POLITICS, GOVERNANNCE, & CIIZENSHIP responsibilities, the power will be taken

BSME 2 from him/her, and he/she shall not be

allowed to run for the Senator again because
it was still considered as the continuity of
ARTICLE VI: THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT his service for the full term for which he/she
was elected.
BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT
Section 5
❖ LEGISLATIVE - create laws.
❖ EXECUTIVE - execute laws. The House of Representatives shall only be
❖ JUDICIARY - checks if the laws don’t violate the rules. composed of maximum 250 members.
Section 1 The House of Representatives shall also be
LEGISLATIVE POWER – powers to composed of people that are elected through
create and enact laws that are vested to the a party-list system of registered national,
Senate and House of Representatives. regional, and sectoral parties or
2 LEGISLATIVE BRANCHES organizations.
• UPPER HOUSE – called the Senate and The Party-List Representatives shall
consists of 24 Senators. represent 20% of the total number of
• LOWER HOUSE – called the House of Representatives.
Representatives and consists of not more For 3 consecutive terms, ½ of the seats
than 250 Congressmen and distributed to Party-List Representatives
Congresswomen. shall be filled through election from the
labor, peasant, urban poor, indigenous
Section 2 cultural communities, women, youth, and
The Senate will be composed of only 24 such other sectors as may be provided by
Senators. law, except the religious sector.
The first 24 Senators with the majority of City that are composed with the minimum
the vote from the qualified voters of of 250 000 population shall have at least one
Philippines shall be elected. representative.
Section 3 Every 3 years of Census, the Congress will
SENATOR QUALIFICATION depend on the population of the City or
• Natural-Born Citizen of the Philippines District if it will meet the standards
provided in this section whether to add
• At least 35 years of age
another representative or not.
• Able to read and write
• A registered voter of the Philippines Section 6
MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF
• A minimum of 2 years resident of the
REPRESENTATIVES QUALIFICATION
Philippines
• Natural-Born Citizen of the Philippines
Section 4 • At least 25 years of age
• Able to read and write
The Term of the Senators shall be six (6)
• Not a Party-List Representative
years.
• A registered voter in the district in which
The Term of the Senators will start at noon
he shall be elected
on the Thirtieth day of June after the
• A resident for a minimum period of 1 year
election.
in the district in which he shall be elected
The Senator shall serve for only 2
consecutive terms. Section 7
Voluntary Resignation shall not be The House of Representatives should serve
considered as an interruption for the full for 3 years starting from noon of June 30.
term for which he/she was elected. It means HOR Shouldn't serve more than 3
that if the Senator was elected for 2 consecutive years.
consecutive terms already and he/she
voluntarily resigned to his/her Voluntary resignation is not a consideration
for interruption of service.
Section 8
2nd Monday of May will be the official
regular election of the Senators and the
Members of the House of Representatives.
It could be changed by the Law under
certain circumstances.
Section 9
Special Election for vacant position in the
Senate or House of Representatives.
Section 10
Salaries of Senators and House of
Representatives, where no increase of
salary will occur after the end of their terms.
Section 11
House of Representatives or senators are
punishable by all offenses possible no more
than 6 years.
They are also privileged from arrest while
the Congress is in session.
No Member may be confronted with or held
accountable elsewhere for any remarks they
make in Congress or any of its committees.
Section 12 “All Members of the Senate and the
House of Representatives shall, upon assumption of
office, make a full disclosure of their financial and
business interests.”
SALN - Statements of Assets, Liabilities
and Networth Liabilities refer to things
that you owe or have borrowed Assets are
things that you own or are owed Net worth
is the value of all assets, minus the total of
all liabilities.
Section 13 “No Senator or Member of the House of
Representatives may hold any other office or
employment in the Government. Neither shall he
be appointed to any office which may have been
created or the emoluments thereof increased during
the term for which he was elected”
Incompatible Office - May not hold any
other office in the government during his
term without forfeiting his seat.
Forbidden Office - Cannot validly take the
office even if he is willing to give up his
seat.
Section 14 “No Senator or Member of the House of
Representatives may personally appear as counsel
before any court of justice or before the Electoral
Tribunals, or quasi-judicial and other
administrative bodies.”
Electoral Tribunals - Sole judge of all
contests relating to the election, returns and
qualifications of their respective members.
Election Contest - An election contest is
initiated by the filing of a verified election
protest.
Quasi-Judicial - refers to actions by a
group of people, or perhaps one authorized
individual, that is charged with determining
facts, holding hearings, and possibly even
issuing subpoenas for individuals.
Grave abuse of discretion - Capricious and
whimsical exercise of judgment as is
equivalent to lack of jurisdiction.
Section 15 “The Congress shall convene once
every year on the fourth Monday of July for its
regular session, unless a different date is fixed by
law.”
Section 16
1. The Senate shall elect its President and the House
of Representatives its Speaker, by a majority vote
of all its respective Members.
2. A majority of each House shall constitute a
quorum to do business, but a smaller number may
adjourn.
3. Each House may determine the rules of its
proceedings, punish its members for disorderly
behavior, and, with the concurrence of two-thirds
of all its members, suspend or expel a member.
4. Each House shall keep a Journal and Record of
its proceedings, and from time to time publish the
same.
5. Neither House during the sessions of the
Congress shall, without the consent of the other,
adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other
place than that in which the two Houses shall be
sitting.
Yeas and Nas - The tally of affirmative and
negative votes on some proposal.
Section 17
Electoral Tribunal (Composition)
- Each House shall have Electoral Tribunal
with 9 members each (3 Justices of the
Supreme Court, designated by the Chief
Justice, and 6 members from each House)
 Section 18
Commission on Appointments
- purpose is to approve or disapprove
appointments presented to it by the
President within 30 days.
- the date od submission shall be composed
of 1 Chairman (Senate President), 12
Senators, and 12 Members of the Lower
House.
Ex Officio - Latin phrase that translates as
“by virtue of one’s office”. An ex officio
board member typically holds expertise in a
particular area that can be helpful to the
council in carrying out its duties.
Section 19 “The Electoral Tribunals and the
Commission on Appointments shall be constituted
within thirty days after the Senate and the House of
Representatives shall have been organized with the
election of the President and the Speaker. The
Commission on Appointments shall meet only
while the Congress is in session, at the call of its
Chairman or a majority of all its Members, to
discharge such powers and functions as are herein
conferred upon it.”
Section 20
Records and Books of Accounts of the
Congress
- to preserve and open its records and books
of accounts to the public. Such books shall
be audited by the Commission on Audit,
which shall publish annually an itemized
list of amounts paid to and expenses
incurred for each member.
Section 21 “The Senate or the House of
Representatives or any of its respective committees
may conduct inquiries in aid of legislation in
accordance with its duly published rules of
procedure. The rights of persons appearing in or
affected by such inquiries shall be respected.”
Section 22 Department heads can appear before
Congress to discuss matters related to their
departments.
- The heads of departments must be provided with
written questions at least three days before the
scheduled appearance.
- Appearance may be conducted in an executive
session.
Section 23 Power of Congress to declare a state of
war and grants powers to the President in times of
war or national emergency.
Section 24 Authority of the House of
Representatives to initiate bills related to
appropriation, revenue, tariff, public debt, bills of
local application, and private bills, while granting
the Senate the power to propose amendments and
concur with the House in the legislative process.
Bills Originating Exclusively in the Lower House
1. Appropriation bill – A proposed legislation that
authorizes the government to spend money from the
treasury for specific purposes or programs.
Kinds of Appropriations
a. Annual or general appropriation – budget for the
annual expenses of the government's general
operations.
b. Special or supplemental appropriations –
appropriations not included in the annual budget.
c. Specific appropriation – allocation of a specific
amount of money for a particular purpose.
d. Continuing appropriation – a definite sum of
money is authorized by law to be always available
for a specific purpose from year to year.
2. Revenue bill – Deals with the generation and
collection of government revenue, such as taxes,
fees, and other sources of income.
3. Tariff bill – Imposition or modification of tariffs,
which are taxes or duties imposed on goods and
services that are imported or exported.
4. Bill Authorizing Increase of the Public Debt –
One, which creates public indebtedness such as a
bill.
providing for the issuance of bonds and other
forms of obligations.
5. Bill of Local Application – A type of bill that
addresses issues, concerns, or matters that are
relevant and specific to a particular local area, such
as a city, municipality, or province.
6. Private Bill – One affecting purely private
interest, such as one granting a franchise to a
person or corporation, or compensation to a person
for damages suffered by him for whom the
government considers itself liable.
 Section 25 The Legislative process for
appropriation bills and constitutional limitations
on the power of appropriation.
- The Congress is prohibited from increasing the
budget recommendations of the President.
- The general appropriations bill should only include
provisions that directly relate to specific
appropriations.
- The process of approving appropriations for
Congress must follow the same procedures as
other government departments and agencies.
- A special appropriations bill must specify its
purpose and have certified available funds or
proposed revenues for that purpose.
- Transfer of appropriations is generally prohibited,
but high-ranking officials may be authorized to
increase specific items in the general
appropriations law.
- Discretionary funds for officials must be used for
public purposes with valid vouchers and according
to legal guidelines.
- If Congress fails to pass the new appropriations bill,
the previous year's appropriations law remains in
effect until the new bill is passed.
Section 26 Passage of a Bill
- Each bill must address only one specific subject
matter.
- Steps in the Passage of a Bill
1. Introduction or Sponsorship – Introduced by any
member of the House of Representatives or the
Senate.
2. First Reading – Only the number and title of the
bill is read.
3. Reference to the House Committee – The
measure is then referred by the Senate President or
the Speaker of the House of Representatives to a
proper committee.
4. Second Reading – The bill is read in its entirety,
scrutinized, debated upon and amended, where
necessary.
5. Printing and Distribution – The bill is printed in
its final form or text and copies thereof are
distributed to members of either House three days
before the next stage.
6. Third Reading – Members of either House
register their votes, which may be for or against the
measure and explain their votes if allowed.
7. Referral to the other Chamber – The measure is
sent or referred to the other chamber, where it will
also undergo three readings.
8. Action by the President – Once both chambers of
Congress pass the bill, it is sent to the President for
approval. The President can sign the bill into law,
veto it, or let it lapse into law without signature.
Section 27
Every bill passed by the Congress shall,
before it becomes a law, be presented to the
President. If he approves of the same, he
shall sign it; otherwise, he shall veto it and
return the same with his objections to the
House where it originated, which shall enter
the objections at large in its Journal and
proceed to reconsider it. If, after such
reconsideration, two-thirds of all the
Members of such House shall agree to pass
the bill, it shall be sent, together with the
objections, to the other House by which it
shall likewise be reconsidered, and if
approved by two-thirds of all the Members
of that House, it shall become a law. In all
such cases, the votes of each House shall be
determined by yeas or nays, and the names
of the Members voting for or against shall
be entered in its Journal. The President shall
communicate his veto of any bill to the
House where it originated within thirty days
after the date of receipt thereof; otherwise, it
shall become a law as if he had signed it.
The President shall have the power to veto
any particular item or items in an
appropriation, revenue, or tariff bill, but the
veto shall not affect the item or items to
which he does not object.
Veto - Latin term for “I forbid” or “I deny”
or “simply reject.”
Section 28
The rule of taxation shall be uniform and
equitable. Congress shall evolve a
progressive system of taxation.
The Congress may, by law, authorize the
President to fix within specified limits, and
subject to such limitations and restrictions as
it may impose, tariff rates, import and export
quotas, tonnage and wharfage dues, and
 other duties or imposts within the Congress or local legislative body after the
framework of the national development registration of a petition therefor signed by at least
program of the Government. ten per centum of the total number of registered
Charitable institutions, churches and voters, of which every legislative district must be
parsonages or convents appurtenant thereto, represented by at least three per centum of the
mosques, non-profit cemeteries, and all registered voters thereof.”
lands, buildings, and improvements,
actually, directly, and exclusively used for
religious, charitable, or educational
purposes shall be exempt from taxation.
No law granting any tax exemption shall be
passed without the concurrence of a
majority of all the Members of Congress.
Section 29
No money shall be paid out of the Treasury
except in pursuance of an appropriation
made by law.
No public money or property shall be
appropriated, applied, paid, or employed,
directly or indirectly, for the use, benefit, or
support of any sect, church, denomination,
sectarian institution, or system of religion,
or of any priest, preacher, minister, or other
religious teacher, or dignitary as such,
except when such priest, preacher, minister,
or dignitary is assigned to the armed forces,
or to any penal institution, or government
orphanage or leprosarium.
No public money or property shall be
appropriated, applied, paid, or employed,
directly or indirectly, for the use, benefit, or
support of any sect, church, denomination,
sectarian institution, or system of religion,
or of any priest, preacher, minister, or other
religious teacher, or dignitary as such,
except when such priest, preacher, minister,
or dignitary is assigned to the armed forces,
or to any penal institution, or government
orphanage or leprosarium.
Section 30 “No law shall be passed increasing the
appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court as
provided in this Constitution without its advice and
concurrence.”
Section 31 “No law granting a title of royalty or
nobility shall be enacted.”
Section 32 “The Congress shall, as early as possible,
provide for a system of initiative and referendum,
and the exceptions therefrom, whereby the people
can directly propose and enact laws or approve or
reject any act or law or part thereof passed by the