Senior High School

11
Philippine Politics and
Governance
First Quarter – Module 7:
Legislative Branch
Department of Education • Republic of the Philippines
11
Philippine Politics and Governance
First Quarter – Module 7: Legislative Branch
First Edition, 2020

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 Senior High School

11
Philippine Politics and
Governance
First Quarter – Module 7:
Legislative Branch

This instructional material was collaboratively developed and reviewed

by educators from public and private schools, colleges, and or/universities. We
encourage teachers and other education stakeholders to email their feedback,
comments, and recommendations to the Department of Education at
action@deped.gov.ph.

We value your feedback and recommendations.

Department of Education • Republic of the Philippines

Introductory Message
The Alternative Delivery Mode (ADM) module for PHILIPPINE Politics and
Governance has been designed to provide simplified, convenient and accessible to all
types of learners, especially those who has inability to attend regular class due to
personal family conflicts as well as for formal school. The content of the module has
been validated by evaluators to ensure its alignment to the curriculum designed by the
Department of Education for Senior High School.

Moreover, the topics activities were designed interestingly and comprehensively

to enhance learning ability for assessment of learning. There are formative and
summative activities including the answer keys which can be seen at the last page of
the module.

Educators are encouraged to use the module as supplement and intervention

for learners.

What I Need to Know

This module was designed and written with you in mind. It is here to help you
master the nature of Legislative branch of the Philippine Government. The scope of
this module permits it to be used in many different learning situations. The language
used recognizes the diverse vocabulary level of students. The lessons are arranged to
follow the standard sequence of the course. But the order in which you read them can
be changed to correspond with the textbook you are now using.

The module is divided into three lessons, namely:

 Lesson 1 – Qualifications and the Term of Office for the Legislative branch
 Lesson 2 – Understand the importance and separation of power of the
Legislative branch
 Lesson 3 – Duties of the Legislative Branch

After going through this module, you are expected to:

1. identify the qualifications for the Senate and House of Representatives;
2. E
3. examine the term of office for the Senate and the House of Representatives;
and
4. understand the powers and duties of the Legislative branch.
 What I Know

Directions: Identify what is being asked in every item. Write your answer on the space
provided before each number.

__________1. Who is the highest official of the Senate of the Philippines?

__________2. How many senators are elected every election?

__________3. How many votes are needed to declare a state of war?

__________4. What age qualification is needed to become an aspiring senator?

__________5. Can a senator run for a third term after serving his two consecutive
terms??

__________6. How many members are needed for the House of Representatives?

__________7. How many years are needed to complete the residency requirement for
the aspiring senators?

__________8. Can the Senate President become a president of the country?

__________9. How can the Congress nullified the bill signed by the president?

_________10. Who is the highest leader in the House of Representatives?

 Lesson

7 Legislative Branch

Under Section 1 of the Article

VI of the 1987 Constitution,
“The Legislative Branch 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
branch is authorized to make laws,
alter, and repeal them through the
power vested in the Philippine
Congress. The most important duty
of the legislative branch is to
make laws. Laws are written,
discussed and voted on in
Congress. The Senate must ratify all
treaties by a two-thirds vote.

What’s In

In the previous lesson, you learned the duties and functions of the Executive
branch.

What’s New
Activity 1: President to be
Directions: List down the possible qualification for those who want to become a
senator of the Philippines

Activity 2: True or False

Direction: Write TRUE if the statement is correct and FALSE if the statement is wrong

1. A senator must be 25 years old and above.

2. The upper house chamber belongs to Senate of the Philippines.
3. The Congress is allowed to vote to declare a state of war.
4. The leaders of Senate and House of Representatives are Senate President and
House Speaker.
5. A Senator can be appointed by the President?

Activity 3: Power Up
Direction: Examine the following items if it is a power vested to the Congress under
the 1987 Constitution, Write POWER if you think it is a power of the President

1. Make bills
2. Veto powers
3. Decide on cases in courts
4. Increase the appellate in courts
5. Tax exemption

What is It

Article VI of the 1987 Constitution: Legislative Department

Section 1: Congress
Scope of Legislative power
1. To legislate
2. General, enact laws
3. Special powers; confirm appointments, promote social justice, declare existence of war,
impose taxes, appropriate money, impeach, and act as Constituent Assembly
4. Implied powers; conduct inquiry and investigation, punish members for contempt
5. Inherent powers

Section 2: Composition of Senate

 24 senators elected at large

Section 3: Qualification of Senators

 Natural-born Filipino citizen
  35 years of age on the day of election
 Able to read and write
 Registered voter
 Resident of the Philippines for at least two years immediately preceding the day of the
election

Section 4: Term of Office

 6 years up to two consecutive terms
 June 30th

Section 5: Composition of House of Representatives

 Not more than 250 members from legislative congressional districts and through a
party-list system

Section 6: qualifications of Members of House of Representatives

 Natural-born Filipino citizen
 25 years of age on the day of election
 Able to read and write
 Registered voter in the district in which shall be elected
 Resident of such district not less than one year

Section 7: Term of office of Representative

 3 years up to 3 consecutive terms

Party-list system
 Sectoral party representing different sectors such as labor, peasant, urban poor,
indigenous, cultural minorities, women, youth etc.
 20% of its total composition shall be elected from a list of registered national, regional,
sectoral parties and organizations

Apportioning of District Representatives

 Made accordance with the number of their respective inhabitants
 Made on the basis of uniform and progressive ratio
 Shall comprise as practicable, contiguous, compact and adjacent territory
 City with a population of at least 250, 000 or each province shall have at least one
representative
 Within 3 years following the return of every census, the congress shall make a
reapportionment of legislative districts based on standards provide by the constitution

Section8: Regular Election of the Members of Congress

 2nd Monday of May

Section 9: Vacancy
 Special election in case of vacancy arises to fill the manner prescribed by law
 Holding of special election is not made mandatory by the constitution

Section 10: Salary

 240, 000 for Senate President and House Speaker
 204, 000 for members of the lower house
Section 11: Invoke privilege from arrest
1. Offense committed is punishable by not more than 6 years
2. Congress is in session
3. Absence of any requirements is ground for arrest

Parliamentary Immunity
 Right not to be questioned nor held liable in any one for any speech or debate in
Congress or any committee in Congress
 Cannot be source of any kind of liability to third parties
 No court or tribunal jurisdiction to inquire for them

Section 12: Disclosure

 Disclosure on their financial business interest
 To notify the Congress if there is a potential conflict of interest from filing a proposed bill

Sections 13-14: Impediments for members of Congress

1. Incompatible office, may not hold any kind of office or employment in government or
any subdivision, agency or instrumentality during his term without forfeiting his seat
2. Forbidden office, office created or the emolument of which have been increased
3. Cannot personally appear as counsel before any court of justice before Electoral
Tribunals, or quasi-judicial and other administrative bodies
4. Cannot directly or indirectly, be interested financially in any contract with, or any
franchise or special privilege
5. Cannot intervene in any matter before any office of the Government for the pecuniary
benefit or where he may be called upon to act on account on his office

Section 15: Opening of Regular Session

Session in Congress:
1. Regular; convene once a year
2. Special, called by President
3. Joint sessions
 Voting separately when choosing President in case of tie, determining
nomination of VP, declaring existence of war, proposing constitutional
amendments
 Voting jointly, to revoke or extend proclamation suspending the writ of habeas
corpus or declaration of martial law

Section 16: Senate President and House Speaker

Important matters to be entered in Journal
1. The yeas (affirm) and nays (negative) on the request of one-fifth of the members of the
president
2. Yeas and nays on the passage of bill upon its last reading
3. Yeas and nays on the passage of a bill vetoed by President and the names of members
of each House voting against it
4. Vote of each member of the House of Representatives in impeachment cases

Section 17-19: Electoral Tribunal and Commission on Appointments

 3 members from Justices of Supreme Court and 6 members from each House
(Electoral Tribunal)
 1 Chairman (Senate President, 12 Senator, 12 Members of Lower House (Commission
on Appointments)
Section 20: Rules on Records and Book of Accounts
 Such books shall be audited by Commission on Audit, which shall publish annually an
itemized list of amounts paid to and expenses uncured for each member

Sections 21-22: Legislative investigation

scope of Legislative investigation
1. Must be in aid of legislation
2. Accordance with duly published rule of procedure
3. Right of person appearing in, or affected by such inquiry shall be respected

Section 23: Voting powers

Scope of voting power of the Congress
1. Sole power to declare existence of war
2. Emergency powers may be granted by law to the President incase of war as national
emergency
3. Said power must be exercised only during limited period
4. Carry out national policy
5. Automatically ceased upon next adjournment

Section 24: Bills originating in the Lower House

 Appropriation Bill
 Tariff Bill
 Revenue Bill
 Bill Authorizing Increase of the Public Debt
 Bill on Local Application
 Private Bill

Section 25: Budget

 Financial program for a designated calendar year
 Revenues and expenditures
 If the Congress fail pass a general appropriation law, re-enactment of the
previous budget shall commence

Section 26: Passage of Bill

Steps in passage of bill
1. Introduction of Sponsorship
2. First reading
3. Reference to the House committee
4. Second reading
5. Printing and Distribution
6. Third reading
7. Referred to other chamber
8. Action by the President

Section 27: Veto powers

Parts of a law
1. Title
2. Preamble
3. Enacting clause
4. Body
 5. Effectivity issue

How the bill becomes a law?

1. President may approve the bill by signing it
2. The President may veto the bill totally and return it with his objections
3. President may not act on the bill, within 30 days from its receipt the shall be considered
approved

Purpose of Veto
1. Enable Executive department to protect its integrity thus maintain equilibrium of
government powers
2. Provide a check on hasty, corrupt, or ill-considered legislation

Section 28: Taxation

 Shall be uniform and equitable
 Progressive system of taxation
 Charitable institutions, churches and parsonage, mosques, non-profit cemeteries, and
land properties and buildings exclusively used for religion and charitable or educational
purposes are tax exempted

Section 29: Public funds for any appropriation

 No money shall be paid out of Treasury except in pursuance of an appropriation made
by law

Section 30: Increase in Appellate Jurisdiction

 Congress cannot diminish or otherwise impair original and appellate jurisdiction of the
Supreme Court
 Any law increasing the appellate jurisdiction must be with its advice and concurrence

Section 31: Royalty and Nobility

 No law granting nobility and royalty shall be enacted

Section 32: Initiative and Referendum

 Initiative power of the people to directly propose and enact laws at polls called for the
purpose
 Referendum is any law passed by Congress by a local legislative body is submitted to
the people for their approval or disapproval

What’s More

Activity 4: Summary
Direction: Summarize what you have learned in this lesson in three to five sentences. Provide
additional two or three sentences for your reflection or opinion on the power and function of the
legislative branch of the government
 What I Have Learned

 The Legislative branch was vested to the Senate and House of Representatives under
the 1987 Constitution
 Their term of office will start at noon of June 30 th and will end on the same date six
years after
 The Congress is the sole branch that can vote to declare a state of war
 The congress is task to make bills which will become law after the president signed it
 The Congress can veto a law which was signed by the president

What I Can Do

Activity 5: Pledge of Commitment

_____________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
_____________________

Assessment

Multiple Choice: Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter before the
number.
1. Which is NOT a qualification for senator?
a. 25 years old
b. Able to read and right
c. Natural-born citizen
d. Registered voter
 2. The leader of the Senate is ________?
a. Immediate family
b. House Speaker
c. Vice-President
d. Senate President

3. The required number of votes for the declaration of war by the Congress
a. 1/2
b. 1/3
c. 1/4
d. 1/5

4. The title given to the leader of House of Representatives

a. House Speaker
b. Majority leader
c. Deputy Speaker
d. Minority leader

5. How many terms can a member of House of Representatives run during election?
a. 2 terms
b. 3 terms
c. 4 terms
d. 5 terms

Additional Activities

Direction: Cite at least five things that made him notable in the Philippine politics

https://www.rappler.com/nation/75231-miriam-santiago-eulogy-juan-flavier

Answer Key

True or False Assessment:

 1. False 1. A
2. True 2. D
3. True 3. B
4. True 4. A
5. False 5. B

References
Nael, M. & Rivas, D. (2010), Politics, Governance and the Philippine Constitution, Rex
book store.

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/constitutions/the-1987-constitution-of-the-republic-of-the-
philippines/the-1987-constitution-of-the-republic-of-the-philippines-article-vi/