Legislative Branch

Philippine Politics and Governance

GROUP 6
Hannah
Source: PPG_W10_shiannedanceecorpuz.pdf
• The Philippines is a republic with a presidential form
of government wherein power is equally divided among
its three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial.
• One basic corollary in a presidential system of
government is the principle of separation of powers
wherein legislation belongs to Congress, execution to
the Executive, and settlement of legal controversies to
the Judiciary.
OBJECTIVES:

• Differentiate the roles and responsibilities of the Philippine

Senate and the House of Representatives.

• Define legislative power under a presidential form of government

like the Philippines.

• Discuss the lawmaking process

LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
• The Legislative Branch is authorized to make laws, alter, and repeal
them through the power vested in the Philippine Congress.
• This institution is divided into the Senate and the House of
Representatives.
• According to Section 1 of Article VI of the 1987 Philippine
Constitution: “The legislative power shall be vested in the Congress of
the Philippines which shall consist of a Senate and a House of
Representatives, except to the extent reserved to the people by the
provision on initiative and referendum.”
• The legislative power is vested in a bicameral body, the Congress of
the Philippines, which is composed of two houses– the House of Senate
(upper chamber) and the House of Representatives (lower chamber).

• The Legislative Branch enacts legislation, confirms or rejects

Presidential appointments, and has the authority to declare war.

• The Congress of the Philippines is the country’s highest lawmaking

body.
SENATE

• The Senate shall be composed of twenty-four Senators who shall be

elected at large by the qualified voters of the Philippines, as may be
provided by law.

• Composition of the Senate is smaller in number as compared to the

House of Representatives.

• The members of this chamber are elected at large by the entire

electorate.
• The rationale for this rule intends to make the Senate a training ground
for national leaders and possibly a springboard for the presidency.

• It follows that the Senator, having a national rather than only a district
constituency, will have a broader outlook of the problems of the
country, instead of being restricted by narrow viewpoints and interests.

• The Senate is likely to be more circumspect, or at least less impulsive,

than the house of Representatives.
Qualifications to become a senator, as stipulated in the constitution, are:

1. a natural-born citizen of the Philippines;

2. at least thirty-five years old;

3. is able to read and write

4. a registered voter, and

5. a resident of the Philippines for not less than two years before the
election day.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
• The House of Representatives shall be composed of not more than
two hundred and fifty (250) members, unless otherwise fixed by law,
who shall be elected from legislative districts apportioned among the
provinces, cities, and the Metropolitan Manila area in accordance with
the number of their respective inhabitants, and on the basis of a
uniform and progressive ratio, and those who, as provided by law, shall
be elected through a party-list system of registered national, regional,
and sectoral parties or organizations.
• The district congressmen represent a particular country. All provinces
in the country are composed of at least one congressional district.
• The party-list congressmen represent the minority sectors of the
population. This enables these minority groups to be represented in the
Congress, when they would otherwise not be represented properly
through district representation.
• Party-list representatives, sectoral congressmen represent labor
unions, rights groups, and other organizations.
• Part-list representatives shall constitute twenty percent of the total
number of representatives including those under the party list.
LEGISLATIVE PROCESS
• Congress is responsible for making enabling laws to make sure the spirit
of the constitution is upheld in the country and, at times, amend or
change the constitution itself.

• In order to craft laws, the legislative body comes out with two main
documents; bills and resolutions.
RESOULUTIONS
• It convey principles and sentiments of the Senate or the Representation. These
resolutions can further be divided into three different elements:

• Joint Resolutions- require the approval of both chambers of Congress

and the signature of the President, and have the force and effect of a law if
approved.
• Concurrent Resolutions- used for matters affecting the operations of both
chambers of Congress and must be approved in the same form by both
houses, but are not transmitted to the President for his signature and
therefore have no force and effect of a law .

• Simple Resolutions- deal with matters entirely within the prerogative of one
chamber of Congress, are not referred to the President for his signature, and
therefore have no force and effect of a law.
BILLS
• Bills are laws in the making. They pass into law when they are approved by both
houses and the President of the Philippines.
• A bill may be vetoed by the President, but the House of Representatives may
overturn a presidential veto by garnering a 2/3rds vote.
• Legislators grouped in committees conduct hearings and consultation meetings to
improve or pass a proposed bill. Those outside the group can also discuss any
proposed bill in plenary before it is voted upon.
• These debates during plenary are very important because they ideally give a chance
for others to scrutinize the proposed bill before it is passed.
• Once approved, a law can affect not just the government’s function but the life of
every Filipino.
Steps in the passage of a bill:

1. First Reading- any member of the house may present a proposed bill, signed by
him, for First Reading and reference to the proper committee
2. Referral to Appropriate Committee- after the first reading, the bill is referred to
the proper committee or committees for study and consideration.
3. Second Reading- if the committee reports the bill favorably, the bill is forwarded
to the Committee on Rules so that it may be calendared for deliberation on Second
Reading.
4. Debates- a general debate is opened after the Second Reading and amendments
may be proposed by any member of Congress. The insertion of changes or
amendments shall be done in accordance with the rules of either House. The House
may either “kill” or pass the bill.
5. Printing and Distribution- after approval of the bill on Second Reading, the bills is then
ordered printed in its final form and copies of it are distributed among the members of
the house three days before the passage, except when the bill was certified by the
President.
6. Third Reading- at this stage, only the title of the bill is read. Upon the last reading of a
bill, no amendment thereto is allowed and the vote thereon is taken immediately
thereafter, and yeas and nays entered in the journal. A member may abstain. As a rule,
a majority of the members constituting a quorum is sufficient to pass a bill.
7. Referral to the Other House- if approved, the bill is then referred to the other House
where substantially the same procedure takes place.
8. Submission to Joint Bicameral Committee- between the House’s bill and the Senate’s
amended version, and vice versa are submitted to a conference committee of members of
both Houses for compromise. If either House accepts the changes made by the other, no
compromise is necessary.
9. Submission to the President- a bill approved on Third Reading by both Houses shall
be printed and forthwith transmitted to the President for his action– approval or
disapproval. If the President does not communicate his veto of any bill to the House
where it originated within 30 days from receipt thereof, it shall become a law as if he
signed it. Bill repassed by the Congress over the veto of the President automatically
becomes a law.

IMPORTANCE OF LAWMAKING FUNCTION OF CONGRESS

• It passes law that regulate the conduct of and relations becomes the private
citizens and the government.

• It appropriates the money to be spent for public purposes.

• It defines and punishes crimes against the state and against persons and their
property. It determines the taxes people should pay for the maintenance of the
government.

• It can reorganize, create, or abolish offices under the civil service .

• And it can create and abolish courts, except the Supreme Court.

• Finally, it is only Congress which was given by the Philippine Constitution has
the sole power to declare war and authorize the President – in case of national
emergency or war – to issue executive orders embodying rules and regulations
intended to carry out the national policy.
Other Responsibilities;

• Aside from lawmaking, Congress is also given several powers and

responsibilities in certain situations.

• Congress role is crucial, as legislators play a part in checking on possible

excesses by the executive and judicial branches of government.

• The 1987 Constitution provides many instances when Congress invoke

the power:
The 1987 Constitution provides many instances when Congress invoke the power:

1. Congress has the power to remove from the office impeachable

government officials.
2. Congress has the “ sole power to declare the existence of a state of
war
3. Congress can revoke the President’s proclamation of martial law
4. Congress may authorize the President to exercise powers
5. Congressional committees can conduct hearings “in aid of
legislation”