CSE Pro General Information: Constitution, RA 6713, Current Events

CSE Pro General Information: Constitution, RA 6713, Current Events

General Information is the CSE Professional subtest that rewards preparation most directly. Unlike verbal, numerical, or analytical — where some skill needs to be built over weeks — General Information is largely memorisation against a finite, well-documented scope. CSC publishes the topic list in the bulletin; the items barely deviate cycle to cycle.

A candidate who memorises the Philippine Constitution and RA 6713 cold can walk in and bank 25+ of the 40 items before reading a single question on the rest of the subtest.

This post is the topic-by-topic deep-dive that the CSE Professional 2026 pillar guide hands off to.

What CSC actually asks

The 40 General Information items break down approximately as:

The Constitution and RA 6713 together make up over half the subtest. Get those two cold and the path to 80% on this subtest is short.

1987 Philippine Constitution — what to memorise

The Constitution has 18 Articles. CSC items focus disproportionately on a few:

Article II — Declaration of Principles and State Policies. Most-tested article. Know:

• Section 1: democratic and republican State; sovereignty resides in the people
• Section 2: renunciation of war as instrument of national policy
• Section 3: civilian authority over the military; AFP role
• Section 4: defence of the State as prime duty
• Section 5: maintenance of peace and order
• Sections 11–28: the policy declarations on family, health, education, agrarian reform, labor

Article III — Bill of Rights. Second most-tested. Know all 22 sections — especially due process, search and seizure, freedom of speech, religious freedom, and the rights of the accused.

Article VI — Legislative Department.

• Composition of Senate (24, 6-year term, two consecutive terms max) and House of Representatives (250 max, 3-year term, three consecutive terms max)
• Qualifications for senators and representatives
• Quorum and voting requirements
• Bill-passage process (three readings, executive approval, override)

Article VII — Executive Department.

• Qualifications and term of the President (6 years, no re-election)
• Line of succession (VP, Senate President, Speaker)
• Powers: Commander-in-Chief, pardon, treaty-making
• Impeachment grounds and process

Article VIII — Judicial Department.

• Composition of the Supreme Court (15 justices)
• Qualifications and term of justices
• Judicial Bar Council role
• Hierarchy of courts

Article IX — Constitutional Commissions. CSC, COMELEC, COA — composition, terms, functions.

Article XI — Accountability of Public Officers. Impeachable officials, grounds for impeachment, process. Sandiganbayan and Ombudsman roles.

Article XII — National Economy and Patrimony. Foreign ownership limits, agrarian reform, environment.

The other articles (IV — Citizenship, V — Suffrage, X — Local Government, XIII — Social Justice, XIV — Education, XV — Family, XVI — General Provisions, XVII — Amendments, XVIII — Transitory) appear less but are still testable. Skim them once; deep-dive only the eight above.

RA 6713 — Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials

A focused statute with a finite scope. Memorise:

Section 4 — Norms of conduct. Eight norms: commitment to public interest, professionalism, justness and sincerity, political neutrality, responsiveness to the public, nationalism and patriotism, commitment to democracy, simple living.

Section 5 — Duties of public officials. Act promptly on letters and requests, submit annual performance reports, process documents within prescribed periods, etc.

Section 6 — System of incentives and rewards. What CSC and agency heads are required to provide.

Section 7 — Prohibited acts and transactions. Five major categories:

• Financial and material interest
• Outside employment and other activities
• Disclosure and/or misuse of confidential information
• Solicitation or acceptance of gifts
• Other prohibited acts

Section 8 — Statements and disclosure. SALN (Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth) requirements, disclosure of business interests and financial connections.

Section 9 — Divestment. When and how public officials must divest from business interests.

Section 11 — Penalties. Administrative, civil, criminal liabilities.

CSC asks RA 6713 items by section number sometimes — when a section is referenced, you should know what it covers without re-reading.

Philippine history — what to drill

Don't try to memorise every date in Philippine history. Focus on:

• Pre-colonial: barangay system, datus, baybayin script, major early settlements
• Spanish colonial era: dates of arrival (1521 Magellan, 1565 Legazpi), encomienda system, Galleon trade, Spanish reforms
• Philippine Revolution: KKK founding (1892), Pact of Biak-na-Bato (1897), declaration of independence (June 12, 1898)
• American colonial era: Treaty of Paris (1898), Philippine-American War, Tydings-McDuffie Act (1934)
• Commonwealth era: 1935 Constitution, Quezon and Osmeña administrations
• WWII and Japanese occupation (1942–1945)
• Post-independence Republic: presidents in order, key administrations
• Martial Law era (1972–1986): proclamation, key events, EDSA Revolution
• Post-EDSA: 1987 Constitution, presidential terms, key reforms

For each presidential administration, know one or two signature laws or events. CSC asks "during which administration was X law passed?" reliably.

Current events — the moving target

The current events block is the hardest to drill because the scope shifts cycle to cycle. Practical approach:

• Read one major Philippine news source consistently for the 6 months leading to your test
• Track major appointments (Cabinet members, Supreme Court justices)
• Track major laws passed in the last 12–18 months
• Track major international news affecting the Philippines (ASEAN events, US-PH relations, China sea issues)
• Track major elections (national, local, partial)
• Track major typhoons, natural disasters, and government responses

The current events items are usually 4–6 per cycle. You won't get all of them — accept that — but consistent news reading should land you 60–70% of the block.

Environment, science, geography

About 4 items per cycle. Drill list:

• Philippine geography: regions, major islands, key cities, mountains, rivers, gulfs
• Philippine biodiversity: endemic species, marine sanctuaries, protected areas
• Climate change basics: greenhouse effect, IPCC findings at high level
• Philippine environmental laws: RA 9003 (Solid Waste Management), RA 9275 (Clean Water), RA 8749 (Clean Air)
• Disaster risk reduction: NDRRMC role, RA 10121
• Basic earth science: typhoon formation, plate tectonics in PH context, volcanic activity

Human rights, peace, governance

About 2 items per cycle. Drill list:

• UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) — basic articles
• RA 9710 (Magna Carta of Women)
• RA 7610 (Special Protection of Children)
• RA 9344 (Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act)
• RA 9262 (Anti-VAWC)
• Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (RA 8371)

A 6-week General Information drilling plan

This subtest is reading-and-memorisation, not item-drilling. Adjust the schedule accordingly:

Print or save the Constitution and RA 6713 in PDF — read the actual text, not just summaries. Summary cards miss the specific wording CSC asks about ("the President shall..." vs "the President may...").

Realistic General Information scores

Because the scope is finite, this is the subtest where preparation delta is largest. A candidate who hasn't drilled the Constitution will score 35–45%; one who has will score 80%+. The gap is purely effort.

Where Super Tutor fits

Super Tutor's CSE Professional track includes the full Constitution + RA 6713 reference text plus item drills sequenced article-by-article. Free tier covers the most-tested articles (II, III, VI, VII); the Focused plan (₱49/week, ₱249/month, ₱1,999/year) opens the rest plus history, current events, and the mock cycle.

What to read next

The CSE Professional 2026 pillar guide covers the full review. The other three subtest deep-dives: Verbal Ability, Numerical Ability, Analytical Ability.