Batasang Pambansa
The Batasang Pambansa was the Philippines' unicameral national legislature created under the 1973 Constitution and abolished after the 1986 People Power Revolution.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
The Batasang Pambansa, commonly shortened to the Batasan, was the national legislature of the Philippines during the constitutional and political order established under the 1973 Constitution. Its name means approximately “National Legislature.” The institution replaced the bicameral Congress of the Philippines created under the 1935 Constitution and represented the fourth unicameral legislature in Philippine history. The constitutional framework for the Batasang Pambansa originated in the 1973 Constitution, which was ratified on January 17, 1973. The constitution provided for a National Assembly operating within a parliamentary-style system. Before the regular legislature could be convened, an interim body served as the country's legislative institution. This Interim Batasang Pambansa had approximately 120 members and included representatives from regions and sectors, selected Cabinet officials, the incumbent president, and other constitutionally specified participants. It was therefore not constituted solely through a conventional nationwide legislative election. The interim legislature functioned from 1978 until the regular Batasang Pambansa was established. The body operated within a political system dominated by President Ferdinand Marcos, whose administration had declared martial law in 1972 and subsequently governed under the 1973 constitutional framework. In 1981, the semi-parliamentary legislature was formally convened as the Batasang Pambansa. A later legislative election resulted in the regular assembly that began operating in 1984. Its members were known as Mambabatas Pambansa, commonly abbreviated as MP, a title equivalent in English to member of parliament. The Batasang Pambansa was a central institution of the Marcos-era constitutional system. Its functions included legislative deliberation and the passage of laws, but its political role was shaped by the concentration of executive authority and the governing coalition's dominance. In 1985, some opposition or dissident members attempted to impeach President Marcos. The effort did not succeed, and the legislature remained in place until the collapse of the Marcos government during the People Power Revolution in February 1986. On March 25, 1986, President Corazon Aquino issued Proclamation No. 3, known as the Freedom Constitution. The proclamation effectively abolished the Batasang Pambansa and provided the transitional constitutional basis for the post-revolutionary government. The 1987 Constitution subsequently restored the Congress of the Philippines, returning the national legislature to a bicameral structure composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Batasang Pambansa therefore exists today as a historical institution rather than an operating legislative body.
History
The Batasang Pambansa developed from the constitutional changes introduced during the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos. The 1973 Constitution, ratified on January 17, 1973, replaced the earlier congressional framework with a proposed unicameral National Assembly. This change formed part of a broader transition toward a parliamentary or semi-parliamentary governmental structure. The constitutional provisions did not immediately produce a regularly elected legislature. An interim national legislative body was created first. Known as the Interim Batasang Pambansa, it had roughly 120 members drawn from several categories, including regional and sectoral representatives, selected Cabinet officials, and other individuals identified by the constitutional arrangements. The president and vice president, the president of the 1971 Constitutional Convention, members of the former legislative chambers, and convention delegates were also included in the transitional constitutional design. The interim body served as the national legislature from 1978 until the regular assembly was established. The semi-parliamentary legislature was formally convened in 1981. A regular Batasang Pambansa subsequently began operating in 1984. Its legislators were called Mambabatas Pambansa, abbreviated MP. Although the institution was formally responsible for national legislative work, its operation took place in a political environment in which executive power and the governing administration were highly influential. The legislature was consequently an important constitutional institution of the Marcos period but did not function in the same political setting as the earlier Congress or the bicameral Congress restored after 1986. In 1985, dissident members attempted to impeach President Marcos. The initiative failed, but it illustrated the increasing political conflict surrounding the administration and the constitutional system. The following year, the People Power Revolution brought the Marcos presidency to an end. On March 25, 1986, Proclamation No. 3, generally called the Freedom Constitution, was promulgated. It effectively abolished the Batasang Pambansa and established the transitional legal framework for the new government. The 1987 Constitution later restored the Congress of the Philippines as a bicameral legislature composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Batasang Pambansa therefore ceased to operate as a national institution after 1986 and is now remembered as the legislature of the 1973 constitutional period.
- 1986
The Batasang Pambansa is abolished
[1]Proclamation No. 3, the Freedom Constitution, effectively ended the legislature after the People Power Revolution.
- 1985
An impeachment attempt against Marcos fails
[1]Dissident legislators unsuccessfully sought to impeach President Ferdinand Marcos.
- 1984
The regular Batasang Pambansa begins
[1]The regular assembly replaced the interim legislature. Its members were designated Mambabatas Pambansa, or national lawmakers.
- 1981
The semi-parliamentary legislature is formally convened
[1]The Batasang Pambansa was formally convened within the constitutional system created under the Marcos administration.
- 1978
The Interim Batasang Pambansa is established
[1]An interim body began serving as the Philippines' national legislature before the regular Batasang Pambansa was convened.
- 1973
The 1973 Constitution establishes the framework for a unicameral legislature
[1]The constitution ratified on January 17, 1973 provided for a National Assembly that became the constitutional basis for the later Batasang Pambansa.
Products and positioning
A national legislative institution rather than a commercial brand; it served as the unicameral parliament of the Philippines under the 1973 constitutional order.
Brand decisions
1986
Abolition under the Freedom ConstitutionOtherBackground
The People Power Revolution ended the Marcos administration and initiated a transition to a new constitutional order.
Action taken
Proclamation No. 3 effectively dissolved the Batasang Pambansa.
Aftermath
The 1987 Constitution restored Congress as a bicameral legislature consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
1973
Adoption of a unicameral constitutional legislatureStrategyBackground
The 1973 Constitution replaced the congressional model associated with the 1935 Constitution with a framework for a unicameral National Assembly.
Action taken
A constitutional structure was created for a national legislature that later operated under the name Batasang Pambansa.
Aftermath
The change led first to an interim assembly and later to the regular Batasang Pambansa, replacing the previous Congress until the post-1986 restoration of a bicameral legislature.
Sources1 sources
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