FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
SENATE 
s. Nu. f23 
Introduced by Senator Richard J. Gordon 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution grants the people the right to propose amendments to the 
Constitution via people's initiative. But due tu lack of clear guidelines, certain individuals 
and interest groups have abused the exercise of this right. 
In a recent attempt to propose amendments to the Constitution via people's initiative 
by the Lambino group in 2006, the Supreme Court in Lambino and Aumentado vs. 
Commission on Elections, G.R. No. 174152, October 25, 2006, declared such act as "void 
and unconstitutional" and denounced it as "constitutionally infirm, propelled by deceptively 
gathered signatures . . . and can operate as a gigantic fraud on the people." 
The dubious way by which the people's initiative was orchestrated by the Lambino 
group, largely through the barangay assemblies, is indeed very disturbing. That is why a 
sound enabling law for the implementation of the lawful exercise of this right, one that would 
protect the people from the manipulative scheming of the powerful, must be passed by 
Congress at the soonest possible time. & 
CHARD J. GORDON 
J 
pSenator% 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
1 
SENATE 
S.No. 123 
Introduced by Senator Richard J. Gordon 
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR A SYSTEM OF PEOPLE’S INITIATIVE TO PROPOSE 
AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
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Constitution Act of 2007.” 
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this right. 
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provisions of the Constitution. 
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the Constitution. 
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rejected by the people. 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Initiative on the 
Sec. 2. Policy. - Article XVII, Section 2 of the Constitution grants the people, 
through initiative upon a petition of at least twelve per centurn (12%) of the total number of 
registered voters, of which every legislative district must be represented by at least three 
per centurn (3%) of the registered voters therein, the right to directly propose amendments 
to the Constitution in which Congress shall provide for the implementation of the exercise of 
Sec. 3. Definitions. - For purposes of this Act, 
(1) “Amendment” refers to an alteration of one or a few specific and isolated 
(2) “COMELEC” refers to the Commission on Elections. 
(3) “People’s Initiative” refers to the power of the people to propose amendments to 
(4) ”Petition” refers to the written instrument of a people’s initiative in accordance 
(5) “Petitioner” refers to a signatory to a petition for people’s initiative who must be a 
(6) “Plebiscite” refers to the electoral process by which a proposition is approved or 
with Sec. 5 of this Act. 
registered voter in the Philippines. 


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(7) “Proponent” refers to a registered voter in a legislative district principally 
advocating a proposition and certifying that the petitioners in a petition for people’s initiative 
knowingly, freely, and voluntarily support the same. 
(8) “Proposition” refers to the particular amendment to the Constitution proposed by 
(9) “Revision” refers to an alteration of the entire Constitution or an important cluster 
the people in a people’s initiative. 
of provisions in the Constitution. 
Sec. 4. Who May Exercise. - People’s initiative may be exercised by all registered 
voters in the Philippines. 
Sec. 5. Requirements. - A petition for people’s initiative must have at least twelve 
per centum (12%) of the total number of registered voters as signatories, of which every 
legislative district must be represented by at least three per centum (3%) of the registered 
voters therein. People’s Initiative may be exercised only once every five (5) years. 
The COMELEC shall prescribe the form for a petition for people’s initiative, which 
shall include the following: 
(1) The contents or text of the proposed provision/s of the Constitution sought to be 
amended; 
(2) The proposition; 
(3) The reasonls for the proposition, not exceeding one thousand (1,000) words; 
(4) Proof that public hearings and consultations were held in each legislative district 
to ensure that the people have been properly informed of the proposition; 
(5) Statement under oath by a proponent in each legislative district that the 
petitioners in his or her legislative district knowingly, freely, and voluntarily support the 
proposition; and 
(6) Names, addresses, and signatures of the petitioners. 
Sec. 6. Prohibited Proposition. - No petition for people’s initiative covering more 
than one (1) proposed amendment to the Constitution or amounting to a revision of the 
Constitution shall be allowed. 
Sec. 7. Penal Provision. - A petition for people’s initiative filed with the COMELEC 
that violates any provision of this Act shall be dismissed by the COMELEC and the 
proponents thereof shall be punished with the penalty of imprisonment ranging from one (1) 
year to six (6) years, or a fine ranging from one hundred thousand pesos (PhP100,OOO) to 


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six hundred thousand (PhP600,000), or both, without prejudice to administrative, criminal, 
and civil liability under other laws. 
Sec. 8. Verification and Authentication of Signafures. - Upon order by the 
COMELEC of the apparent adequacy of a petition for people’s initiative within thirty (30) 
days from receipt thereof, the COMELEC shall verify and authenticate the signatures 
thereon. 
After the signatures have been verified and authenticated, the same shall be posted 
in the barangay hall of each of the legislative district for at least sixty (60) days to allow 
interested parties to examine the same and allow the filing of the appropriate protest or 
challenge within the same period. 
Any protest or challenge to the verification and 
authentication of the signatures shall be ruled upon by the COMELEC within sixty (60) days 
from the date of filing such protest or challenge. Upon resolution of the protests and 
challenges filed, if any, the COMELEC shall issue a certification on the sufficiency of the 
petition for people’s initiative. 
Sec. 9. Publication of Proposition. - Upon certification by the COMELEC of the 
sufficiency of the petition for people’s initiative, the COMELEC shall immediately publish the 
proposition in English and Filipino at least twice in a newspaper of general circulation in the 
Philippines. 
Sec. 10. Plebiscite. - A  Plebiscite shall be held not earlier than sixty (60) days nor 
later than ninety (90) days after the certification by the COMELEC of the sufficiency of the 
petition for people’s initiative. 
Sec. 11. Effectivity of Proposition. - The proposition contained in the petition for 
people’s initiative shall be effective when ratified by a majority of the votes cast in a 
plebiscite. 
Sec. 12. Applicability of the Omnibus Election Code. - The Omnibus Election 
Code and other election laws, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, shall apply to 
this Act. 
Sec. 13. Rules and Regulations. - The COMELEC shall promulgate rules and 
regulations as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act. 
Sec. 14. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to defray the cost of the initial 
implementation of this Act shall be charged against the Contingent Fund in the General 
Appropriations Act of the current year. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for the 
full implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. 


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Sec. 15. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or 
other issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby 
repealed or modified accordingly. 
Sec. 16. Separabilify Clause. - If any portion or provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provision not affected thereby shall remain 
in force and effect. 
Sec. 17. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following the 
completion of its publication either in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general 
circulation in the Philippines. 
Approved,