College degree required for president, VP, senators, other officials — draft federal charter

The draft federal constitution submitted to President Rodrigo Duterte requires college degrees for the country's top officials.

In the proposed charter released on Monday by the Consultative Committee to Review the 1987 Constitution, those seeking the posts of President, Vice President, Senator, and members of the House of Representatives will need to have a college degree or is equivalent to be eligible for the post.

FULL DOCUMENT: Draft Federal Constitution released by the Con-Com

The requirement also applies to members of the Regional Assembly, the legislative body for each Federated region, as well as the chairperson and members of the Federal Commission on Elections, and the chairperson and members of the Federal Commission on Human Rights.

The following provisions detail the requirements for these positions:

ARTICLE VII, SECTION 3:

No person shall be elected Senator unless he is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines and, on the day of the election, at least thirty-five (35) years of age, holder of a college degree or its equivalent, a registered voter, and domiciled in the Federated Region where he or she is to be elected for not less than two years immediately preceding the day of the election.

ARTICLE VII, SECTION 6:

No person shall be a Member of the House of Representatives unless he is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, at least twenty-five (25) years of age on the day of the election, and holder of a college degree or its equivalent. Except for one elected through the proportional representation system, he must be a registered voter and domiciled in the district where he is to be elected for a period of not less than one (1) year immediately preceding the day of the election.

ARTICLE VIII, SECTION 2:

No person may be elected President unless he is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, a registered voter, holder of a college degree or its equivalent and on the day of the election, at least forty (40) years of age, and domiciled in the Philippines for at least ten (10) years immediately preceding such election.

ARTICLE VIII, SECTION 3:

There shall be a Vice President who shall have the same qualifications and term
of office as the President.

ARTICLE X - C, SECTION 1:

There shall be a Federal Commission on Elections composed of a Chairperson and six (6) Commissioners, two (2) from Luzon, two (2) from Visayas, and two (2) from Mindanao one of whom shall represent the Bangsamoro, who shall be natural-born citizens of the Philippines, at least thirty-five (35) years of age at the time of their appointment, holders of a college degree, and must not have been candidates for any elective position in the immediately preceding election. One (1) should be a member of the Philippine bar and should have been engaged in the practice of law for at least ten (10) years.

ARTICLE X - E, SECTION 1:

There shall be a Federal Commission on Human Rights composed of a Chairperson and four (4) Commissioners who must be natural-born citizens of the Philippines, at least thirty-five (35) years of age at the time of their appointment, holders of a college degree or its equivalent, and must not have been candidates for any elective position in the immediately preceding election.

ARTICLE XI, SECTION X:

No person may be a member of the Regional Assembly unless he is a natural born citizen, a registered voter, a holder of a college degree or its equivalent, at least twenty five (25) years of age on the day of the election, and domiciled in the Federated Region for at least five (5) years immediately preceding the election.

—JST, GMA News