President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday has stressed that the Philippines has remained a bastion of resilience, peace, and stability — mainly due to the Constitution of the country.

According to Marcos, the Constitution established the structure of the government, determined the rights of Filipinos, and protected them from abuse amid the ongoing geopolitical conflicts, increasing tensions and ever-changing economic landscape.

“It promotes our fundamental right to life, liberty, and property. It ensures our right to due process and equal protection, our freedom of speech and religion, our right to privacy, among others,” Marcos said.

The President’s remarks come as the Philippine Constitution Association (PHILCONSA) celebrated its 63rd Founding Anniversary in Malacañang.

The Association was founded in 1961 with a mission to defend, preserve, and protect the Constitution. Its members are of legal luminaries, business, and socio-economic leaders.

In his speech, Marcos cited the founder of PHILCONSA — Don Salvador Araneta — who once said that the organization’s role is to be the “people’s conscience” which helped preserve the Constitution against insidious interests.

“It was a bold task that only those who understood the Constitution as a living, breathing embodiment of who we are as Filipinos could fulfill,” Marcos said.

The President added that PHILCONSA has remained steadfast, vigilant and uncompromising guardians of democracy and of the nation.

However, Marcos lamented there’s much left to be done, adding that it must be acknowledged that many of the laws that fully bring life to the Constitution remain unpassed.

“Our efforts to fully empower our people and deepen our democracy still fall short of what the framers envisioned,” said the President.

He then called on all the branches of the government to “rise to the challenge”.

“It is high time that we take decisive action,” Marcos said. “Let us commit ourselves to the unfinished work of democracy.”