Unit plan on the Constitution

Title

Creator

Fabicon, James E.

Language

English

Year

1958

Subject

Lesson planning.

Curriculum.

Philippines. Constitutions.

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Abstract

How was the Constitution drafted and ratified? Why is the Constitution the Fundamental Law of the land? Why are the Preamble and the Important Articles of the Constitution significant?

Fulltext

Unit Plan on the Constitution Uuit: The Constitution of the Philippines Sub-units: The Historical Background of the Philippine Constitution - Its Important Articles and Their Significal'lce Problems: How was the Constitution drafted and ratified? Why is the C~mstilution the Fundamental Law of the land? Why are the Preamble and the Important Articles of the Constitution significant? I. General Objectives: l A. 'to understand how the constitutional convention was called to make a constitution for the Philippines. B. To help disseminate correct information on how the Constitution was drafted and ratified. C. To know the significance of the pertinent articles of our Constitution. II. Specific Objectives: A. Knowledge and Understanding 1 . To know and understand a. how the delegates to the constitutional convention wei·e selected. "On July 10, 1934, the election of 202 delegates to the convention was held. The people of the Philippines went to the polls to vote for their respective candidates." b. the officers of the convention elected by the delegates. "On July 30, 1934, the constitutional convention was inaugurated at .the Legislative Building, Manila. In the inaugural session the following officers were elected by the delegates: Claro M. Recto, President; Ru. perto Montinola, First Vice-President; Teodoro Sandiko, Second Vice-President; Narciso Pimentel, Secretary; and Narciso Diokno, Sergeant-at-arms." c. what compose the delegates to the Constitutional Convention. "Most of the clelegates to the convention have gone to college. Many of them were educators, physicians, lawyers, writers, busJANUARY, 1958 By James E. F ab icon inessmen and .s::holars. One member was a Moro sultan; one was a Protestant pastor; and another was an Aglipayan bishop. Most of the delegates were Catholics." · "The youngest member \Vas \Venceslao Q. Vinsons, who \Vas below 25 years old; and the oldest member was Teodoro Sandiko, who was 74 years old. Jose Alejandrino and Teodoro Sandiko were olcl and intimate friends of Dr. Jose Rizal. They have been • members of the Malolos Congress ancl hacl been signers of the Malolos Constitution. Among the prominent political figures of the convention were Manuel A. Roxas, who had been speaker of the House of Representatives; Jose P. Laurel, who had been senator and Secretary of the Interior; Camilo Osias, who had been Resident Commissioner to the United States; and Rafael Palma, who had been sena~or and Secretary of the Interior. One prominent member was Norberto Romualdez, who had been associate justice of the Supreme Court. cl. how the draft of the constitution was made. The draft of the constitution was made by a Sub-Committee of seven. This body was composed of Felimon Sotto (Chairman), Manuel A. Roxas, Conrado Benitez, Manuel C. Briones, Miguel Cuaderno, Norberto Romualdez, and Vicente Singson Encarnacion. e. how the Constitution was approved and signed by the delegates. "On February 8, 1935, the Constitution was approved by the convention by a vote of 177 to 1, and was signed eleven clays later amidst i.mpressive ceremonies. One delegate, Gregorio Perfecto, signed it in his own blood like a Katipunero in the good old clays of the Revolution." f. how the Constitution was ratified. "On March 23, 1935, the Constitution was approved by President Franklin D. Roosevelt of the United States. It was later on ratified by the Filipino people. On May 14, 1935, a plebiscite was held in our counPAGE 41 try. Our voters wcnt·to the polls to approve or rejed the~ Com;titution. The result vvas favorable - 1,21:1,0J(j vote:~ "·ere cast in favor _of the Constitution and only 44,963 votes were cast against it. Our Constitution . was formally approved by the people." g. what consists our Constitution. Our Constitution orginally consisted of a preamble and 17 articles. The Preamble which expresses the noble ideals of our nation reads as follows: "The Filipino people, imploring the aid of the Divine Providence, in order to estab. lish a government that shall embody their ideals, conserve· and develop the patrimony of the nation, promote the general \velfare, and secure to themselves and their posterity the blessings of independence under a regime of justiqe, libert~', and democracy, do ordain and promulgate this Constitution." The seventeen articles pertain to the following: (1) National Territory, (2) Decla1;ation of Principles, ( 3) Bill of Rights, ( 4) "Filipino Citizenship, (5) Suffrage,• (G) Legislative Department, (7) Executive Department, ( 8) Judicial Department, ( 9) Impeachment, (10) General Auditing O'ffice, (11) Civil Service, (12) Conservation and Utilization of Natural Resources, (13) General Provisions, ( 14) Amendments, (15) Transitory Provisions, (16) Special Provisions, effective upon the proclamation of the independence of the_ Philippines, and (17) the Commonwealth and the Republic. h. what comprises the territory of the Philippines as embodied in our Constitution. "The Philippines comprises all the territory cede<,l to the Unitecl States by the· Treaty of Paris concluded between the United States and Spain on the tenth day of Decembe1-, eighteen hundred and ninetyeight, the limits of which are set forth in Article II of said treaty, together with all the islanr!s embraced in the territory .. concluded at Washington, between the Unitecl States and Spain on the seventh day of November, nineteen hundred, and in the treaty concluded between the United States and Great Britain on the second day of January, nineteen hundred and thirty, and all the tei:ritory m'er which the present Government of the Philippine Islands exercises ju- · risdiction." - (Art. I, Sec. 1 of the Consti'tution). i. the jmportant points embodied in the "Bill of Rights''. PAGE 42 (1) Due process of law.· (2) Eminent. Domain ( 3) The right of the people against unreasonable searches and seizures (4) Liberty of abode (5) Privacy of Communication (G) Right to form associations (7) Freedom of Religion (8) Freedom of Speech (9) N01i-acceptance and non enactment of the title of nobility. (10) No involuntary servitude shall exist . (11) Non-imprisonment for debt. (12) No person shall be twice put in jeopardy of punishment. ( rn) Free access to the courts. j. who are the citizens of the Philippines. 1. Those who are citizens of the Philippine Islands at the time of the adoption of the Constitution. 2. Those born in the Philippine Islands of foreign parents who, -before the adoption of the Constitution, had been elected to public office in the Philippine Islands; 3. Those. whose fathers are citizens· of the Philippines. ' 4. Those whose mothers are citizens of the Philippines and; upon reaching the ~ge of majority, elect Philippine citizenship. :J. Those who are naturalized in accordance with law. (Art. IV, se·c. l of the Constitution) k. where the Legislative, Executive and .Judicial Powers are vested. "The Legislative power shall be vested in a Congress of the Philippines, which shall rnnsist of a Senate and a House of Repre::;entatives." (Art. VI, Sec. 1) . "The Executive power shall be vested in a Presiflent of the Philippines." (Art. VfI, Sec. 1) '· wrhe Judiuial power shall be vested in one Supreme Court and in such inferior courts as ~ay be established by law." (Art. VIII, Sec. 1) I. the important functions of the Commission on Elections, the Civil Service, the General Auditing Office. , m. how amendments to the Constitution are made. THE PHILIPPINE EDUCATOR "The Congress in joint session assembled, by a vote of three-fourths of all the Members of the Senate and of the House of Representatives voting separately, may propose amendments to this Constitution or call a convention for that purpose. Such amendments shall be valid as part of this Constitution when approved by a majority of the votes cast at ·an election at which the amendments are submitted to the people for ratification." (Art. XV, Sec. 1) n. the important Transitory and Special Provisions embodied in Constitution. (See Articles XVI and XVII). B. Habits 3,lld Skills: 1. To develop the ability to gather, evaluate, and organize information concerning one's problems. 2. To develop the ability to select materials re- lated to the unit. 3. To develop skill in using reference materials. 4. To develop the ability to follow instructions. 5. To develop the ability to outline·. 6. To develop the ability to interview resource persons. 7. To develop the ability to read materials with understanding. 8. To develop proficiency in raising problems about the unit. 9. To gain skill in giving reports with fluency in English. C. Attitudes and Appreciation: 1. To appreciate the work clone by the delegates to the Constitutional Convention. 2. To appreci?.te reading the Preamble of our Corn;;titution. 3. To 'be interested in memorizing the Preamble by heart. 4. To be interested in reading the different articles and sections of the Constitution. 5. To appreciate the importance of the Constitution. 6. To develop proper attitude in the practice of cooperation. 7. :ro develop Letter attitudes of resourcefulness, tolerance, self-reliance and courtesy in group processes. III. Possible.Approach: A. Initiation 1. Structuring the room: a. Posting on the Bulletin Board pictures, cutouts and clippings related to the unit. JANUARY, 1958 2. Story-telling: a. Telling of stories about the framing, drafting, !'atifying ancl signing of the Constitution. B. Possible Problems: 1. Historical Background of the Constitution a. How were the delegates to the Constitutional Convention selected? ( 1) When ·was the ele:-:tion for the selection of the delegates held? (2) How many delegates were elected? b. Who were the officers of the Convention? c. What compose the delegates to the Constitutional Convention? ( 1) Who was the youngest member of the Convention ? (2) Who was the oldest member? (3) Who were the prominent figures of the convention? c1. How was the draft of the Constitution made? (1) Who composed the Sub-Committee of Seven? e. When was the Constitution approved and sjgned by the delegates? f. How was the Constitution ratified'! (1) When was it approved by the President of the United States? (2) When was it formally approved by the Filipino people? 2. Important Article.,; of Our Con.stitution. a. What consists our Constitution'! ( 1) \Vhat does the Preamble express'! (2) Wh~t are the seventeen articles of the Constitution? b. What comprises the territory of the Philippines'? c. What are the important points embodied in the "Bill of Rights"'? d. Who ~ue the citizens of the Philippines according to the Constitution'? e. To- who:rn are the Legislative, Executive and Judicial Powers vested? f. According to the Constitution, what are the important functions of the Commission on Elections, the Civil Service, the General Auditing Office'? g. How are the amendments to the Constitution made? PAGE 43 h. What are the important Transitory and Special Prt>visiops embodied in our 'Constitution? IV. Suggested Activities A. Gathering Data Acti\'ities 1. Reading from resource materials ' a. Constitution of the Philippines b. Government of Our Republic, Zaide c. A Brief History of the Philippines, Leandro Fernandez, cl. Philippine Government, A.lip e. Stories of Our Country, AgoriUa 2. Taking notes from 'lectures 3. Interviewing resouece persons: a. The Municipal Mayor b. The J ustic:e of the Peace c. The Provincial Governor cl. The Co.ngressman e. The Provincial Fiscal f. Other government officials. 4. Sluclying reports of former Grades V and VI pupils anrl compiled data by teachers. 5 ~ Col!Ecting pictures, stories and poems about the Constitution. B. Self-expression Activities: 1. Construction and Collection Activities a. Making Projects about the unit: ( 1) Albt1m of collected pictures, poems and stories about the Constitution. (2) Scrapbook of cut-outs of pictures and clippings from newspapers and magazines. b. Drawing pictures about the rights of every Filipino citizen as described in the "Bills of Rights". 2. Appreciation ancl Expressional Activities: a. Reciting poems and rhymes. · b. Reacling stories and poems .about the Constitution. c. Studying and singing songs about the unit. d. \Vriting letters to resource persons, of invitation, of thanks, requesting information. 3. Reporting Activities a. Making oral written reports based on researches made, lectures and talks of resource persons, ancl observations. PAGE 44 b. Group reports on topics and problems chosen. C. Evaluation 1. Teacher-Pupil Evaluation of the attitudes, skills, and habits acquired during the study of the unit. 2. Teacher-made Tests. 3. Evaluation of work done by members of the different groups. D. Culminating Activities:' 1. Holding programs and exhibits 2. Writing an informal theme on this. subject: "\Vhy Is The Constihltion The Fundamental Law of the Land?" V. Expected Outcomes: A. Reading: Growth in the: 1 .. Knowledge of the sources of literature and other references for ·research work. 2. Ability to assemble facts from different sources to answer· questions and to solve problems. 3. Knowledge of the different parts of a newspaper. 4. Ability to evaluate·. the relative importance of the materials read in the references and newspapers. 5. Greater efficiency in the use of the library. B. Language : Increased proficiency in the correct use of English in oral and written expressions: 1. Oral expression: Growth in the ability to: a. Speak with correct pronunciation, enunciation and articulation. b. Speak clearly and distinctly in a natural pleasing tone voice. c. Select words to . express the exact meaning one has to convey. d. Participate 'in clas::; discussions, in group activities and in reporting. e. State problems clearly and conectly. f. Discuss t<:>pics and questions intellig'?ntly. g. Desire to ask questions for clarification. h. Give and accept' criticisms properly. C. Arithmetic - Growth in the abiJity to: 1 . Solve practical problems concerning tl}e expenses incurred by t}le different departments and offices of the government, the salaries of government officials as stated in the Constitution and others. 2. Use the fundamental processes. THE PHILIPPINE EDUCATOR

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