Amendment - A change in the words or meaning of a law or document (such as a constitution)

: The act or process of changing the words or meaning of a law or document: the act or process of amending something
: The act of amending or correcting
correction, rectification - the act of offering an improvement to replace a mistake; setting right
: A statement that is added to or revises or improves a proposal or document (a bill orconstitution etc.)
statement - a message that is stated or declared; a communication (oral or written) setting forthparticulars or facts etc; "according to his statemen
t he was in London on that day"
How to Amend or revise a Philippine Constitution?
The Constitution of the Philippines may be amended or revised through:
1. Constituent assembly - The Congress shall constitute itself into a constituent assembly and upon a vote three-fourths may amend or revise the
constitution.
2. Constitutional Convention - The Congress, by a vote of two-thirds of all its members, shall call a constitutional convention or, by a majority vote
of all its members, shall submit to the electorate the question of calling such a convention.
3. Initiative - the people, through initiative upon petition of the required number of registered voters, shall directly propose the amendment.
In all cases, the amendment or revision shall only become valid upon ratification by the majority of the voters in a plebiscite called for that purpose.
The 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines Article XVII
AMENDMENTS OR REVISIONS
Section 1. Any amendment to, or revision of, this Constitution may be proposed by:
(1) The Congress, upon a vote of three-fourths of all its Members; or
(2) A constitutional convention.
Section 2. Amendments to this Constitution may likewise be directly proposed by the people through initiative upon a petition of at least twelve per
centum of the total number of registered voters, of which every legislative district must be represented by at least three per centum of the registered
voters therein. No amendment under this section shall be authorized within five years following the ratification of this Constitution nor oftener than
once every five years thereafter.
The Congress shall provide for the implementation of the exercise of this right.
Section 3. The Congress may, by a vote of two-thirds of all its Members, call a constitutional convention, or by a majority vote of all its Members,
submit to the electorate the question of calling such a convention.
Section 4. Any amendment to, or revision of, this Constitution under Section 1 hereof shall be valid when ratified by a majority of the votes cast in a
plebiscite which shall be held not earlier than sixty days nor later than ninety days after the approval of such amendment or revision.
Any amendment under Section 2 hereof shall be valid when ratified by a majority of the votes cast in a plebiscite which shall be held not
earlier than sixty days nor later than ninety days after the certification by the Commission on Elections of the sufficiency of the petition.
There have been renewed discussions regarding the need to amend the 1987 Constitution. The Law Professor agrees that a constitution
must not remain static, it must always be dynamic and reflect or adjust to what the current situation of the country requires. It does not follow that
what may have been applicable in 1987 is still applicable today. We can only hope that whoever is tasked with amending the Constitution does so
while thinking about the country and not him or herself.
At the onset, it would be wise to distinguish amendment from revision. Amendment means an isolated or piecemeal change in the Constitution. On
the other hand, revision is the revamp or the rewriting of the entire instrument.
So, how do you amend or revise the constitution? The first step is through proposal. Under Article XVII of the 1987 Constitution there are three
ways to propose amendments. The first is by Congress through a vote of 3/4 of all its members. By 3/4 vote, it is understood to be 3/4 of the Senate
and 3/4 of the House of Representatives. Generally, Congress has both constituent and legislative powers. Their constituent powers include the

power to formulate a constitution or propose amendments or revisions and to ratify the same. Legislative power refers to the power to pass, repeal or
amend ordinary laws or statutes. In amending the Constitution, the Congress will be exercising their constituent powers.
The second method of proposal is through a constitutional convention. The Congress may, by a vote of two-thirds of all its Members, call a
constitutional convention, or by a majority vote of all its Members, submit to the electorate the question of calling such a convention.
The last method of proposal is made by the people through initiative. This is done through a petition of at least twelve per centum of the total
number of registered voters, of which every legislative district must be represented by at least three per centum of the registered voters therein.
However, no amendment shall be authorized within five years following the ratification of the Constitution nor oftener than once every five years
thereafter.
Congress was also tasked to provide for the implementation of the exercise of this right and they did just that by enacting Republic Act 6735
entitled, An Act Providing for a System of Initiative and Referendum. Proposed amendments shall be valid when ratified by a majority of the votes
cast in a plebiscite which shall be held not earlier than sixty days nor later than ninety days after the approval of such amendment or revision.