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AMENDMENT AND REVISION

  

    Amendment is the change that does not alter the basic principle of law. It generally affects only the specific provision. An addition or change within the lines of the original constitution as will effect an improvement, or better carry out the purpose for which it was framed or a change that adds, reduces or deletes without altering the basic principles involved as it only affects the specific provision being amended. (Lambino v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 174153, Oct. 25, 2006)

How may the Constitution be amended?
Amendment may be affected:
a. by Congress, upon a vote of 3/4 of all its members;
b. by Constitutional Convention, upon a vote of 2/3 of all its members or by majority vote of all its members;
c. by People's Initiative. People's initiative is the power of the people to propose amendments to the Constitution, or to propose or enact legislation through an election called for its purpose.

    Revision is the rewriting or overhauling of the entire instrument. It broadly implies a change that alters the basic principle in the Constitution. It alters the substantial entirety of the constitution, as when the change affects substantial provisions of the constitution. Example in the case of Lambino v. COMELEC, altering the principle of separation of powers or the system of checks and balances.

How may the Constitution be revised?
There are only two ways of revising the Constitution, to wit:
a. by the Congress, upon a vote of 3/4 of all its members; or
b. by Constitutional Convention, upon a vote of 2/3 of all its members or majority of all its members.

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