to develop this particular
industry.

Qualitative Changes These refer to the

modification of the characteristics, traits,
and attributes of particular person or entity.
They include changes in the quality of life,
voting behavior of the people, and buying
attitude of the consumers.

The common marine products in the

Philippines include milk fish, mussels
(tahong), shrimp, and oyster.

THE PHILIPPINE GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES

The Countrys Natural Wealth
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The primary agricultural crops in the

Philippines are rice, corn, sweet potato,
sugar cane, coffee, tobacco, and abaca,
among others.
Fish and Marine Resources
The Philippines is surrounded by seas
and other inland waters. Thus, fishing is
one the primary industries in the
Philippines.

CHANGE

Land Resources

Mineral Resources

PHILIPPINE HISTORY, GOVERNMENT AND CONSTITUTION

Prepared by: Mr. Jerson G. Madrona
Prelim
The Philippines mineral resources are
the source of other countrys economic
development (through raw materials)
like the United States.
The countrys mineral exports can be
classified as metal and non-metal.
Examples of metallic minerals include
gold, silver, and copper. Non-metallic
minerals, on the other hand, include
asphalt, carbon, cement, and silica.
There are also oil explorations in the
Philippines and one of them is in
Palawan where oil firms extract as much
as 10,000 BPD (barrel per day).

Ocean. Other remnants of this lost

continent are the Pacific islands, Borneo,
Marianas, Java, Sumatra, and Celebes.

Pacific or Magmatic Theory This theory

states that the Philippine archipelago came
about due to volcanic eruptions beneath
the ocean. The lava produced by successive
eruptions piled up and became the
Philippine islands. This theory adds that the
rocks, which include the cores of the
countrys mountain systems of today, are
similar to the rocks found beneath the
ocean.

Asiatic Theory This theory states that the

Philippines was a part of the Asian
continent through land bridges. These land
bridges were submerged in water due to
the melting of ice at the end of the Ice Age.
As a result, the Philippine islands were
detached to the main Asian continent.

Forest Resources
The forest resource of the country
performs many important functions.
Among them are as follows:

Source of water, energy, fuel, food,

wood, and other raw materials for
industrial and domestic use.

Provides protection against soil

erosion, floods, drought, and
pollution.

Serves as a sanctuary for a wide

variety of birds, animals, and plants.

The Philippine forest offers 3,500

varieties of trees. The Philippines
tropical climate (which is only comprised
of wet and dry seasons) may be a
significant factor in the growth of
Philippine forests.
The Philippine forest is the major
producer of Philippine wood (such as the
Philippine
Rosewood,
Philippine
Mahogany,
Bagtican Southern
Mahogany, Acacia, Narra, etc.), which is
known for its quality and sturdiness.
Theories on the Origin of the Philippines

Mu or Lemuria Theory This theory states

that the Philippines came from a lost
continent named Mu located in the Pacific
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The Countrys Geography

Strategic Location

The Philippines is located in the Southeast

Asian region.

It has the following coordinates: 4 30 N

o
o
and 21 20 north latitude and 116 55 E and
o
126 36 east longitude or 13 00 N, 122 00 E
according to the CIA World Factbook

Latitude is an imaginary line that

originates from eastern to western part
of the Earth. It measures the distance
of a specific location/point from the
equator. This specifies whether a
country is located north or south of the
equator.

The equator is also an

imaginary line that equally
divides the Earth into the
Northern Hemisphere and
Southern Hemisphere.

Longitude is an imaginary line that

originates from the northern to
southern part of the globe. It measures

PHILIPPINE HISTORY, GOVERNMENT AND CONSTITUTION

Prepared by: Mr. Jerson G. Madrona
Prelim
the distance of a specific location/point
from prime meridian.

As to size, the Philippines measures

300,242.943 square kilometers (or 115,830
square miles). Given the figures, it can be
said that the Philippines is:

The prime meridian is also an

imaginary line that equally
divides the Earth into Eastern
and Western Hemisphere.

larger than Great Britain,

Yugoslavia, New Zealand, and
Ecuador,
a little smaller than Spain or
Poland,
twice larger than Cuba and
Greece, and
about as large as Italy.

The Philippines is bounded on the north and

the west by the West Philippine Sea (former
South China Sea), on the east by the Pacific
Ocean, and on the south by the Celebes Sea
and the Sulu Sea.
The northernmost point of the Philippines is
YAmi Isle which is about 78 miles from
Taiwan while the southernmost point is
Saluag Isles, which is only 34 miles east of
Borneo.

The 17 Regions in the Philippines

Region I (Ilocos Region) Ilocos Norte,

Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan
Region II (Cagayan Valley) Batanes,
Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino
Region III (Central Luzon) Aurora, Bataan,
Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac,
Zambales, Angeles City, Olongapo City
Region IV-A (CALABARZON) Batangas,
Cavite, Laguna, Quezon, Rizal, Lucena City
Region IV-B (MIMAROPA) Marinduque,
Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro,
Palawan, Romblon, Puerto Princesa City
(Capital)

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Region V (Bicol Region) Albay, Camarines

Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes,
Masbate, Sorsogon
Region VI (Western Visayas) Aklan,
Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, Iloilo City
(Capital), Negros Occidental, Bacolod City
(Capital)
Region VII (Central Visayas) Bohol, Cebu,
Cebu City (Capital), Lapu-lapu City (Capital),
Mandaue City, Negros Oriental, Siquijor
Region VIII (Eastern Visayas) Biliran,
Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar,
Samar (Western Samar), Southern Leyte,
Tacloban City
Region IX (Zamboanga Peninsula)
Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur,
Zamboanga City, Zamboanga Sibugay,
Zamboanga City, City of Isabela
Region X (Northern Mindanao) Bukidnon,
Camiguin, Lanao del Norte, Iligan City,
Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental,
Cagayan De Oro City (Capital)
Region XI (Davao Region) Compostela
Valley, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur,
Davao Oriental, Davao City,
Region XII (SOCCSKSARGEN) North
Cotabato, Saranggani, South Cotabato,
Sultan Kudarat, General Santos City
(Dadiangas), Cotabato City
Region XIII (CARAGA) Agusan del Norte,
Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Surigao
del Sur, Butuan City, Dinagat Islands,
ARMM (Autonomous Region of Muslim
Mindanao) Basilan, Lanao del Sur,
Maguindanao, Sulu, Tawi -Tawi
NCR (National Capital Region) Kalookan
City, Las Pias City, Makati City, Malabon
City, Mandaluyong City, City of Manila,
Marikina City, Muntinlupa City, Navotas
City, Paraaque City, Pasay City, Pasig City,
Pateros, Quezon City, San Juan City, Taguig
City, Valenzuela City

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Constitution
Constitution In a Philippine context, its a written
instrument enacted by the direct action of the
people by which the fundamental powers of the
government are established, limited and defined,

PHILIPPINE HISTORY, GOVERNMENT AND CONSTITUTION

Prepared by: Mr. Jerson G. Madrona
Prelim
and by which those powes are distributed among
the several departments for their safe and useful
exercise for the benefit of the body politic.

A. Natural Physical Laws - these are laws that govern

animate and inanimate creatures such as the:
- Laws of Physics

-On its broadest sense, is the organic and

fundamental law of a nation or state, which may be
written or unwritten, establishing the character and
conception of its government, laying the basic
principles to which its internal life is to be

B. Natural Moral Laws - these are laws that govern

conformed.

man who is an intelligent and free being.

Supremacy of the constitution

2. Positive Laws - these are laws that are made

either by god or man after creation.

- The constitution is the supreme law to which all

other laws must conform and inaccordance with
which all private rights must be determined and a ll
public authority administered. thus, if a law or
contract violates any norm of the constitution, that
law or contract wheher promulagated by the
legislative or by the executive branch or entered into
private persons for private purposes is null and void

- Laws of Chemistry
- Laws of Biology

A. Positive Divine Laws - these are laws that god

gave after creation.
B. Positive Human Laws - these are the laws made
by man. depending upon what authority made these
laws, positive human laws may be divided into:

and without any force and effect.

1. Ecclesiastical Laws - these are made by the

authorities of the church. for roman catholic these

Nature and purpose of the Constitution

are contained in the code f canon law.

- As the supreme law of the land it establishes the

government and prescribes a permanent framework
of a system of that government so established.

2. Civil Laws - these are made by the authorities of

- Assigns to several departments of the government

their respective powers and duties.

the state/government.
2.1 Public Laws - these are the laws that govern the
relations of the state with its subject. These are
subdivided into:

government is to exercise its powers.

2.1.1 Political Law deals with the organization and

operation of the government organs of the state and
defines the relations of the state with the

- Balances the powers of government with the civil

inhabitants of its territory.

- Establishes certain first principles on which the

liberties of its citizens.

- Promotes the common good of the people.
Nature and scope of Constitutional Law
- Eternal Law- is the will of god in creating and
guiding the universe to its final end. for unbeliever,
eternal law may be called the universal law.
Eternal Law may be divided into:
1. Natural Law - which is the law imprinted by god in
every creature upon creation can be divided into:
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2.1.2 Constitutional Law - study of the proper

balance between authority as represented by the
three inherent powers of the state and liberty as
guaranteed by the bill of rights.
2.2 Private Laws are concerned with the relations
of individuals with one another for purely private
ends.
- Civil Law and Procedure
- Commercial Law

PHILIPPINE HISTORY, GOVERNMENT AND CONSTITUTION

Prepared by: Mr. Jerson G. Madrona
Prelim
discovering and expounding the meaning
and intention of the authors of the law with
respect to its application to a given case,
where the intention is rendered doubtful,
amongst others by reason of the fact that
the given case is not explicitly provided for
in the law. (through the use of extrinsic
aids)

- Conflict of Laws
Kinds of Constitution
1.

2.

3.

As to their origin and history.

1.1 Conventional or Enacted one which is
either enacted by a constituent
assembly or granted by a sovereign. Ex:
Constitution of Japan
1.2 Cumulative or Evolved one which is
the product of a long history of usage
by customs, traditions, judicial
decisions. Rather than by a deliberate
and formal enactment. Ex: Constitution
of England.
As to their form
2.1 Written one which has been put into
writing at a definite period of time by a
specially constituted authority called
constitutional assembly.
2.2 Unwritten they are not written in one
single instrument but in several
instrument composed separately and
at different periods of time in the
history of the state as they are
contained in the customs, traditions
and judicial decisions.
As to manner of amending them
3.1 Rigid or inelastic because of the
special place which it occupies as the
supreme law of the land, it is
considered sacred and thus not to be
tampered with or changed except by
following some rules of procedure
more cumbrous than that of an
ordinary statute or law.
3.2 Flexible or elastic this happens where
the constitution is treated as any
ordinary law and thus could be
changed or altered as any other law.
Construction and Interpretation

Construction is the art or process of

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Interpretation is limited to the

exploration
of
the
written
text
itself.(through the use of intrinsic aids)
Preamble
We, the sovereign filipino people
emploring the aid of almighty god, in order
to build a just and humane society and
establish a government that shall embody
our ideals and aspirations, promote the
common good, conserve and develop our
patrimony and secure to our selves and our
posterity the blessings of independence and
democracy under the rule of law, and a
regime of truth justice freedom love
equality and peace do ordain and
promulgate this constitutiton.

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