This responsibility is entrusted to the local police
agencies to which it properly pertains. To insure its
proper discharge, such police agencies shall be
organized, maintained, supervised and utilized in
accordance with applicable laws. The defense and
security of the regions shall be the responsibility of
the national government. For obvious reasons, only the
national government should have jurisdiction over such
matters.
Intended to meet the demand for autonomy that has been aired for
several years now by Muslims in Southern Philippines and only fairly
recently by some leaders of the Cordilleras in Northern Luzon. 1 It is also
expected to speed up the economic development of the regions.
Authorizes the creation of only two (2) autonomous regions, one
for Muslim Mindanao and another, for the Cordilleras as distinct
territorial and political subdivisions of the Republic of the
Philippines.
Section 21
Preservation of
peace and order
within the region.
Such other matters as may be
authorized by law for the
promotion of the general welfare
of the people of the region.
Regional urban and
Personal, family, and
rural planning
property relations
development
Preservation and
development of the
cultural heritage
Creation of sources
of revenues
This power extends to autonomous regions and is to be
exercised by the President "to ensure that laws are faithfully
executed," consistent with the constitutional policy to
ensure the autonomy of local governments.
Section 15
Creation of
Autonomous
Regions
Provisions of
creating
Autonomous
Regions
section 20
Legislative powers of
autonomous regions
Educational policies
Economic, social, and
tourism development
Ancestral domain and
natural resources
Administrative organization
section 19
Time frame for the
passage of organic
acts
The Constitution directs the first Congress t o be
elected under the new Constitution after its
ratification to pass the organic acts for the
autonomous regions in Muslim Mindanao and the
Cordilleras within 18 months from the time of
organization of the Senate and the House of
Representatives. Thereafter, the organic acts shall
be submitted to a plebiscite called for the purpose
for approval by the constituent units.
section 18
Enactment and
ratification of an organic
act for each autunomous
region.
States
the
procedure
for
the
establishment of autonomous regions.
Congress is mandated to enact an organic
act to be proposed for each autonomous
region or the basic law by virtue of which
it shall exist as such, defining its
organization and powers.
There is a need for a charter or
organic law specifically applicable to
each particular region, which shall
define
the
basic
structure
of
government for the autonomous region .
Section 16
The President shall exercise
general supervision over
autonomous regions to ensure
that the laws are faithfully
executed.
section 17
All powers, functions, and
responsibilities not granted
by this Constitution or by law
to the autonomous regions
shall be vested in the
National Government.
Residual powers or powers not given by the
Constitution or by law to the autonomous
regions are vested in the national government.
The reason for this is that local governments
including
autonomous
regions
are
mere
creatures of the State operating under the
principle of granted powers.