3Branches ofPhilippineGovernment

Executive Judiciary
(Carries outandenforces laws) (EvaluatesLaw)

Legislative
(MakesTheLaw)
 The legislature in any society performs the important function of deliberating
policies for the people and passing them in the form of statutes.

HISTORY
The Philippine legislative system has undergone a series of evolutions that reflected the sociopolitical
conditions of the times and the level of political maturity of society.

• The Spanish Period (1521-1898)

• The Malolos Congress (1898-1900)
• Philippine Commission (1900-1916)
• Philippine Assembly (1907-1916)
• Philippine Legislature (1916-1935)
• Commonwealth Congress (1935-1946)
• Congress of the Philippines (1946-1972)
Introduction
According to the 1987 Constitution, legislative power shall be vested in the Congress of the
Philippines.

What is Congress of the Philippines?

It is the current national legislature of the Philippines. It is a bicameral body consisting of

the Senate (upper chamber), and the House of Representatives (lower chamber)

Section 1, Article VI of the 1987 Constitution provides as follows:

The legislative power shall be vested in the Congress of the

Philippines, which shall consist of the Senate and the House of
Representatives, except to the extent reserved to the people by the
provision on initiative and referendum.
The Senate of Philippines
VISION
The Senate Secretariat is an
organization of highly competent,
honest and dedicated civil servants
who are committed to provide
excellent service to the members of
the Senate, the institution and the
nation.
MISSION
We shall provide optimum support
service to the Senate in the
realization of its constitutional
mandate.
Article VI, Section 2 of the Constitution provides:
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.
Senators serve six-year terms with a maximum of two
consecutive terms, with half of the senators elected every
three years to ensure that the Senate is maintained as a
continuous body, though staggered
The qualifications to become a senator, as stipulated in
the constitution, are:
• a natural-born citizen of the Philippines;
• at least thirty-five years old;
• is able to read and write
• a registered voter; and
• a resident of the Philippines for not less than two years
before election day.
Organization of the Senate

Under the Constitution, “Congress shall convene once every year on the fourth
Monday of July for its regular session...”. During this time, the Senate is organized to
elect its officers.

The Senate as an institution can then be grouped into the Senate Proper and the
Secretariat. The former belongs exclusively to the members of the Senate as well as its
committees, while the latter renders support services to the members of the Senate.

 The Senate Proper

A. The Officers of the Senate

Senate President: Vicente C. Sotto III

President Pro Tempore: Ralph G. Recto
Majority Leader: Juan Miguel F. Zubiri
The Minority Leader: Franklin Drilon
 B. The Senate Committees
The present committee structure of the Senate is composed of 36 standing committees and five ad
hoc and oversight committees.

TERMS Committee
NO. Senator Name Party
NO. Ends Standee Committee Oversight / Ad Hoc Committee
Ways & Means 1. Comprehensive Tax Reform 2. Custom Tarriff
1 Sonny Angara LDP 1 2019
Local Government 3. Tax Incentives Mngt & Transparency 4. ODA
2 Bam Aquino Liberal 1 2019 Science & Technology
Tourism 1. Tourism
3 Nancy Binay UNA 1 2019
Cultural & Communities
Health & Demography National Health Insurance Program
4 JV Ejercito PMP 1 2019
Urban Planning, Housing & Resettlement
Bank, Financial Institutions & Currencies 1. Enhance Basic Educational Program
5 Francis Escudero Independent 2 2019
Education, Arts & Culture (K-12 Program)
National Defense and Security 1. AFP Modernazation 2. Marawi Reconstruction
6 Gregorio Honosan UNA 2 2019 Peace,Unification and Reconcillation 3. Phil Disaster Reduction and MNGT.
4. Intelligence & Confidential Funds, Prog & Act.
Finance 1. Public Expenditures
7 Loren Legarda NPC 2 2019 Foreign Relations 2. Climate Change
Climate Change
Trade Commerce and Enterpreneurship 1. Quality Affordable Medicines
8 Koko Pimentel PDP-Laban 2 2019
Electoral Reforms and Peoples participation 2. Automated Election System 3. Competition
Public Service 1. Civil Aviation Authority of the Phil.
9 Grace Poe Independent 1 2019
Public Information and Mass Media
10 Antonio Trillanes Nacionalista 2 2019 Civil Service, Govt. Reorganization and Prof. Regulation
 TERMS Committee
NO. Senator Name Party
NO. Ends Standee Committee Oversight / Ad Hoc Committee
Agrarian Reform 1. Agrarian Reform 2. Clean Water Act
Agriculture and Food 3. Chain Saw Act 4. Clean Air Act
11 Cynthia Villar Nacionalista 1 2019
Environment and Natural Resources 5. Ecological Solid Waste Mngt. Act
6. Agricultural & Fisheries Modernization
12 Leila De Lima Liberal 1 2022 Social Justice, Welfare & Rural Development
13 Franklin Drilon Liberal 1 2022 NONE
Energy 1. Power Commision
14 Win Gatchallian NPC 1 2022
Economic Affairs 2. Biofuels
15 Risa Hontiveros Akbayan 1 2022 Woman Children,Family Relation and Gender Equality
Accountability of Public Officers & Investigation (Blue Ribbon)
16 Richard J. Gordon Independent 1 2022 Govt. Corp. and Public Enterprise
Justice & Human Rights
Public Order & Dangerous Drug 1. Dangerous Drugs
17 Panfilo Lacson Independent 2 2022 Accounts 2. Human Security Act
Games & Amusement
Sports
18 Manny Pacquiao UNA 1 2022
Public Works
19 Francis Pangilinan Liberal 2 2022 Constitutional Amendments and Revision Codes 1. Overseas Voting Act of 2003
Youth
20 Joel Villanueva Liberal 1 2022
Labor a& Employment & Human Resources Development
Rules 1. Cooperatives
21 Juan Miguel Zubiri PDP-Laban 1 2022
Cooperatives
22 Tito Sotto NPC 2 2022 Ethics & Privilleges
23 Ralph Recto Liberal 2 2022 NONE
24 Allan Peter CayetanoPDP-Laban 2 2019 (Currently DFA Secretary)