General Information items on the CSE-PPT often ask about structure and principles of the 1987 Philippine Constitution: branches of government, Bill of Rights themes, citizenship, suffrage, and local government basics. Treat every paraphrase here as a study aid—when in doubt, return to the official text.
Key takeaways
- The 1987 Constitution has a Preamble and 18 articles. Article III is the Bill of Rights.
- Senators: 24, elected at large, 6-year terms, at most two consecutive terms, at least 35 years old.
- House members: 3-year terms, at most three consecutive terms, at least 25 years old.
- President: 6-year term, no re-election, at least 40 years old, 10 years' residence.
- The Supreme Court has a Chief Justice and 14 Associate Justices, who serve until age 70.
- The three constitutional commissions are the Civil Service Commission, COMELEC, and the Commission on Audit.
The 18 articles at a glance
| Article | Title |
|---|---|
| I | National Territory |
| II | Declaration of Principles and State Policies |
| III | Bill of Rights |
| IV | Citizenship |
| V | Suffrage |
| VI | The Legislative Department |
| VII | Executive Department |
| VIII | Judicial Department |
| IX | Constitutional Commissions (CSC, COMELEC, COA) |
| X | Local Government |
| XI | Accountability of Public Officers |
| XII | National Economy and Patrimony |
| XIII | Social Justice and Human Rights |
| XIV | Education, Science and Technology, Arts, Culture and Sports |
| XV | The Family |
| XVI | General Provisions |
| XVII | Amendments or Revisions |
| XVIII | Transitory Provisions |
Officials: terms and qualifications
| Office | Term | Term limit | Minimum age | Other key qualifications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| President | 6 years | Not eligible for re-election | 40 | Natural-born, registered voter, able to read and write, 10 years' residence |
| Senator (24) | 6 years | 2 consecutive terms | 35 | Natural-born, registered voter, able to read and write, 2 years' residence |
| House member | 3 years | 3 consecutive terms | 25 | Natural-born, able to read and write; district members must be registered voters in the district |
| Supreme Court justice | Until age 70 | — | — | Chief Justice plus 14 Associate Justices |
| Elective local official (except barangay) | 3 years | 3 consecutive terms | — | Barangay terms are set by law |
Source: Articles VI, VII, VIII, and X of the 1987 Constitution.
Other provisions examinees are asked about
- Suffrage (Article V): citizens at least 18 years old who have lived in the Philippines for at least one year and in the place where they will vote for at least six months before the election. No literacy or property requirement may be imposed.
- The civil service (Article IX-B): covers all branches, agencies, and government-owned or controlled corporations with original charters. Appointments are made by merit and fitness, determined as far as practicable by competitive examination (except policy-determining, primarily confidential, or highly technical positions). The CSC has a Chairman and two Commissioners.
- State principles (Article II): the Philippines renounces war as an instrument of national policy, and civilian authority is supreme over the military.
- National language (Article XIV): the national language is Filipino.
- Amendments (Article XVII): proposed by Congress by a three-fourths vote of all its members, by a constitutional convention, or by people's initiative with a petition of at least 12% of registered voters (at least 3% in every legislative district).
How to approach
- Know the map, not every comma. Articles on national territory, Bill of Rights, citizenship, legislative/executive/judicial departments, constitutional commissions, and local government show up often in reviewers.
- Match the question to the branch. Lawmaking → Congress; execution → President; adjudication → courts.
- Watch absolute wording. Options with *always*, *never*, or *the President alone amends the Constitution* are usually wrong.
- Separate Constitution from ordinary statutes. R.A. numbers are laws; constitutional articles are higher law.
- Cite mentally. Even in MCQs, habitually name “Article III” or “Bill of Rights” so you don’t mix topics.
Worked example
Stem (study aid — not a quote of an exam item): Which statement best reflects the separation of powers under the 1987 Constitution (paraphrased study point)?
- A.The President writes all national laws without Congress.
- B.Congress makes laws; the President executes them; the courts interpret and settle cases.
- C.The Supreme Court collects taxes for the national government.
- D.Barangay captains amend the Constitution by resolution.
Work: Separation of powers assigns legislation, execution, and adjudication to distinct departments. A collapses legislature into the executive. C confuses courts with revenue functions. D invents a local amending power. Answer: B. (Verify details against the official Constitution text linked in sources.)
Common traps
- Statute confusion — Answering a Constitution question with an R.A. 6713 ethics detail (or the reverse).
- U.S. transplant — Assuming Philippine rules match U.S. phrases you memorized from another reviewer.
- Amendment myths — Thinking a simple executive order can amend the Constitution.
- Rights absolutism — Claiming a Bill of Rights guarantee has *no* lawful limitation in any circumstance when the item is about a defined exception area (always check the actual text).
- Commission mix-ups — Confusing the CSC, COMELEC, and Commission on Audit roles.
Quick practice
- Which body is primarily associated with making national statutes?
- A.The Cabinet alone
- B.Congress
- C.A barangay assembly
- D.The Integrated Bar
Answer: B — Legislative power is vested in Congress (study paraphrase; see official text).
- The Bill of Rights in the 1987 Constitution is commonly cited as which article?
- A.Article II
- B.Article III
- C.Article VI
- D.Article X
Answer: B — Article III (confirm in the Official Gazette / Senate text).
- How many Senators does the 1987 Constitution provide for?
- A.12
- B.18
- C.24
- D.30
Answer: C — Article VI: 24 Senators elected at large.
- What is the minimum age to be elected President?
- A.35
- B.40
- C.45
- D.50
Answer: B — Article VII: at least 40 years old on the day of the election.
- Which is NOT one of the constitutional commissions under Article IX?
- A.Civil Service Commission
- B.Commission on Elections
- C.Commission on Audit
- D.Commission on Human Rights
Answer: D — The CHR is created under Article XIII, not Article IX.
- Up to how many consecutive terms may a member of the House of Representatives serve?
- A.One
- B.Two
- C.Three
- D.No limit
Answer: C — Article VI: no more than three consecutive terms.
Frequently asked questions
How many articles does the 1987 Philippine Constitution have?
Eighteen, plus a Preamble. Article III is the Bill of Rights and Article IX covers the Civil Service Commission, COMELEC, and the Commission on Audit.
What Constitution topics come up on the Civil Service Exam?
CSC lists the Philippine Constitution under General Information. Common study areas are the Bill of Rights, citizenship and suffrage, the three branches, terms and qualifications of officials, the constitutional commissions, local government, and amendments.
How long is the President's term?
Six years, with no re-election. Senators serve six-year terms (two consecutive at most) and House members three-year terms (three consecutive at most).
What does the Constitution say about the civil service?
Article IX-B says appointments are made according to merit and fitness, determined as far as practicable by competitive examination. That is why the Civil Service Exam exists.
Study with this product
- Take the free diagnostic to see if Constitution items are a weakness.
- Drill Philippine Constitution in Practice, or follow Today’s plan for GI sets—and check explanations’ provision citations.
- Sit a full mock when recommended; GI is easy to rush when Verbal/Numerical fatigue hits.
Honest facts
- Paraphrases on this page are study aids, not official annotations and not legal advice.
- This is not an “official CSC reviewer,” and nothing here guarantees a pass.
- We never invent official CSC exam dates, fees, or room assignments—check csc.gov.ph.
- Sample stems are original practice items, not leaked CSC questions.
- Readiness Score is a product metric — not a CSC rating prediction.
Next up
More General Information
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R.A. 6713 — Code of Conduct
RA 6713 reviewer for the CSE: the eight norms of conduct, duties like the 15-working-day reply rule, prohibited acts, SALN deadlines, penalties, and practice items.
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- Primary source
Peace and human rights
Peace and human rights reviewer for the CSE: Article II principles, the Bill of Rights, the Commission on Human Rights and its powers, and practice items.
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Environment and climate
Environment reviewer for the CSE: Article II, Section 16, the Clean Air, Clean Water, Solid Waste, and Climate Change Acts, and practice items.
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