WHY IS THE STUDY OF CONSTITUTIONAL LAW IMPORTANT?
Constitutional law is part of our everyday lives. It deals with the fundamental principles by which
the government exercises its authority. As stated in the Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution of 1987,
“sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them.” The success of
the Republic of the Philippines will depend upon the active involvement of public affairs that is why
there is a necessity for the study of Constitution to be realized.
As a Filipino Citizen, the study of the constitution at all levels is a mandate of the constitution
itself. This Constitution is important as it protects our individual freedom and rights. Studying
Constitutional Law would help us connect ourselves to the nation we are having a major role and
obligation with because of the fact that the constitution itself places the government’s power in the
hands of the citizens. The study of this course will allow us to see beyond our initial belief. It will truly
educate us as citizens on our fundamental part of our society. It will also give us the opportunity to
discover our own political beliefs and to see in much greater detail the benefits and disadvantages of the
vast array of political ideologies that are present in the world today. Being able to express what we
believe accurately and concisely is extremely useful and forces us to really look at ourselves.
the Constitution does not simply provide a recipe for an efficient government, but also deals
with limitations on power. Since power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely, a constitution
is established to restrict the abuse of power by those who conduct governmental functions. According
to the Code Commission, the last paragraph of Art. 7 (re: administrative or executive acts) “asserts the
supremacy of law and the Constitution over administrative or executive acts. Though, this is an
undisputed theory, it is wise to formulate it as a clear-cut legal provision by way of a constant reminder
to not a few public officials. The disregard of this principle is one of the main sources of abuse of power
by administrative officials.” (Report of the Code Commission)
It is also important to note that the constitution stands superior to all the laws framed within
the territorial precincts of the country and any law enacted by the ruling government must be in
conformity with the concerned constitution. As such, the citizens would, in turn, be abiding by not just
the law, but also working in sync with the demarcations of the constitution laid by the country.
Furthermore, as stated in the article 3 of the Code Commission, “Ignorance of the law excuses
no one from compliance therewith.” Everyone has the need to know the Constitutional Law. It is actually
what keeps us and our country away from chaos. To know the primary function of a constitution which
is to lay out the basic structure of the government according to the people who are being governed
makes a clear demarcation of the responsibilities assigned to the main organs of the government. It
effectively regulates the relationship between these organs as well as the relationship between the
government and its people.
WHAT IS THE PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION?
According the Wikipedia, the Constitution of the Philippines is the constitution or supreme law
of the Republic of the Philippines. Its final draft was completed by the Constitutional Commission on
October 12, 1986 and was ratified by a nationwide plebiscite on February 2, 1987. Constitution is the
body of rules and maxims in accordance with which the powers of sovereignty are habitually exercised
(Cooley).
The purposes of the Constitution is (1) to pre
