REPH
REPH
REPH
COMMONWEALTH
CONSTITUTION
● The 1935 Constitution of the Philippines was written in 1934, approved and adopted by the
Commonwealth of the Philippines (1935–1946) and later used by the Third Republic (1946–1972). It was
written with an eye to meeting the approval of the United States Government as well, so as to ensure
that the U.S. would live up to its promise to grant the Philippines independence. It is one of the many
constitutions drafted to govern the government of the Philippines.
● 1935 Constitution was ratified on May 14, 1935.
● The Commonwealth era is the 10 year transitional period in Philippine history from 1935 to 1945 in
preparation for independence from the United States as provided for under the Philippine Independence
Act or more popularly known as the Tydings-McDuffie Law.
Tydings-McDuffie Act, (1934)
Amidst this sad state of affairs, the third commonwealth elections were held on April 23, 1946. Sergio Osmeña and
Manuel Roxas vied for the Presidency. Roxas won thus becoming the last president of the Philippine
Commonwealth. The Commonwealth era formally ended when the United States granted independence to the
Philippines, as scheduled on July 4, 1946.
Important legislations and events during the American period that made the
Philippines a commonwealth of the United States:
United States Congressman Henry Allen Cooper sponsored the Philippine Bill of 1902, also
known as the Cooper Act. The bill proposed the creation and administration of a civil
government in the Philippines. President Theodore Roosevelt signed it into law in July 2,
1902.
was inaugurated on October 16, 1907 at the Manila Grand Opera House, with US
secretary of War William Howard Taft as guest of honor. Sergio Osmeña was elected
Speaker while Manuel Quezon was elected Majority Floor leader. The Recognition of the
Philippine Assembly paved the way for the establishment of the bicameral Philippine
Legislature. The Assembly functioned as the lower House, while the Philippine Commission
served as the upper house.
• Resident Commissioners
Benito Legarda and Pablo Ocampo were the first commissioners. Other Filipinos who occupied this position included
Manuel Quezon, Jaime de Veyra, Teodoro Yangco, Isaro Gabaldon, and Camilo Osias.
One delegation, however, that met with partial success was the Os-Rox Mission, so called
because it was headed by Sergio Osmeña and Manuel Roxas. The Os-Rox group went to the
United States in 1931 and was able to influence the U.S. Congress to pass a pro-independence
bill by Representative Butter Hare, Senator Henry Hawes, and Senator Bronso Cutting. The
Hare-Hawes-Cutting Law provided for a 10-year transition period before the United States
would recognize Philippine independence. U.S. President Herbert Hoover did not sign the bill;
but both Houses of Congress ratified it. When the Os-Rox Mission presented the Hare-Hawes-
Cutting Law to the Philippine Legislature, it was rejected by a the American High
Commissioner representing the US president in the country and the Philippine Senate,
specifically the provision that gave the U.S. president the right to maintain land and other
properties reserved for military use. Manuel Quezon was tasked to head another independence
mission to the united States.
• The Tydings-McDuffie Law
In December 1933, Manuel L. Quezon returned to the Philippines from the United States with a slightly amended
version of the Hare-Hawes-Cutting bill authored by Senator Milliard Tydings and representative McDuffie.
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the new U.S. president, signed it into law on March 24, 1934. The Tydings-
McDuffie Act (officially the Philippine Independence Act of the United States Congress; Public Law 73-127) or
more popularly known as the The Tydings-McDuffie Law provided for the establishment of
the Commonwealth government for a period of ten years preparatory to the granting of Independence. See the full
text of the Tydings-McDuffie Law or Continue to Japanese Occupation, Allied Liberation.
Overview of the events leading to the creation of the 1935 Commonwealth
Constitution:
1.Granting of Independence:
The Tydings-McDuffie Act, also known as the Philippine Independence Act, was passed
by the United States Congress in 1934. This act provided for a transitional period
leading to Philippine independence and laid the groundwork for the establishment of a
Commonwealth government in the Philippines.
2.Commonwealth Government:
The Commonwealth of the Philippines was inaugurated on November 15, 1935, with
Manuel L. Quezon as the first President and Sergio Osmeña as the Vice President. The
Commonwealth government served as an interim administration leading up to full
independence, which was scheduled for 1946.
3.Drafting the Constitution:
The Constitution included a Bill of Rights that guaranteed fundamental freedoms and
protections for Filipino citizens, such as freedom of speech, religion, and assembly, as
well as due process and equal protection under the law.
6. Transition to Independence:
The 1935 Constitution set the stage for the eventual granting of full independence to
the Philippines on July 4, 1946, ending nearly five centuries of colonial rule and
paving the way for the country's development as a sovereign nation.
WHO PROMULGATE THE PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION?
The 1935 Philippine Constitution was promulgated by the members of the Philippine
Constitutional Convention. This convention was tasked with drafting the constitution
for the Commonwealth of the Philippines, which was established as a result of the
Tydings-McDuffie Act passed by the United States Congress.
After several months of deliberations and revisions, the 1935 Philippine Constitution
was completed and officially promulgated on February 8, 1935. It marked a pivotal
moment in Philippine history as it established the framework for self-governance and
paved the way for the eventual attainment of full independence in 1946.
WHY WAS THE PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION RATIFIED IN
1935?
2. Date of Ratification
- The 1935 Constitution was **ratified on May 14, 1935**
- It marked a critical step toward the Philippines' eventual independence.
3. Content Highlights
• Preamble
The Filipino people sought Divine Providence's aid to establish a government embodying their
ideals.
Goals included conserving and developing the nation's patrimony, promoting general welfare, and
securing blessings of independence under a regime of justice, liberty, and democracy.
• National Territory
- The Philippines comprised all territory ceded to the United States by the **Treaty of Paris** in
1898.
- It included limits set forth in Article III of the same treaty and all islands embraced in subsequent
treaties.
• Declaration of Principles:
- The Philippines was declared a **republican state**, with sovereignty residing in the people.
- The defense of the State was a prime duty, and citizens could be required to render military or
civil service.
- The Philippines renounced war as an instrument of national policy.
- Social justice was emphasized for the well-being and economic security of all citizens.
• Bill of Rights
- No person could be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law.
- Equal protection of the laws was guaranteed
In summary, the 1935 Constitution laid the groundwork for an independent Philippines, balancing
national aspirations with the need for U.S. approval during the Commonwealth era.
The 1935 Philippine Constitution was the first constitution of the Philippines as an
independent nation. It was written by the Constitutional Convention of 1934 and
ratified by a plebiscite on May 14, 1935. It established the Philippine
Commonwealth, a political system similar to the American one, with a President, a
bicameral Congress, and an independent Judiciary. It came into effect on November
15, 1935 and lasted until 1973.
The preamble of the 1935 Philippine Constitution is the introductory statement that
expresses the aspirations and ideals of the Filipino people12. It invokes the aid of
Divine Providence and declares the purpose of establishing a government that shall
embody their ideals, conserve and develop the nation's patrimony, promote the general
welfare, and secure the blessings of independence under a regime of justice, liberty,
and democracy12.
REFERENCES;
• https://www.bing.com/search?q=TYDINGS+MCDUFFIE+LAW&qs
• https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/constitutions/the-1935-constitution/?fbclid=
• https://www.bing.com/search?pglt=41&q=HISTORY+OF+THE+1935+COMMONWEALTH+CONSTIT
UTION
• https://www.bing.com/search?pglt=41&q=HISTORY+OF+THE+1935+COMMONWEALTH+CONSTIT
UTION
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