1987 Philippine constitutional plebiscite

A constitutional plebiscite was held in the Philippines on February 2, 1987. The plebiscite is pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 3, which was issued on March 25, 1986,[1] by President Corazon Aquino. It abolished the Office of the Prime Minister and the Regular Batasang Pambansa (English: National Assembly). Multi-party elections were held accordingly in 1987.

1987 Philippine constitutional plebiscite
February 2, 1987
Are you in favor in ratifying the proposed Constitution of the Philippines?
OutcomeConstitution approved
Results
Choice
Votes %
Yes 16,622,111 77.04%
No 4,953,375 22.96%
Valid votes 21,575,486 99.04%
Invalid or blank votes 209,730 0.96%
Total votes 21,785,216 100.00%
Registered voters/turnout 87.04%
Results by province and city; Metro Manila on the inset, divided by cities and congressional districts

As of 2024, this remains the only constitutional plebiscite held in the present Fifth Republic.

Background of the new constitution

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In 1986, following the People Power Revolution which ousted Ferdinand Marcos as president, and following her own inauguration, Corazon Aquino issued Proclamation No. 3, declaring a national policy to implement the reforms mandated by the people, protecting their basic rights, adopting a provisional constitution, and providing for an orderly transition to a government under a new constitution.[2]

President Aquino later issued Proclamation No. 9, creating a Constitutional Commission (popularly abbreviated as "ConCom" in the Philippines) to frame a new constitution to replace the 1973 Constitution, which took effect during the martial law regime of her predecessor. President Aquino appointed 50 members to the Commission. The members of the Commission were drawn from varied backgrounds, including several former senators and congressmen, a former Supreme Court Chief Justice (Roberto Concepcion), a Catholic bishop (Teodoro Bacani), and a noted film director (Lino Brocka). President Aquino also deliberately appointed five members associated with the Marcos administration, including former Labor Minister Blas Ople, who had been allied with President Marcos until the latter's ouster. After the Commission had convened, it elected as its president Cecilia Muñoz-Palma, who had emerged as a leading figure in the anti-Marcos opposition following her retirement as the first female Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.

The Commission finished the draft charter within four months after it was convened. Several issues were hotly debated during the sessions, including on the form of government to adopt, the abolition of the death penalty, the continued retention of the Clark and Subic American military bases, and the integration of economic policies into the Constitution. Brocka walked out of the Commission before its completion (formally resigning on August 28, 1986[3]), and two other delegates dissented from the final draft. The ConCom completed their task on October 12, 1986 and presented the draft constitution to President Aquino on October 15, 1986. After a period of nationwide information campaign, a plebiscite for its ratification was held on February 2, 1987. More than three-fourths of all votes cast were for ratification. Thus, it was on February 2, 1987 that the 1987 Constitution took effect. On February 11, 1987, President Aquino, other government officials, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, pledged allegiance to the Constitution. Since then, February 2 has been celebrated as Constitution Day, the date of the plebiscite.

Results

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Philippine constitutional plebiscite, 1987
Choice Votes %
  Yes 16,622,111 77.04
No 4,953,375 22.96
Valid votes 21,575,486 99.04
Invalid or blank votes 209,730 0.96
Total votes 21,785,216 100.00
1987 Philippine constitutional plebiscite results (excluding invalid votes)
Yes
16,622,111 (77%)
No
4,953,375 (23%)

50%

By province/city

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Province/City Yes No Valid Abstentions Total
Total % Total % Total % Total %
Abra 39,062 54.77% 32,264 45.23% 71,326 99.28% 519 0.72% 71,845
Agusan del Norte 69,977 85.01% 12,343 14.99% 82,320 98.64% 1,136 1.36% 83,456
Agusan del Sur 91,018 77.14% 26,976 22.86% 117,994 98.22% 2,139 1.78% 120,133
Aklan 121,116 88.78% 15,312 11.22% 136,428 99.38% 846 0.62% 137,274
Albay 239,354 90.30% 25,720 9.70% 265,074 99.09% 2,435 0.91% 267,509
Angeles 87,039 92.14% 7,421 7.86% 94,460 99.46% 510 0.54% 94,970
Antique 113,209 80.99% 26,579 19.01% 139,788 98.93% 1,507 1.07% 141,295
Aurora 34,685 76.30% 10,774 23.70% 45,459 98.88% 517 1.12% 45,976
Bacolod 128,851 91.11% 12,573 8.89% 141,424 99.21% 1,128 0.79% 142,552
Bago 35,182 87.90% 4,841 12.10% 40,023 99.26% 297 0.74% 40,320
Baguio 39,536 50.36% 38,966 49.64% 78,502 99.00% 791 1.00% 79,293
Bais 16,767 74.06% 5,874 25.94% 22,641 99.15% 194 0.85% 22,835
Basilan 56,231 86.75% 8,586 13.25% 64,817 98.96% 679 1.04% 65,496
Bataan 132,632 81.06% 30,998 18.94% 163,630 99.89% 176 0.11% 163,806
Batanes 5,634 91.36% 533 8.64% 6,167 99.76% 15 0.24% 6,182
Batangas 358,654 87.48% 51,317 12.52% 409,971 99.54% 1,902 0.46% 411,873
Batangas City 66,350 92.90% 5,071 7.10% 71,421 99.47% 377 0.53% 71,798
Benguet 72,049 72.96% 26,709 27.04% 98,758 98.95% 1,052 1.05% 99,810
Bohol 276,221 81.41% 63,088 18.59% 339,309 99.20% 2,743 0.80% 342,052
Bukidnon 198,995 71.91% 77,719 28.09% 276,714 98.48% 4,262 1.52% 280,976
Bulacan 465,162 82.19% 100,805 17.81% 565,967 99.41% 3,368 0.59% 569,335
Butuan 66,130 80.69% 15,827 19.31% 81,957 98.62% 1,146 1.38% 83,103
Cabanatuan 45,179 69.12% 20,180 30.88% 65,359 99.25% 492 0.75% 65,851
Cadiz 24,072 74.20% 8,370 25.80% 32,442 98.62% 454 1.38% 32,896
Cagayan 91,897 32.63% 189,753 67.37% 281,650 98.94% 3,025 1.06% 284,675
Cagayan de Oro 105,397 77.37% 30,825 22.63% 136,222 99.32% 933 0.68% 137,155
Calbayog 27,318 63.30% 15,836 36.70% 43,154 98.83% 510 1.17% 43,664
Caloocan 221,591 76.74% 67,174 23.26% 288,765 99.28% 2,083 0.72% 290,848
Camarines Norte 93,416 87.30% 13,590 12.70% 107,006 99.04% 1,036 0.96% 108,042
Camarines Sur 312,854 87.72% 43,794 12.28% 356,648 99.03% 3,497 0.97% 360,145
Camiguin 21,457 84.16% 4,038 15.84% 25,495 99.42% 149 0.58% 25,644
Canlaon 9,455 76.82% 2,853 23.18% 12,308 98.58% 177 1.42% 12,485
Capiz 131,774 83.22% 26,579 16.78% 158,353 99.06% 1,507 0.94% 159,860
Catanduanes 58,698 91.13% 5,716 8.87% 64,414 99.27% 473 0.73% 64,887
Cavite 310,642 82.01% 68,127 17.99% 378,769 99.41% 2,266 0.59% 381,035
Cavite City 26,417 55.48% 21,199 44.52% 47,616 98.95% 503 1.05% 48,119
Cebu 470,375 86.30% 74,665 13.70% 545,040 99.02% 5,407 0.98% 550,447
Cebu City 251,078 86.79% 38,221 13.21% 289,299 99.29% 2,063 0.71% 291,362
Cotabato City 27,008 80.58% 6,508 19.42% 33,516 96.15% 1,342 3.85% 34,858
Dagupan 35,097 73.44% 12,692 26.56% 47,789 99.28% 348 0.72% 48,137
Danao 15,802 53.67% 13,641 46.33% 29,443 98.77% 367 1.23% 29,810
Dapitan 20,759 87.22% 3,043 12.78% 23,802 99.25% 179 0.75% 23,981
Davao City 247,527 78.02% 69,753 21.98% 317,280 98.60% 4,521 1.40% 321,801
Davao del Norte 299,713 82.67% 62,819 17.33% 362,532 98.30% 6,277 1.70% 368,809
Davao del Sur 147,692 77.56% 42,733 22.44% 190,425 98.12% 3,643 1.88% 194,068
Davao Oriental 79,795 75.40% 26,033 24.60% 105,828 98.34% 1,782 1.66% 107,610
Dipolog 27,549 83.84% 5,310 16.16% 32,859 99.68% 107 0.32% 32,966
Dumaguete 32,811 90.57% 3,417 9.43% 36,228 99.18% 299 0.82% 36,527
Eastern Samar
General Santos 59,206 79.12% 15,628 20.88% 74,834 98.80% 907 1.20% 75,741
Gingoog 28,092 81.25% 6,483 18.75% 34,575 98.68% 461 1.32% 35,036
Ifugao 25,826 70.76% 10,670 29.24% 36,496 98.72% 475 1.28% 36,971
Iligan 69,758 80.86% 16,516 19.14% 86,274 98.85% 1,006 1.15% 87,280
Ilocos Norte 23,367 14.65% 136,087 85.35% 159,454 99.47% 850 0.53% 160,304
Ilocos Sur 66,388 32.12% 140,294 67.88% 206,682 99.36% 1,338 0.64% 208,020
Iloilo 448,625 88.77% 56,775 11.23% 505,400 99.32% 3,447 0.68% 508,847
Iloilo City 118,252 88.27% 15,709 11.73% 133,961 99.50% 671 0.50% 134,632
Iriga 21,617 82.17% 4,690 17.83% 26,307 99.36% 170 0.64% 26,477
Isabela 173,623 46.93% 196,364 53.07% 369,987 98.96% 3,900 1.04% 373,887
Kalinga-Apayao 33,972 58.68% 23,918 41.32% 57,890 99.22% 453 0.78% 58,343
La Carlota 19,341 89.31% 2,316 10.69% 21,657 99.35% 142 0.65% 21,799
La Union 74,267 33.12% 149,961 66.88% 224,228 98.94% 2,400 1.06% 226,628
Laguna 358,708 81.50% 81,430 18.50% 440,138 99.47% 2,339 0.53% 442,477
Lanao del Norte 91,402 74.30% 31,614 25.70% 123,016 98.75% 1,554 1.25% 124,570
Lanao del Sur 120,245 81.55% 27,196 18.45% 147,441 97.88% 3,186 2.12% 150,627
Laoag 4,425 11.58% 33,787 88.42% 38,212 99.52% 183 0.48% 38,395
Lapu-Lapu 42,375 84.12% 7,997 15.88% 50,372 99.04% 487 0.96% 50,859
Las Piñas 93,109 80.08% 23,157 19.92% 116,266 99.50% 584 0.50% 116,850
Legazpi 42,258 87.60% 5,981 12.40% 48,239 99.27% 355 0.73% 48,594
Leyte 328,176 72.56% 124,111 27.44% 452,287 98.85% 5,284 1.15% 457,571
Lipa 52,706 90.74% 5,379 9.26% 58,085 100.00% 0 0.00% 58,085
Lucena 47,370 87.48% 6,778 12.52% 54,148 99.56% 237 0.44% 54,385
Maguindanao 118,856 81.22% 27,486 18.78% 146,342 88.11% 19,756 11.89% 166,098
Makati 184,759 73.08% 68,044 26.92% 252,803 99.44% 1,419 0.56% 254,222
Malabon 94,234 80.44% 22,914 19.56% 117,148 99.31% 809 0.69% 117,957
Mandaluyong 105,881 86.70% 16,238 13.30% 122,119 99.58% 510 0.42% 122,629
Mandaue 67,552 91.49% 6,280 8.51% 73,832 99.58% 311 0.42% 74,143
Manila 694,802 75.94% 220,190 24.06% 914,992 99.38% 5,671 0.62% 920,663
Marawi 18,896 85.26% 3,268 14.74% 22,164 98.98% 229 1.02% 22,393
Marikina 116,005 82.75% 24,184 17.25% 140,189 99.43% 802 0.57% 140,991
Marinduque 65,341 89.83% 7,398 10.17% 72,739 99.42% 424 0.58% 73,163
Masbate 160,412 80.26% 39,461 19.74% 199,873 98.86% 2,309 1.14% 202,182
Misamis Occidental 71,199 71.61% 28,231 28.39% 99,430 98.79% 1,213 1.21% 100,643
Misamis Oriental 121,485 74.23% 42,176 25.77% 163,661 98.91% 1,802 1.09% 165,463
Mountain Province 26,651 84.15% 5,020 15.85% 31,671 98.14% 600 1.86% 32,271
Muntinlupa 83,729 80.98% 19,664 19.02% 103,393 99.11% 931 0.89% 104,324
Naga 38,901 91.04% 3,827 8.96% 42,728 99.43% 244 0.57% 42,972
Navotas 58,318 79.80% 14,766 20.20% 73,084 98.77% 913 1.23% 73,997
Negros Occidental 377,285 84.42% 69,638 15.58% 446,923 99.00% 4,510 1.00% 451,433
Negros Oriental 211,065 82.11% 46,002 17.89% 257,067 99.09% 2,357 0.91% 259,424
North Cotabato 143,279 69.63% 62,502 30.37% 205,781 97.72% 4,802 2.28% 210,583
Northern Samar 96,787 74.47% 33,179 25.53% 129,966 99.15% 1,118 0.85% 131,084
Nueva Ecija 263,886 71.04% 107,552 28.96% 371,438 99.35% 2,424 0.65% 373,862
Nueva Vizcaya 67,012 60.99% 42,866 39.01% 109,878 99.39% 679 0.61% 110,557
Occidental Mindoro 61,125 72.02% 23,752 27.98% 84,877 99.40% 513 0.60% 85,390
Olongapo 60,184 61.21% 38,136 38.79% 98,320 99.45% 543 0.55% 98,863
Oriental Mindoro 145,527 84.51% 26,673 15.49% 172,200 99.68% 561 0.32% 172,761
Ormoc 43,236 86.74% 6,607 13.26% 49,843 99.12% 440 0.88% 50,283
Oroquieta 15,929 69.86% 6,871 30.14% 22,800 98.65% 312 1.35% 23,112
Ozamiz 32,815 81.13% 7,630 18.87% 40,445 98.83% 480 1.17% 40,925
Pagadian
Palawan 86,786 81.84% 19,254 18.16% 106,040 99.22% 837 0.78% 106,877
Palayan 5,228 72.82% 1,951 27.18% 7,179 98.64% 99 1.36% 7,278
Pampanga 419,155 94.44% 24,695 5.56% 443,850 99.44% 2,482 0.56% 446,332
Pangasinan 370,786 58.24% 265,907 41.76% 636,693 99.26% 4,716 0.74% 641,409
Parañaque 129,136 82.13% 28,091 17.87% 157,227 99.53% 743 0.47% 157,970
Pasay 134,056 73.37% 48,668 26.63% 182,724 99.38% 1,133 0.62% 183,857
Pasig 135,129 81.32% 31,032 18.68% 166,161 99.46% 902 0.54% 167,063
Pateros 17,752 82.14% 3,860 17.86% 21,612 99.19% 176 0.81% 21,788
Puerto Princesa City 24,744 74.30% 8,559 25.70% 33,303 99.11% 300 0.89% 33,603
Quezon 347,273 86.75% 53,030 13.25% 400,303 99.24% 3,071 0.76% 403,374
Quezon City 610,614 76.71% 185,364 23.29% 795,978 99.32% 5,447 0.68% 801,425
Quirino 25,478 58.81% 17,842 41.19% 43,320 99.06% 410 0.94% 43,730
Rizal 279,317 77.02% 83,342 22.98% 362,659 99.31% 2,533 0.69% 365,192
Romblon 61,188 87.29% 8,911 12.71% 70,099 99.30% 495 0.70% 70,594
Roxas 34,502 86.58% 5,346 13.42% 39,848 99.00% 404 1.00% 40,252
Samar 99,123 67.66% 47,386 32.34% 146,509 98.71% 1,916 1.29% 148,425
San Carlos, Negros Occidental 25,752 80.37% 6,291 19.63% 32,043 99.12% 283 0.88% 32,326
San Carlos, Pangasinan 30,782 79.64% 7,868 20.36% 38,650 99.63% 143 0.37% 38,793
San Jose 19,246 56.56% 14,781 43.44% 34,027 99.18% 280 0.82% 34,307
San Juan 49,746 62.52% 29,823 37.48% 79,569 99.06% 757 0.94% 80,326
San Pablo 58,757 84.65% 10,655 15.35% 69,412 99.46% 378 0.54% 69,790
Silay 33,586 93.36% 2,390 6.64% 35,976 98.69% 476 1.31% 36,452
Siquijor 24,014 73.01% 8,879 26.99% 32,893 99.49% 169 0.51% 33,062
Sorsogon 148,612 80.90% 35,082 19.10% 183,694 99.18% 1,525 0.82% 185,219
South Cotabato 184,020 74.66% 62,464 25.34% 246,484 98.59% 3,520 1.41% 250,004
Southern Leyte 98,356 77.74% 28,170 22.26% 126,526 99.12% 1,124 0.88% 127,650
Sultan Kudarat 74,919 69.77% 32,467 30.23% 107,386 98.57% 1,554 1.43% 108,940
Sulu 144,703 95.34% 7,080 4.66% 151,783 98.56% 2,223 1.44% 154,006
Surigao City 33,866 90.58% 3,522 9.42% 37,388 99.01% 374 0.99% 37,762
Surigao del Norte 98,478 85.94% 16,117 14.06% 114,595 99.12% 1,018 0.88% 115,613
Surigao del Sur 143,556 88.10% 19,396 11.90% 162,952 98.38% 2,691 1.62% 165,643
Tacloban 37,697 71.87% 14,756 28.13% 52,453 99.43% 302 0.57% 52,755
Tagaytay 7,327 74.32% 2,532 25.68% 9,859 99.02% 98 0.98% 9,957
Tagbilaran 20,449 81.56% 4,623 18.44% 25,072 99.21% 200 0.79% 25,272
Taguig 69,731 77.60% 20,125 22.40% 89,856 99.34% 598 0.66% 90,454
Tangub 16,123 92.70% 1,270 7.30% 17,393 99.14% 151 0.86% 17,544
Tarlac 278,337 89.04% 34,248 10.96% 312,585 99.22% 2,442 0.78% 315,027
Tawi-Tawi
Toledo 35,994 85.59% 6,058 14.41% 42,052 98.54% 623 1.46% 42,675
Trece Martires 4,508 84.58% 822 15.42% 5,330 98.18% 99 1.82% 5,429
Valenzuela 118,512 81.94% 26,113 18.06% 144,625 99.26% 1,079 0.74% 145,704
Zambales 94,406 65.92% 48,803 34.08% 143,209 99.32% 974 0.68% 144,183
Zamboanga City 116,248 81.61% 26,199 18.39% 142,447 99.13% 1,255 0.87% 143,702
Zamboanga del Norte 136,637 82.55% 28,879 17.45% 165,516 98.79% 2,025 1.21% 167,541
Zamboanga del Sur
Total 16,622,111 77.04% 4,953,375 22.96% 21,575,327 99.03% 210,315 0.97% 21,785,642
Source: Office of the President[4]

The votes from Davao del Sur, Eastern Samar, Pagadian, Tawi-Tawi, and Zamboanga del Sur, were not included in the final tally as their results came in late. Votes in these places, except for Tawi-Tawi, were 437,387 for, 105,338 against, and 10,505 abstentions.[5]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "1986 Provisional "Freedom" Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines – Corpus Juris". Archived from the original on 2008-06-12. Retrieved 2008-06-23.
  2. ^ "1986 Provisional "Freedom" Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines". 25 March 1986. Archived from the original on 12 June 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-03.
  3. ^ "VOL. IV – R.C.C. NO. 70 – Supreme Court E-Library". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-07-20.
  4. ^ "NEW CONSTITUTION RATIFIED". Malacañang Journal. Vol. 1, no. 6. 1987. pp. 20–24.
  5. ^ Paredes, Divina C. (1987-02-12). "Aquino proclaims Constitution". Manila Standard. pp. 1–2.
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