A Constitution worth dying for
In the Senate hearing on the proposed constitutional amendments, the most emphatic, and I may say, the most eloquent statement made by a famous legal luminary was that of retired chief justice Hilario Davide Jr. who told the senators and all those present that the 1987 Philippine Constitution is the world's most pro-people, pro-life, pro-poor, pro-social justice, pro-labor, prowomen, pro-children, pro-family, pro-good government, pro-environment and, most of all, pro-Filipino.
Davide, who was both an elected delegate to the 1972 Constitutional Convention and was a chosen commissioner of the 1986 Constitutional Commission, said before the Senate and in the presence of other retired justices and other learned resource persons that the 1987 Philippine fundamental law is the Constitution that we could all die for. Davide wrote most of the social justice and pro-good government provisions of that Charter. And so, I dare say: If it ain't broken, why tinker with it? I dare to add that this is the only Constitution where the rights of labor are specifically declared, guaranteed, and given the level of constitutional postulates.
Among the three generally ratified constitutions of 1935, 1973, and 1987, this one enjoyed the record of the most number of Filipinos who ratified it, the biggest percentage of approval and is about to hit the record
as the longest-running fundamental law in recent history. The 1935 Constitution lasted for 38 years from the time of President Manuel Quezon under the Commonwealth to President Marcos Sr. The Marcos Constitution of 1973 lasted only for 13 years from 1973 to 1986. The Freedom Constitution lasted only from March 25, 1986 to February 1, 1987. This 1987 Constitution is already 37 years old and by 2026, it will exceed the durability of the 1935 Charter. In other words, this Charter has withstood the test of times.
The most beautiful parts of this Constitution is its preamble which declares that the ultimate dream, the highest aspiration and the fondest prayer of the sovereign Filipino people is not political but social, that is to build a just and humane society. The Preamble expresses the values and the peoples' soul, the psyche and the paradigm of the Filipinos, which include our love for independence, democracy, the rule of law, truth, justice, freedom, love, equality and peace. It also underscores that the Philippine government should embody our ideals and aspirations, promote the common good, conserve and develop our patrimony.
The government is mandated to secure for ourselves and for our posterity all the blessings expressed in the values we stated above. Davide was the most active participant in the commission that drafted this Charter. He was teary-eyed when he said that he is willing to die for this Constitution which lesser mortals like some "tambaluslos" in Congress would dare to tinker and play games with. These people do not have the wisdom of Davide, they do not have the vision of this great man from Colawin, Argao, they do not know how to love, and serve the country like how Davide offered his life, career, and services for more than 60 years of his more than eight decades in life.
Let us then support the advocacy to defend, protect, and fight for the 1987 Constitution. If there is only one good thing we can do for our country and people, this is it. Let us expose as traitors to the nation these impostors who are pushing for their alien masters who seek to rob us of our national patrimony and to control and dominate the people with the foreign ideology and culture alien to the Filipino soul.
"Let us then support the advocacy to defend, protect, and fight for the 1987 Constitution."