The need for inclusion of Constitutional literacy in Philippine education system

After watching the news about the idea of pushing for financial literacy in our high school curriculum, which could help the youth learn about individual monetary affairs as well as basics in business and investment, I came to think about, on the side, the status of our Constitutional literacy as a nation. Many would agree that the general public is not fully knowledgeable of our Constitution, even I myself is guilty of this fact. That is why, in my opinion, it must also be direly included in our education system.

Constitution is the foundation of all existing laws of the land. It is the one that limits the powers of the government and extends the power of the people in a democratic nation. Understanding the Constitution is vital in strengthening the people’s nationalism and patriotism. It also upholds all our rights as sovereign Filipinos. In short, it should be the “bible” of the citizens.

Due process for the damned

Bravisimo, director

The dead don’t speak, but the living are not allowed to

An intensive background on Constitution can help the people become more credible in engaging in debates and arguments about the national issues and current events. This is one problem, aside from the lousy campaign, that I can see why the proposal to shift to federalism does not sail through well as expected by the current administration. How can the government persuade the public to accept a new form of government when they do not even cognize the present Constitution in the first place? How can they decide to agree or disagree based on facts when all they can get are noise and maliciously influenced views from the mainstream media? They will not appreciate the fact that the world evolves through time, and that our constitution may be obsolete or may need to evolve as well.

The territory-related issues that flood all the news platforms today can also be understood by the public only if we all have good literacy on constitution. We will all be able to factually define our territories, differentiate between internal, territorial, and international waters, and understand the state policies, before we can take a firm stand on these issues.

It is a misconception that the Constitution is only for the consumption of the few (the Legislative, Judiciary and Executive people, and the professionals related to the field or discipline). It is actually the creation and decision of the sovereign Filipino people. We must live by it all throughout. Also, as stated in the Preamble, it must be promulgated. And the most effective way to do it is to introduce it to the youth by including this in the curriculum.