30/07/2019 ARTICLE XV The Family The Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines | Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines ARTICLE XVI General Provisions ARTICLE XVII Amendments or Revisions ARTICLE XVIII Transitory Provisions   Principles THE 1987 CONSTITUTION THE CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES PREAMBLE We, the sovereign Filipino people, imploring the aid of Almighty God, in order to build a just and humane society and establish a Government that shall embody our ideals and aspirations, promote the common good, conserve and develop our patrimony, and secure to ourselves and our posterity the blessings of independence and democracy under the rule of law and a regime of truth, justice, freedom, love, equality, and peace, do ordain and promulgate this Constitution. ARTICLE I National Territory The national territory comprises the Philippine archipelago, with all the islands and waters embraced therein, and all other territories over which the Philippines has sovereignty or jurisdiction, consisting of its terrestrial, uvial, and aerial domains, including its territorial sea, the seabed, the subsoil, the insular shelves, and other submarine areas. The waters around, between, and connecting the islands of the archipelago, regardless of their breadth and dimensions, form part of the internal waters of the Philippines. ARTICLE II Declaration of Principles and State Policies Principles SECTION 1. The Philippines is a democratic and republican State. Sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them. www.officialgazette.gov.ph/constitutions/1987-constitution/ 2/57