Philippine Constitution reviewer: the articles the CSE actually tests.
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The 1987 Philippine Constitution is named first in the official General Information scope, alongside the Code of Conduct (R.A. 6713), peace and human rights, and environment management. Vocabulary and grammar reward years of habit. Constitution items reward two careful read-throughs of a short document. The CSC does not publish how many items come from the Constitution, but it is a named, recurring source, and a couple of focused passes through a short text is a high-return use of study time.
Or drill philippine constitution reviewer (1987) (included with a paid plan).
Quick facts
- Primary subtest
- General Information
- Document
- 1987 Constitution
- Level
- Professional and Subprofessional
- Difficulty to improve
- Low. Read the source once.
Primary keyword: philippine constitution reviewer
The articles worth your study time, and what each covers
The CSC does not publish how many items come from each article, so any per-article percentage you see online is an estimate. Still, not every article rewards the same study time. The table below maps the high-yield articles to what they cover so you can prioritize sensibly.
| Article | Topic | What to focus on |
|---|---|---|
| III | Bill of Rights (Sections 1-22) | The core article for this topic. Read it twice. |
| II | Principles and State Policies (Sections 1-28) | State Policies (Sections 9-28) drive many "policy of the State on X" items. |
| VI, VII, VIII | The three branches (legislative, executive, judicial) | Composition, term limits, qualifications, powers, checks and balances. |
| IV, V, IX | Citizenship, Suffrage, Constitutional Commissions | Citizenship tests the natural-born vs naturalized split. |
| X-XVIII | Local govt, economy, social justice, education, transitory | Lighter priority. Skim once if you have time. |
What Article III covers Due process, equal protection, protection against unreasonable search, freedom of speech and religion, peaceful assembly, rights of the accused, the writ of habeas corpus, and the ban on ex post facto laws and bills of attainder. This is the one article you cannot skip.
Bill of Rights: the must-know provisions
Article III is the heart of the exam. These are the sections that show up again and again, with the exact wording the test likes to quote.
- Section 1: due process and equal protection. "No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law, nor shall any person be denied the equal protection of the laws." Tested literally.
- Section 2: protection against unreasonable searches and seizures. Warrants require probable cause, personally determined by a judge, after examination under oath, particularly describing the place and the persons or things to be seized.
- Section 4: no law abridging freedom of speech, expression, the press, or the right to peaceful assembly and petition for redress of grievances.
- Section 5: no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. The free exercise clause AND the non-establishment clause.
- Section 12: rights of persons under custodial investigation. Right to remain silent, right to competent and independent counsel preferably of one's own choice, right to be informed of these rights. Any confession obtained in violation is inadmissible.
- Section 14: presumption of innocence, right to be heard, right to counsel, right to be informed of the accusation, right to confront witnesses, right to compulsory process, right to a speedy and public trial.
- Section 15: the writ of habeas corpus may not be suspended except in cases of invasion or rebellion, when public safety requires it.
- Section 22: no ex post facto law or bill of attainder shall be enacted.
- Incident to a lawful arrest
- Plain view
- Consent
- Stop-and-frisk under reasonable suspicion
- Moving vehicles, in some circumstances
The five warrantless-search exceptions The list above is the only set of cases where a search without a warrant is valid. Items often invert the question and ask when a warrantless search IS allowed, so know these five cold.
The three branches: qualifications and term limits
These numerical-recall items are a recurring type. Build the table below into muscle memory: age, residency, term length, and term limit for each office.
| Office | Min. age | Residency | Term | Term limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| President (Art. VII) | 40 on election day | 10 years in the Philippines | 6 years | No re-election |
| Vice President (Art. VII) | 40 on election day | 10 years in the Philippines | 6 years | Two consecutive terms |
| Senator (Art. VI) | 35 on election day | 2 years in the Philippines | 6 years | Two consecutive terms |
| Representative (Art. VI) | 25 on election day | 1 year in the district | 3 years | Three consecutive terms |
| Supreme Court Justice (Art. VIII) | 40 | Natural-born Filipino | Until age 70 | Mandatory retirement at 70 |
Common qualifications Every office above requires a natural-born Filipino who is a registered voter, able to read and write. A Justice also needs at least 15 years of judicial experience or law practice, plus proven competence, integrity, probity, and independence.
Citizenship: natural-born versus naturalized
The whole topic comes down to one distinction the exam loves: natural-born versus naturalized. Get that straight and most citizenship items answer themselves.
Natural-born citizens (Article IV, Section 2) are citizens from birth, without having to perform any act to acquire or perfect Philippine citizenship. Most are children of Filipino parents at birth. Naturalized citizens are foreigners who acquire citizenship through the judicial naturalization process. They are NOT natural-born and are barred from certain high offices: President, Vice President, Senators, House Representatives, and Justices of the Supreme Court.
Dual citizenship sits beside this. Natural-born Filipinos who lost their citizenship may re-acquire it under RA 9225 (Citizenship Retention and Re-acquisition Act). The CSC treats this as re-acquisition, not naturalization.
- Which positions require natural-born status. Most national positions do.
- What happens when a natural-born Filipino marries a foreigner. They keep Philippine citizenship unless they explicitly renounce it.
- What RA 9225 allows. Re-acquisition of lost citizenship for natural-born Filipinos, not a path for foreigners.
Worked examples
These items are written specifically for this guide. The actual practice bank pulls from a separate pool of original CSE-style items reviewed by passers.
Item 01
Under the 1987 Constitution, who has the power to declare martial law?
- AThe Supreme Court, upon petition of the Solicitor General
- BThe President, in cases of invasion or rebellion, for a period not exceeding 60 daysCorrect
- CCongress, by a vote of two-thirds of both Houses
- DThe Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces
Explanation. Article VII, Section 18: the President, as Commander-in-Chief, may declare martial law for a period not exceeding 60 days in cases of invasion or rebellion when public safety requires it. Within 48 hours, the President must report to Congress, which may revoke or extend the proclamation. Option A is wrong: the Court reviews, it does not declare. Option C is the role Congress plays in extending or revoking, not declaring. Option D conflates the President's military role with the constitutional power.Item 02
Under Article III of the 1987 Constitution, which of the following is NOT among the rights of a person under custodial investigation?
- AThe right to remain silent
- BThe right to competent and independent counsel preferably of his own choice
- CThe right to be released on bail without conditionsCorrect
- DThe right to be informed of his rights
Explanation. Article III Section 12 enumerates the custodial-investigation rights: right to remain silent, right to competent and independent counsel preferably of one's own choice, right to be informed of these rights. Bail is a different concept (Section 13) and is not absolute. Bail is granted before conviction except for offenses punishable by reclusion perpetua when the evidence of guilt is strong. Option C describes neither the Miranda-style custodial rights nor bail accurately.Item 03
Which of the following is required to be a candidate for President of the Philippines?
- AAt least 30 years old on election day
- BAt least 35 years old on election day
- CAt least 40 years old on election day, natural-born Filipino, resident for 10 yearsCorrect
- DAt least 40 years old, may be a naturalized citizen with 10 years' residence
Explanation. Article VII Section 2: natural-born Filipino, registered voter, able to read and write, at least 40 years old on election day, resident of the Philippines for at least 10 years immediately preceding the election. Option B is the age for Senator, not President. Option D is wrong because naturalized citizens cannot be President. Natural-born status is required.Item 04
The writ of habeas corpus may be suspended only in case of:
- ANational emergency declared by the President
- BInvasion or rebellion when public safety requires itCorrect
- CCivil unrest in any region of the country
- DOutbreak of a public health crisis
Explanation. Article III Section 15: the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended except in cases of invasion or rebellion when public safety requires it. The 1987 Constitution intentionally narrowed the grounds compared to the 1973 Constitution, which had also allowed suspension for "imminent danger." Options A, C, and D are not constitutional grounds.Item 05
Under Article VI of the 1987 Constitution, how many consecutive terms may a member of the House of Representatives serve?
- ATwo
- BThreeCorrect
- CFour
- DNo limit
Explanation. Article VI Section 7: members of the House of Representatives serve three-year terms and may not serve more than three consecutive terms. Option A is the Senate limit (two consecutive six-year terms). Option D is incorrect: the 1987 Constitution imposed term limits on legislators specifically to break entrenched power.Item 06
A foreign national who marries a Filipino citizen:
- AAutomatically becomes a Filipino citizen upon marriage
- BBecomes a Filipino citizen after one year of marriage
- CMust apply for naturalization to become a Filipino citizenCorrect
- DBecomes a Filipino citizen only if they renounce their original citizenship
Explanation. Marriage to a Filipino does not automatically confer Philippine citizenship on the foreign spouse. The foreign spouse must apply for naturalization under existing law (or, if eligible, through administrative naturalization under RA 9139). Option A is a common misconception based on older citizenship rules that no longer apply. Items on citizenship reward careful reading of Article IV.
Want twenty more like these, under a clock?
The philippine constitution reviewer (1987) drill runs ten or twenty items with full explanations and tracks which traps you fall for most often. Included with a paid plan.
Study tactics that actually move the score
- 01
Read Article III (Bill of Rights) twice: once for sense, once for the specific numbered sections. By the second read, you'll start recognizing the test-prone provisions (Sections 1, 2, 4, 12, 14, 15).
- 02
Build a one-page table of qualifications and term limits for President, Senator, Representative, Supreme Court Justice. These numerical-recall facts are a common item type.
- 03
Memorize the five categories of allowable warrantless searches. "Search-warrant required" items often invert by asking when a warrantless search IS allowed, and knowing the five exceptions is the fast win.
- 04
Distinguish natural-born from naturalized citizenship and know which offices require natural-born status. RA 9225 (re-acquisition) is a frequent item type.
- 05
Skip extensive memorization of Articles X-XVIII unless you have time. The return per hour of study drops sharply outside Articles II, III, VI, VII, and VIII.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to read the entire 1987 Constitution?
Ideally yes, but if you only have a few hours, read Articles II, III, VI, VII, and VIII. The CSC does not publish a per-article breakdown, but these five carry the provisions most worth knowing: the Bill of Rights, State Policies, and the three branches.
Are amendments and proposed changes tested?
The Constitution has not been formally amended since 1987, so items are based on the original text. Proposed amendments (charter change, federalism debates) are not part of the official scope and rarely require knowing specific proposed provisions.
How important are the State Policies in Article II?
Moderately important. Article II Sections 9-28 are the source of "what is the State policy on X" items. Read them once; you don't need to memorize them word-for-word.
Will I be tested on the 1935 or 1973 Constitution?
Not directly. The CSE tests the current (1987) Constitution. The older constitutions appear only in occasional contextual items ("the 1987 Constitution differs from the 1973 in that...") which are rare.
Are the Latin terms (habeas corpus, ex post facto, reclusion perpetua) tested?
Yes, but only with their meanings. You don't need to spell them; you do need to know what they mean. "Ex post facto law" means a law passed after an act was committed that would make that act criminal, and the Constitution prohibits such laws.
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