Philippine Politics and

Governance

Module No. 7

First Semester
First Quarter
4 hours

James Jay G. Llerin

Module Writer/Translator
Laguindingan National High
School (LaNHS-SHS)
 What I Need to Know

For the Learners:

Mabuhay Pilipinas! Philippine Politics and Governance is one of the

specialized subjects to all learners who commit themselves in the strand of
Humanities and Social Sciences. In this subject, we will be exploring the
different ideologies in the world of Politics and how we come up with our own
Government in the present day here in Philippines. We will explore our own
country in the perspective of our governing body and to our leaders.

In this module, we will broaden our understanding how Philippine

Government works—the hows and whats in its content. Further, this module
will challenge us to critique, understand, and evaluate the Government
especially in the Legislative Branch.

Module Content:

To ensure the effectivity of the Government and to secure the citizen’s right,
Government is divided into three branches in where each branch has different role and
power possesses. The three branches of Government are (1) Executive, (2) Legislative,
and (3) Judiciary.

Module 7 focuses the second branch of Government which is the Legislative

Branch. In this module, you will be able to:

Differentiate the roles and responsibilities of the Philippine Senate and the
House of Representatives. (HUMSS_PG12-Ii-27)

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 What I Know (Pretest)

This activity will enable you to assess your prior knowledge from the topic that will be
discussed in this lesson.

Directions: Choose the letter of the correct answer and write the CAPITAL LETTER of
your answer in the space provided.

___1. What is the branch in the Government that its main function is to craft laws?
A. Executive Branch B. Legislative Branch C. Judicial Branch

___2. In order to create laws, legislative branch comes up with two main documents.
What are these?

A. Resolutions and Bills B. Resolutions and Ordinance C. Bills and Ordinance

___3. According to the 1987 Philippine Constitution, legislative power shall be vested in
the Congress of the Philippines, which shall consist of what?

A. President and Chief Justice

B. Senate and House of Representative
C. Chief of Justice and House of Representative
___4. What is the last step in making a law under the Legislative Process?
A. Third Reading
B. Submission to Joint Bicameral Committee
C. Submission to the President

___5. After how many days the act shall take effect after the publication in the
official gazette of the Philippine Government?

A. 10 days B. 15 days C. 30 days

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 MODULE 7

Learning Differentiate the roles and responsibilities of

Competenc the Philippine Senate and the House of
Representatives. (HUMSS_PG12-Ii-27)
y

What I need to know:

At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:
Identify the real life application of roles and responsibilities exercised by the
Philippine Senate and the House of Representatives.
Realize the importance of law making through evaluating a bill passed by the
Senate or House of Representative.
Create a proposal bill using the prescribed format in the Philippine Congress.

What’s New
Activity 1. Photo Analysis

Direction: Give a short description of the photo and write the possible cause why the
scenario shown in the photo happened.

1. Traffic Jam

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 2. Classroom
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Guide Questions:
1. How do you find the activity?
2. Why is the law important?
3. What would a society look like without a law?

What Is It

Imagine a society without law? What will happen to its citizen if

everyone is entitled with their own freedom without respecting other’s freedom?
Imagine a society in where stealing, over speeding or worse, killing is okay? Do
you think your life will be safe? Do you think, you want to live in this kind of
society?

In order to maintain an harmonious living, one of the branches in the

Philippine Government which is the Legislative Branch has a main function to
make laws, alter, and repeal them through the power vested in the Philippine
Congress.

Legislative Branch

Article VI (The Legislative Department) of 1987 Philippine Constitution

specified the role and responsibilities of the Philippine Senate and the House of
Representative. Section I of the said article states that, “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.” Legislative power
refers the authority under the constitution to make laws and to alter or repel
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them.
 by the
of the

Structure and Organization

The legislative power is vested in a bicameral body, the Congress of the

Philippines, which is composed of two houses -- the Senate and the House
Representatives. The Congress of the Philippines is the country's highest lawmaking
body.

Article VI Sections 2 – 4 and Article Sections 5 to 7 stipulated the composition,

qualifications, manner of election, term of office and maximum term of office for Senate
and House of Representatives, respectively.

Table 7. 1: Philippine Congress

Senate House of Representatives

Seal
Photo Source: Photo Source:

24 Senators 250 members, unless

Composition
otherwise fixed by
law
Elected at large Legislative districts
qualified voters apportioned among the
Philippines provinces, cities, and the
Metropolitan Manila area in
accordance with the number
Manner of Election 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

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 system of registered
national, regional, and
sectoral parties or
organizations.

6 Years and shall commence, 3 Years and shall

unless otherwise provided by
Term of Office law, at noon on the 30th day
of June next following
their election.
Length of Service 2 Consecutive TERMS
commence, unless
otherwise provided by law,
at noon on the 30th day of
June next following their
election.
3 Consecutive TERMS

Natural Born Citizen of Natural Born Citizen of

the Philippines the Philippines

At least 35 years of age At least 25 years of age

Able to read and write Able to read and write

Registered Voter Registered Voter in

Qualifications the district (except in
the party list)

resident of the Philippines resident thereof for a

for not less than 2 years period of not less than 1
immediately preceding the year immediately
day of the election preceding the day of the
election.

Bills and Resolutions

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.

Resolutions convey principles and sentiments of the Senate or the House of

Representatives. 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.

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 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 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. If the President does not act on a proposed law submitted by Congress, it will
lapse into law after 30 days of receipt.

Source: https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/about/gov/the-legislative-branch/

In order for a bill to be a law, it undergo a process and a series of readings and study.
The table below shows the layout of the Legislative Process.

Table 7.2 Layout of the Legislative Process

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References

A Law Dictionary, Adapted to the Constitution and Laws of the United States. By John
Bouvier.. S.v. "Legislative power." Retrieved July 13 2020 from

Photo Source: https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/images/uploads/Legislative-Process-Layout_10Mayno-banner.jpg

1. First Reading - Any member of either house may present a proposed bill,
signed by him, for First Reading and reference to the proper committee. During
the First Reading, the principal author of the bill may propose the inclusion of
additional authors thereof.

2. Referral to Appropriate Committee - Immediately after the First Reading,

the bill is referred to the proper committee or committees for study and
consideration. If disapproved in the committee, the bill dies a natural death
unless the House decides other wise, following the submission of the report.

3. Second Reading - If the committee reports the bill favorably, the bills is
forwarded to the Committee on Rules so that it may be calendared fordeliberation
on Second Reading. At this stage, the bill is read for the second time in its
entirely, together with the amendments, if any, proposed by the committee,
unless the reading is dispensed with by a majority vote of the House.

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 4. Debates - A general debate is then 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 its passage, except when the bill
was certified by the President. A bill approved on Second Reading shall be
included in the calendar of bills for Third Reading.

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 - Differences, if any, 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 Congress over the veto of the
President automatically becomes a law.

Powers and Functions of the Congress

Aside from lawmaking, the Congress has also different Powers and Functions.
Congress' role in exacting accountability is crucial as legislators play a part in checking
on possible excesses by the executive and judicial branches of government.

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 The 1987 Philippine Constitution provides many instances when Congress can
invoke this power:

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

officials, including the President, Vice President, members of the Supreme
Court, members of constitutional commissions, and the Ombudsman. The
House of Representatives can tackle impeachment complaints and submit the
resolution setting the Articles of Impeachment. The Senate, meanwhile, decides
on cases of impeachment in a full-blown trial.

2. Congress has the “sole power to declare the existence of a state of

war,” according to Section 23 Article VI of the Constitution. A vote of two-thirds
of both Houses, voting separately, is needed.

3. Congress can revoke the President’s proclamation of martial law by a vote

of at least a majority of all members of the Senate and the House. If
requested, Congress can also extend the period of martial law beyond the
mandated 60 days.

4. Congress may authorize the President to exercise powers to carry out a

declared national policy “for a limited period and subject to restrictions" in times
of war or other national emergency.

5. Congressional committees can conduct hearings "in aid of legislation” on

various issues that affect the nation and release a report based on findings. For
example, the Senate committee in August 2018 conducted a hearing on the
TRAIN law's impact on inflation amid rising prices of commodities.

6. Congress is also involved in the national budget process. It can decide

whether or not to add or reduce a government agency’s budget, effectively
overseeing budget appropriations and being on guard against suspected
corruption. This, however, may lead to several clashes, as seen in the 2019
budget that was just passed on Friday, February 8, after months of delay.

7. Congress, through the Commission on Appointments, can approve or

reject some key appointments made by the president to government agencies.

8. Congress needs to concur with any amnesty granted by the

president, according to Section 19, Article VII of the Constitution. A vote of
majority of all members is needed.

9. Congress is heavily involved in starting charter change. It can either

convene into a Constituent Assembly (through a vote of three-fourths of all
members) and propose both amendments and revisions, or call for an election
of members of a Constitutional Convention (vote of two-thirds of its members).

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 What’s More

Activity 2: Citizen Patrol

Direction: Read the Press release about a bill that pushes to protect delivery
riders/drivers against customers’ cancellation of orders. Answer the questions that
follow.

Press Release: July 4, 2020

Sen. Lapid's bill pushes to protect delivery riders, drivers

Senator Manuel "Lito" Lapid has filed a bill which seeks to provide protection to delivery
riders/drivers, by requiring food and grocery delivery service providers to establish a mandatory
reimbursement scheme for cancellation of orders.
For months now, since the COVID-19 pandemic, most of the residents and workers are forced to
stay at home and avoid crowded places that they usually visit such as restaurants and groceries. To
sustain the public's need for food and household items, people now resort to delivery services
wherein the delivery riders are the front-liners who take the daily risk of going out and ordering
food or buying groceries and deliver them at the doorstep of their customers.
Unfortunately, these delivery riders have recently been exposed to unjustified cancellation of orders
or even to instances of "no-show" customers, despite the fact that they have already advanced or
paid the ordered items.
"Masakit isipin na sa kabila ng panganib na hinaharap ng mga delivery rider para lamang
makapagserbisyo sa mga customer at kumita ng maliit na halaga, sa huli, sila pa ang naloloko.
Bukod sa nasasayang ang oras at salapi ng mga riders dahil sa pagkansela ng order, ang mas
malala pa, may mga pagkakataon na ni hindi matunton nag address ng nanlokong customer dahil
sa fake address. Hindi tuloy sila mapanagot at naiiwang lugi at abunado ang mga delivery riders,"
Lapid said.
Senate Bill 1677 requires the service providers to establish a reimbursement scheme in favor of
deliver riders/drivers which will cover the entire amount of money advances to purchase the items,
in case of cancelation of confirmed orders. Reimbursements to the riders must be made within one
(1) day from cancellation.
To facilitate collection against cancelling customers, this bill also requires the implementation of
Know- Your-Customer (KYC) rules which will entail the submission and verification of proof of
identity and residential address, subject to compliance with the Data Privacy Act of 2012.
"Sa hirap ng buhay ngayon lalo't nasa gitna tayo ng pandemya, lahat naman tayo ay gustong
kumita. Kaya humahanga tayo sa mga gaya ng service riders na gumagawa ng paraan para kumita
sa legal na paraan at malaki pa ang naitutulong nila para hindi na lumabas ng bahay ang ating mga
kababayan. Kaya para masiguro na hindi na sila maloloko pa ng mga biglaang pagkansela ng
order, dapat masiguro na ang mga umoorder ay magbibigay ng totoong pangalan at address,"
Lapid added.
Lapid's bill also penalizes repeated acts of unjustified cancellation of confirmed orders for the
delivery of food and/or grocery items when the same has already been paid by the delivery
rider/driver. If a customer cancels for at least three (3) times in a period of one (1) month, he/she,
upon conviction, be subject to the penalty of arresto mayor or imprisonment of one month and one
day to six months. The said customer will also need to pay a fine of an amount not exceeding
P100,000.
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Failure of the food and grocery delivery service providers to set up the reimbursement scheme is
likewise penalized with a fine not exceeding Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php 500,000.00) and
double the amount of money not reimbursed to their delivery riders/drivers.
Questions:

1. Is there a need to create a law to protect delivery riders? Why?

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2. What is the implication of the proposed law towards the behavior of Filipino
citizens?
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3. If you were to decide, will you agree with this senate bill to be a law? Why or
why not?
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Activity 3: On Point!

Direction: Among the functions and powers of a congress as a member of the

Legislative Branch, choose one power that has been exercised by the congress and
provide details on how they execute this power.

Example:

Power or Function of Example of the Execution of Congress Power

the Congress or Function

Example: During Philippine SEA Games 2019, the Philippine

Congress
approves/disapprove
national budget.
Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee
(PHILSGOC) proposed a P9.5Billion budget for the
entire event. The House of Representatives, only
approved a P7.5 billion budget, and the Senate
slashed another 33 percent. Thus, P6Billion budget is
funded by government as approved by both
House of Representatives and the Senate.

1.

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 2.

3.

Activity 4: What Have I Learned So Far?

Directions: Write a reflection learned from the discussion. In writing your reflection, you
have to complete the sentence below in the space provided.
I learned that___________________________________________________________
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______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________ I
realized that___________________________________________________________
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If given a chance________________________________________________________
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______________________________________________________________________

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 What I Learned
Legislative branch is the second branch of the Philippine Government. Its main
function is to make law, alter, and repeal them through the power vested in the
Philippine Congress. This Branch is divided into the Senate and the House of
Representatives. This branch of Government enacts legislation, confirms or rejects
Presidential appointments, and has the authority to declare war.

In order to craft laws, the legislative body comes out with two main documents:
bills and resolutions. Resolutions convey principles and sentiments of the Senate or
the House of Representatives. These resolutions can further be divided into three
different elements: (1) joint, (2) concurrent, and (3) simple resolutions. While Bills are
laws in the making. They pass into law when they are approved by both houses and
the President of the Philippines.

In terms with powers vested to the Philippine Congress, it includes: (1) power to
remove from office impeachable government officials, (2) the sole power to declare the
existence of a state of war, (3) can revoke the President’s proclamation of martial law,
(4) authorize the President to exercise powers, (5) Congressional committees can
conduct hearings "in aid of legislation”, (6) Congress is also involved in the
national budget process, (7) Congress, through the Commission on Appointments, can
approve or reject, (8) Congress needs to concur with any amnesty granted by the
president, and (9) Congress is heavily involved in starting charter change.

Congratulations Fella! You just completed Module 7!

One more module and you are done with the Three Branches
of Government!

Keep your learning in this module as you proceed to

the next modules. Your learning here will become handy as
you move deeper in understanding Philippine Politics
and Governance.

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 What I Can Do
If there is one law that you can propose to the house of Congress, what law will
it be and why? Write your own EXPLANATORY NOTE. Explanatory note are
documents that explain the purpose of a Bill. See sample output in the next page.

Criteria for Grading:

Criterion Description Points

Logic and Develop ideas clearly, organizes them logically with 50

Organization paragraphs and connects them with effective transitions.

Spelling The writing is essential error-free in terms of spelling 20

and and grammar.
Grammar
Purpose The writer’s decision about focus, organization, style, 30
and content fully explain the purpose and keep the
purpose at the center of the piece.

Total Score 100

Post Test

Directions: Choose the letter of the correct answer and write the CAPITAL LETTER of
your answer in the space provided.

___1. What is the branch in the Government that its main function is to craft laws?
A. Executive Branch B. Legislative Branch C. Judicial Branch
___2. In order to create laws, legislative branch comes up with two main documents.
What are these?
A. Resolutions and Bills B. Resolutions and Ordinance C. Bills and Ordinance
___3. According to the 1987 Philippine Constitution, legislative power shall be vested in
the Congress of the Philippines, which shall consist of what?
A. President and Chief Justice
B. Senate and House of Representative
C. Chief of Justice and House of Representative
___4. What is the last step in making a law under the Legislative Process?
A. Third Reading
B. Submission to Joint Bicameral Committee
C. Submission to the President
___5. After how many days the act shall take effect after the publication in the
official gazette of the Philippine Government?
A. 10 days B. 15 days C. 30 days

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References

Presidential Communications Operation Office, “The Legislative Branch”, GOVPH,

accessed July 14, 2020.

Philippine Information Agency, “Three Branches of Government”, PIA, accessed July 14,

Philippine Network Foundation,Inc., “Legislative Branch”, Phnet, accessed July 14,

2020.

Jodesz Gavilan, “Beyong Legislation:Powers, roles of Philippine Lawmakers”, Rappler

IQ, accessed July 14, 2020.

Senate of the Philippines Press Release July 14, 2020, “Sen. Lapid's bill pushes to
protect delivery riders, drivers, Senate.gov.ph, accessed July 14,
2020.

Photo Source

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