1897 and 1899
PHILIPPINE
CONSTITUTIONS
REPORTED BY:
AMOROSO, MAUREEN MATEO, ROXAN MAE
DALISAY, ATHEA FAY SANGCAP, CHARDELAINE
1897 BIAK-NA-BATO
CONSTITUTION
Emilio Aguinaldo established his headquarters in Biak-na-Bato
in the province of Bulacan
In July 1897, Aguinaldo established the Biak-na-Bato Republic
and issued a proclamation stating the following demands:
1. Expulsion of the friars and the return of the friar lands to
the Filipinos
2. Representation in the Spanish Cortes
3. Freedom of the press and of religion
4. Abolition of the government’s power to banish Filipinos
5. Equality for all before the law.
THE BIAK-NA-BATO CONSTITUTION
• Constitution based on the Cuban Constitution Drafted by Felix Ferrer
and Isabelo Artacho .Signed on November 1, 1897.
• Consists of three documents: The first two documents were signed
on December 14, 1897, and the third being signed on December 15;
effectively ending the Republic of Biak-na-Bato.
• Pedro Paterno served as the negotiator.
• A ceasefire was declared by both camps and an agreement between
Aguinaldo and the Spanish forces were made.
CONDITIONS
The Spanish government will grant SELF-RULE to the Philippines in 3
YEARS if Aguinaldo went to exile in HONG KONG and surrender his
arms. IN EXCHANGE FOR WHAT??
Aguinaldo will receive P800,000 (Mexican Pesos) as remuneration to
the revolutionaries and an amnesty.
Biak-na-Bato failed because……..
• The Filipino’s and the Spaniards did not trust each
other.
• As a result, periodic clashes between the two
groups still took place even after Aguinaldo’s
departure from the country.
• The Spanish did not pay the entire agreed amount.
1899 MALOLOS
CONSTITUTION
After the failure of the reformist movement led by Rizal and Del
Pilar, Andres the 1896-98 Philippine Revolution, culminated
with the inauguration of the Republic on January 23, 1899 at
Barasoain Church in Malolos, Bulacan.
The Malolos Congress earned its place in Philippine history if
only for two achievements:
• the ratification of the declaration of independence on
September 29, 1898 and
• the framing of the Malolos Constitution, which was
promulgated by President Aguinaldo on January 21, 1899.
To its eternal credit, the Malolos Congress, transcended its elite
background by producing a supreme law distinguished for its
democratic and pluralist ideals. These were embodied in the
following provisions:
The distribution of power in three separate branches of
government:
• a legislature which was unicameral- the “Assembly” of elected
representatives;
• the Executive branch, represented by the President supported by
a Cabinet; and
• the Judiciary composed of the Supreme Court, headed by a Chief
Justice to be elected by the Assembly, and lower courts.
The Constitution likewise protected the people against the abuse of
power with a registry of individual and national rights. Most
important, it was imbued with the principle that sovereignty resides
in the people.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?
• The 1897 Biak-na-Bato Constitution was made to form a pact
between Spain and the Philippines while the 1899 Malolos
Constitution was made to showcase a Filipino State whose
government was “popular, representative and responsible”.
• The 1897 Constitution lasted for a month while the 1899
Constitution lasted for 3 years.
• Biak-na-Bato Constitution is a Revolutionary Government
while Malolos Constitution started as a Dictatorial
Government which later become a Revolutionary Government.
• 1897 had brought failure while 1899 had gained achievements.
Sources
• Trinidad, Marcy (2013) . Biak-na-Bato Pact. Philippine History.
https://www.slideshare.net/MarcyTrinidad/biak-na-bato-pact-slideshare
• Kuya Roly (2014). The truce of Biak-na-Bato. Philippines HiStory this Week.
http://ffemagazine.com/philippines-history-this-week-the-truce-of-biak-na-bato/
• Philippine-history organization (2018). The Biak-na Bato Republic. Philippine History
http://www.philippine-history.org/biak-na-bato.htm
• National Historical Commission of the Philippines (2012). The First Philippine Republic.
Republic of the Philippines.
http://nhcp.gov.ph/the-first-philippine-republic/
• Jesoro, Alyanna Jeserence (2011). Maolos Repubic. Philippine History.
https://www.slideshare.net/AlyannaJeserenceJesoro/malolos-republic
• Philippine-history organization (2018). The Philippine Revolutionary Government.
Philippine History.
http://www.philippine-history.org/malolos-congress.htm
