1981 Amendments to the Constitution of the Philippines

Be it resolved by the Batasang Pambansa, sitting as a Constituent Assembly, by a majority vote of all its Members, to propose, as it hereby proposes, the following amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines:

" Article VII of the Constitution of the Philippines is hereby amended to read as follows:

" The President shall be the head of state and chief executive of the Republic of the Philippines.

" No person may be elected President unless he is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, a registered voter, able to read and write, at least fifty years of age on the day of election for President, and a resident of the Philippines for at least ten years immediately preceding such election.

The President shall be elected by direct vote of the people for a term of six years which shall begin at noon on the thirtieth day of June following the day of the election and shall end at noon of the same date six years thereafter when the term of his successor shall begin.

"The returns of every election for President, duly certified by the board of canvassers of each province or city, shall be transmitted to the Speaker at the Batasang Pambansa, who shall, not later than thirty days after the day of the election, and in the presence of the Batasang Pambansa open all the certificates, and the votes shall then be counted.

"The person having the highest number of votes shall be proclaimed elected; but in case two or more shall have an equal and the highest number of votes, one of them shall forthwith be chosen by a majority of all the Members of the Batasang Pambansa in session assembled.

" If, at the time fixed for the beginning of his term, the President-elect shall have died or shall have failed to qualify or if the President shall not have been chosen, the Executive Committee, headed by the Prime Minister, as hereinafter provided, shall exercise the powers and discharge the duties of the President until a President shall have been elected and qualified. If the Batasang Pambansa withdraws its confidence in the Prime Minister, the Speaker shall preside over the Executive Committee. In the absence of an Executive Committee, the Speaker of the Batasang Pambansa shall act as President until a President shall have been elected and qualified.

"In the event of death or failure to qualify as herein provided, the Batasang Pambansa shall call a special election in the manner prescribed in Section 7 hereof.

" The President, on assuming office, shall take the following oath or affirmation:


 * ⁠'I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully and conscientiously fulfill my duties as President of the Philippines, preserve and defend its Constitution, execute its laws, do justice to every man and consecrate myself to the service of the Nation. So help me God.' (In case of affirmation, the last sentence is omitted.)

" (1) The President shall have an official residence and shall receive a compensation to be fixed by law, which shall not be increased or decreased during his term of office. He shall not receive during his tenure any other emolument from the Government or any other source. Until the Batasang Pambansa shall provide otherwise, the President shall receive an annual salary of one hundred thousand pesos.

"(2) The President shall not, during his tenure, hold any other office, practice any profession, participate directly or indirectly in the management of any business, or be financially interested directly or indirectly in any contract with, or in any franchise or special privilege granted by, the Government or any subdivision, agency or instrumentality thereof, including any government-owned or controlled corporation.

" In case of permanent disability, death, removal from office or resignation of the President, the Executive Committee headed by the Prime Minister as hereinafter provided shall exercise the powers of the President until a President shall have been elected and qualified. If the permanent disability, death, removal from office or resignation of the President occurs earlier than eighteen (18) months before the expiration of his term, the Batasang Pambansa shall, within thirty days from the time the vacancy occurs, call a special election to be held not earlier than forty-five days nor later than sixty days from the time of such call, to elect a President to serve the unexpired term.

"In the absence of an Executive Committee, the Speaker shall act as President until the President shall have been elected and qualified.

" The President shall have control of the ministries.

" The President shall be commander-in-chief of all armed forces of the Philippines and, whenever it becomes necessary, he may call out such armed forces to prevent or suppress lawless violence, invasion, insurrection, or rebellion. In case of invasion, insurrection, or rebellion, or imminent danger thereof, when the public safety requires it, he may suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus, or place the Philippines or any part thereof under martial law.

" The President shall appoint the heads of bureaus and offices, the officers of the armed forces of the Philippines from the rank of brigadier general or commodore, and all other officers of the Government whose appointments are not otherwise provided for, and those whom he may be authorized by law to appoint. However, the Batasang Pambansa may by law vest in the Prime Minister, members of the Cabinet, the Executive Committee, courts, heads of agencies, commissions, and boards the power to appoint inferior officers.

" The President may, except in cases of impeachment, grant reprieves, commutations and pardons, remit fines and forfeitures and, with the concurrence of the Batasang Pambansa, grant amnesty.

" The President may contract and guarantee foreign and domestic loans on behalf of the Republic of the Philippines, subject to such limitations as may be provided by law.

" The President shall formulate the guidelines of national policy.

" The President shall address the Batasang Pambansa at the opening of its regular session. He may also appear before it at any other time.

" The President shall be immune from suit during his tenure. Thereafter, no suit whatsoever shall lie for official acts done by him or by others pursuant to his specific orders during his tenure.

"The immunities herein provided shall apply to the incumbent President referred to in Article XVII of this Constitution.

" All powers vested in the President of the Philippines under the 1935 Constitution and the laws of the land which are not herein provided for or conferred upon any official shall be deemed and are hereby vested in the President unless the Batasang Pambansa provides otherwise."

Article VIII of the Constitution of the Philippines is hereby amended to read as follows:

" The Legislative power shall be vested in a Batasang Pambansa.

" The Batasang Pambansa which shall be composed of not more than 200 Members unless otherwise provided by law, shall include representatives elected from the different regions of the Philippines, those elected or selected from various sectors as may be provided by law, and those chosen by the President from the members of the Cabinet. Regional representatives shall be apportioned among the regions in accordance with the number of their respective inhabitants and on the basis of a uniform and progressive ratio.

"The number of representatives from each region and the manner of their election shall be prescribed by law. The number of representatives from each sector and the manner of their election or selection shall be prescribed by law.

" (1) The Members of the Batasang Pambansa shall have a term of six years which shall begin, unless otherwise provided by law, at noon on the thirtieth day of June next following their election.

"(2) In case the Batasang Pambansa is dissolved, the newly elected Members shall serve the unexpired portion of the term from the time the President convokes the Assembly, which shall not be later than thirty days immediately following their election.

" No person shall be a Member of the Batasang Pambansa as a regional representative unless he is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines and, on the day of the election, is at least twenty-five years of age, able to read and write, a registered voter in the Region in which he shall be elected, and a resident thereof for a period of not less than one year immediately preceding the day of the election.

"A sectoral representative shall be a natural-born citizen, able to read and write, and shall have such other qualifications as may be provided by law.

" (1) The regular election of the Members of the Batasang Pambansa shall be held on the second Monday of May 1984 and every six years thereafter.

"(2) In case a vacancy arises in the Batasang Pambansa eighteen months or more before a regular election, the Commission on Elections shall call a special election to be held within sixty days after the vacancy occurs to elect the Member to serve the unexpired term.

" The Batasang Pambansa shall convene once every year on the fourth Monday of July for its regular session, unless a different date is fixed by law, and shall continue to be in session for such number of days as it may determine. However, it may be called to session at any time by the President to consider such subjects or legislation as he may designate.

" (1) The Batasang Pambansa shall, by a majority vote of all its Members, elect its Speaker from the Members thereof. It shall choose such other officers as it may deem necessary.

"(2) A majority of all the Members of the Batasang Pambansa shall constitute a quorum to do business, but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day and may compel the attendance of absent Members in such manner, and under such penalties, as the Batasang Pambansa may provide.

"(3) The Batasang Pambansa may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its Members for disorderly behavior, and with the concurrence of two-thirds of all its Members, suspend or expel a Member, but if the penalty is suspension, this shall not exceed sixty days.

"(4) The Batasang Pambansa shall keep a Journal of its proceedings, and from time to time publish the same, excepting such parts as may, in its judgment, affect national security; and the years and nays on any question shall, at the request of one-fifth of the Members present, be entered in the Journal.

" (1) Unless otherwise provided by law, each Member of the Batasang Pambansa shall receive an annual salary of sixty thousand pesos. The Speaker of the Batasang Pambansa shall receive an annual salary of seventy-five thousand pesos. No increase in salary shall take effect until after the expiration of the term of the Members of the Batasang Pambansa approving such increase.

"(2) The records and books of accounts of the Batasang Pambansa shall be open to the public in accordance with law, and such books shall be audited by the Commission on Audit which shall publish annually the itemized expenditures for each Member.

" A Member of the Batasang Pambansa shall, in all offenses punishable by not more than six years imprisonment, be privileged from arrest during his attendance at its sessions, and in going to and returning from the same; but the Batasang Pambansa shall surrender the Member involved to the custody of the law within twenty-four hours after its adjournment for a recess or for its next session, otherwise such privilege shall cease upon its failure to do so. A Member shall not be questioned nor be held liable in any other place for any speech or debate in the Batasan or in any committee thereof.

" A Member of the Batasang Pambansa shall not hold any other office or employment in the Government, or any subdivision, agency, or instrumentality thereof, including government-owned or controlled corporations, during his tenure except that of Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Member of the Cabinet or the Executive Committee, or Deputy Minister. Neither shall he, during the term for which he was elected, be appointed to any civil office which may have been created or the emoluments thereof increased while he was a Member of the Batasang Pambansa.

" No Member of the Batasang Pambansa shall appear as counsel before any court without appellate jurisdiction, before any court in any civil case wherein the Government, or any subdivision, agency, or instrumentality thereof is the adverse party, or in any criminal case wherein any officer or employee of the Government is accused of an offense committed in relation to his office, or before any administrative body. Neither shall he, directly or indirectly, be interested financially in any contract with, or in any franchise or special privilege granted by the Government, or any subdivision, agency or instrumentality thereof, including any government-owned or controlled corporation, during his term of office. He shall not accept employment to intervene in any cause or matter where he may be called upon to act on account of his office.

" (1) There shall be a question hour at least once a month or as often as the Rules of the Batasang Pambansa may provide, which shall be included in its agenda, during which the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister or any Minister may be required to appear and answer questions and interpellations by Members of the Batasang Pambansa. Written questions shall be submitted to the Speaker at least three days before a scheduled question hour. Interpellations shall not be limited to the written questions, but may cover matters related thereto. The agenda shall specify the subjects of the question hour. When the security of the State so requires and the President so states in writing, the question hour shall be conducted in executive session.

"(2) The Batasang Pambansa or any of its committees may conduct inquiries in aid of legislation in accordance with its duly published rules of procedure. The rights of persons appearing in or affected by such inquiries shall be respected.

" (1) The Batasang Pambansa may withdraw its confidence from the Prime Minister by a majority vote of all its Members. The motion for a vote of no confidence shall be calendared for debate if it is signed by at least one-fifth of the Members of the Batasang Pambansa. No such motion shall be debated and voted upon until after the lapse of seven days after its submission.

"Within ten days from receipt of the written advice of the approval of the motion of no confidence, the President may submit a nominee for a Prime Minister to be elected by the Batasang Pambansa.

"(2) The Prime Minister may advise the President in writing to dissolve the Batasang Pambansa whenever the need arises for a popular vote of confidence on fundamental issues, but not on a matter involving his own personal integrity. Whereupon, the President may dissolve the Batasang Pambansa not earlier than seven nor later than fourteen days from his receipt of the advice, and call for an election on a date set by him which shall not be earlier than forty-five nor later than sixty days from the date of such dissolution. However, no dissolution of the Batasang Pambansa shall take place within eighteen months immediately preceding a regular election of the Batasang Pambansa or within eighteen months immediately following such election, or during the pendency of impeachment proceedings against the President, or when the powers of the President are exercised by the Executive Committee or the Speaker. The Batasang Pambansa shall not be dissolved oftener than once every twelve (12) months.

" (1) Except as otherwise provided in this Constitution, no treaty shall be valid and effective unless concurred in by a majority of all the Members of the Batasang Pambansa.

"(2) The Batasang Pambansa, by a vote of two-thirds of all its Members, shall have the sole power to declare the existence of a state of war.

" In times of war or other national emergency, the Batasang Pambansa may by law authorize the President for a limited period and subject to such restrictions as it may prescribe, to exercise powers necessary and proper to carry out a declared national policy. Unless sooner withdrawn by resolution of the Batasang Pambansa, such powers shall cease upon its next adjournment.

" (1) The Prime Minister shall submit to the Batasang Pambansa within thirty days from the opening of each regular session, as the basis of the general appropriations bill, a budget of receipts based on existing and proposed revenue measures, and of expenditures. The form, content, and manner of preparation of the budget shall be prescribed by law.

"(2) No provision or enactment shall be embraced in the general appropriations bill unless it relates specifically to some particular appropriation therein. Any such provision or enactment shall be limited in its operation to the appropriation to which it relates.

"(3) The procedure in approving appropriations for the Batasang Pambansa shall strictly follow the procedure for approving appropriations for other departments and agencies.

"(4) A special appropriations bill shall specify the purpose for which it is intended, and shall be supported by funds actually available as certified to by the National Treasurer, or to be raised by a corresponding revenue proposal included therein.

"(5) No law shall be passed authorizing any transfer of appropriations; however, the President, the Prime Minister, the Speaker, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and the heads of Constitutional Commissions may by law be authorized to augment any item in the general appropriations law for their respective offices from savings in other items of their respective appropriations.

"(6) If, by the end of any fiscal year, the Batasang Pambansa shall have failed to pass the general appropriations bill for the ensuing fiscal year, the general appropriations law for the preceding fiscal year shall be deemed re-enacted and shall remain in force and effect until the general appropriations bill is passed by the Batasang Pambansa.

" (1) The rule of taxation shall be uniform and equitable. The Batasang Pambansa shall evolve a progressive system of taxation.

"(2) The Batasang Pambansa may by law authorize the President to fix within specified limits, and subject to such limitations and restrictions as it may impose, tariff rates, import and export quotas, tonnage and wharfage dues, and other duties or imposts.

(3) Charitable institutions, churches, personages or convents appurtenant thereto, mosques, and non-profit cemeteries, and all lands, buildings, and improvements actually, directly, and exclusively used for religious or charitable purposes shall be exempt from taxation.

"(4) No law granting any tax exemption shall be passed without the concurrence of a majority of all the Members of the Batasang Pambansa.

" (1) No money shall be paid out of the Treasury except in pursuance of an appropriation made by law.

"(2) No public money or property shall ever be appropriated, applied, paid, or used, directly or indirectly, for the use, benefit, or support of any sect, church, denomination, sectarian institution, or system of religion, or for the use, benefit, or support of any priest, preacher, minister, or other religious teacher or dignitary as such, except when such priest, preacher, minister, or dignitary is assigned to the armed forces, or to any penal institution, or government orphanage or leprosarium.

" (1) Every bill shall embrace only one subject which shall be expressed in the title thereof.

"(2) No bill shall become a law unless it has passed three readings on separate days, and printed copies thereof in its final form have been distributed to the Members three days before its passage, except when the Prime Minister certifies to the necessity of its immediate enactment to meet a public calamity or emergency. Upon the last reading of a bill, no amendment thereto shall be allowed, and the vote thereon shall be taken immediately thereafter, and the yeas and nays entered in the Journal.

" (1) Every bill passed by the Batasang Pambansa shall, before it becomes a law, be presented to the President. If he approves the same, he shall sign it; otherwise, he shall veto it and return the same with his objections to the Batasang Pambansa. The bill may be reconsidered by the Batasang Pambansa and, if approved by two-thirds of all its Members, shall become a law. The President shall act on every bill passed by the Batasang Pambansa within thirty days after the date of receipt thereof; otherwise, it shall become a law as if he had signed it.

"(2) The President shall have the power to veto any particular item or items in an appropriation, revenue, or tariff bill, but the veto shall not affect the item or items to which he does not object."

Article IX of the Constitution of the Philippines is hereby amended to read as follows:

" There shall be a Cabinet which shall be composed of Ministers with or without portfolio appointed by the President. At least a majority of the Members of the Cabinet who are heads of ministries shall come from the Regional Representatives of the Batasang Pambansa.

"The Prime Minister shall be the head of the Cabinet. He shall, upon the nomination of the President from among the Members of the Batasang Pambansa, be elected by a majority of all the Members thereof.

" The Prime Minister and the Cabinet shall be responsible to the Batasang Pambansa for the program of government approved by the President.

" There shall be an Executive Committee to be designated by the President, composed of the Prime Minister as Chairman, and not more than fourteen other members, at least half of whom shall be Members of the Batasang Pambansa. The Executive Committee shall assist the President in the exercise of his powers and functions and in the performance of his duties as he may prescribe.

"The Members of the Executive Committee shall have the same qualifications as those of the Members of the Batasang Pambansa.

" The term of office of the Prime Minister shall commence from the date of his election by the Batasang Pambansa and shall end on the date that the nomination of his successor is submitted by the President to the Batasang Pambansa. Any other member of the Cabinet or the Executive Committee may be removed at the discretion of the President.

" (1) The President may nominate from among the Members of the Batasang Pambansa a Deputy Prime Minister who shall be elected by a majority of the Members thereof. The Deputy Prime Minister shall perform such functions as may be assigned to him by the Prime Minister.

"(2) The President shall also appoint the Deputy Ministers who shall perform such functions as may be assigned to them by law or by the respective heads of ministries.

" The Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, the Members of the Cabinet, and the Members of the Executive Committee, on assuming office, shall take the following oath or affirmation:


 * 'I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully and conscientiously fulfill my duties as (name of position) of the Philippines, preserve and defend its Constitution, execute its laws, do justice to every man and consecrate myself to the service of the Nation. So help me God.' (In case of affirmation, the last sentence will be omitted.)

" The salaries and emoluments of the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Members of the Cabinet and of the Executive Committee shall be fixed by law which shall not be increased or decreased during their tenure of office. Until otherwise provided by law, the Prime Minister shall receive the same salary as that of the President.

" The Prime Minister, the Members of the Cabinet and the Members of the Executive Committee shall be subject to the provisions of Section 11, Article VIII hereof and may not appear as counsel before any court or administrative body, or manage any business, or practice any profession, and shall also be subject to such other disqualifications as may be provided by law.

" The Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, any Member of the Cabinet or the Executive Committee may resign for any cause without vacating his seat as Regional or Sectoral Representative in the Batasang Pambansa, or any other government position.

" The Prime Minister shall have supervision of all ministries."

Sections 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 of Article IX of the Constitution are hereby deleted.

The term "Prime Minister" appearing in Section four of Article X; paragraph (1), Section one of Article XII-B; paragraph (2) of Section one, paragraph 4 of Section two, and Section four of Article XII-C; paragraph (2), Section one of Article XII-D; and Sections one and fifteen of Article XIV of the Constitution shall read as "President".

The term "National Assembly" appearing in Articles XII, XIII, XIV, XV and XVI shall read as "Batasang Pambansa".

Amendment 2 of the Constitution is hereby further amended to read as follows:


 * "2. The interim Batasang Panıbansa shall have the same powers and its Members shall have the same functions, responsibilities, rights, privileges, and disqualifications as the interim National Assembly and the regular National Assembly and the Members thereof."

These amendments shall be valid as part of the Constitution of the Philippines when approved by a majority of the votes cast in a plebiscite to be held pursuant to Section two, Article XVI of the Constitution.

Be it resolved by the Batasang Pambansa, in session assembled as a Constituent Assembly:

Paragraph (1), Section 4 of Subdivision B of Article XII of the Constitution is hereby amended to read as follows:

" (1) Unless otherwise provided by law, no elective official shall be eligible for appointment to any office or position during his tenure, except as Member of the Executive Committee referred to in Section 3, Article IX hereof."

Sections 8, 9, and 10 of Subdivision C of Article XII of the Constitution are hereby amended to read as follows:

" The political parties whose respective candidates for President have obtained the first and second highest number of votes in the last preceding election for President under this Constitution shall be entitled to accreditation if each has obtained at least ten percent (10%) of the total number of votes cast in such election. If the candidates for President obtaining the two highest number of votes do not each obtain at least ten percent (10%) of the total number of votes cast, or in case no election for President shall as yet have been held, the Commission on Elections shall grant accreditation to political parties as may be provided by law.

"No religious sect shall be registered as a political party, and no political party which seeks to achieve its goal through violence shall be entitled to accreditation."

" (1) Bona fide candidates for any public office shall be free from any form of harassment and discrimination.

"(2) Accredited political parties shall be represented in the registration board, board of election inspectors, board of canvassers, or other similar bodies as may be provided by law.

"Accredited political parties may by law be granted other rights or privileges."

" No elective public officer may change his political party affiliation during his term of office, and no candidate for any elective office may change his political party affiliation within six months immediately preceding or following an election, unless otherwise provided by law."