Declaration of Principles

and State Policies

 Overview
 What principles underlie state
policy in the Philippines?
 What is the content of Article II of
the 1987 Philippine Constitution?
 How should Article II of the
Constitution be understood?
 Article II
 Composed of 28 sections
 Sections 1 through 6 discuss
state principles
 Sections 7 through 28 outline
state policies
PRINCIPLES
 State Principles
 Republican democracy
 Democracy = periodic elections, etc.
 Republicanism = rule through elected
representatives
 Overriding principle:

“Sovereignty resides in the people.”

 State Principles
 Renunciation
of war and
commitment to international law
 Philippines cannot declare war on
another country (offensive)
 The country can only declare an
existing state of war (defensive)
 International law forms part of the
country’s own laws
 State Principles
 Supremacy of civilian authority
 Civilian authority takes precedence
over military authority
 The President is the Commander in
Chief of the Armed Forces
 The Armed Forces exist to protect the
people and the state
 State Principles
 Theprime duty of government is to
serve and protect the people

 Separation of Church and State

 The government cannot establish,
endorse or favor any religion
 This separation shall be inviolable
POLICIES
 State Policies
 Pursuit of an independent foreign
policy
 Recognition of local government
autonomy
 Equal access to public service
 Guarantee for human rights
 Non-absolute ban on nuclear
weapons in the national territory
 State Policies
 Preference
for private-sector led
economic development
 Principle of subsidiarity
 Safeguarding of labor rights
 Rural development and agrarian
reform
 Commitment to social justice
 “Preferential option for the poor”
 State Policies
 Respect for the sanctity of the
family, protection of the unborn and
support for youth development
 Prohibition on divorce
 Prohibition on abortion

 Safeguardingof the rights of

indigenous communities
 State Policies
 Dedication to maintaining the
integrity of the public service
 Taking measures against graft and
corruption
 Freedom of information
 Full public disclosure of government
transactions involving the public
interest
 State Policies
 Prohibition of political dynasties
 To ensure equal access to public
service
 As defined by law

 Encourage the development of civil

society
- end -