PHILIPPINE POLITICS AND

GOVERNANCE
 Unit II
Philippine Politics and
Governance
 Lesson 9
Functions of the Legislative
Branch
 Learning Objectives
• To discuss the roles and responsibilities of the
Philippine Senate and the House of Representatives
• To assess the performance of the Philippine Congress
• To discuss the impact of Congress’s performance on
Philippine development
• To articulate a position or advocacy to a Philippine
legislator through a formal correspondence
 The Two Chambers of Congress
Senate House of Representatives
(Upper House) (Lower House)
• composed of 24 senators • composed of not more than 250
elected at large members, 20% of which is
composed of party-list
representatives
• qualified candidate (1) must be a natural-born citizen of the
Philippines; (2) able to read and write; (3) and a registered voter

• qualified candidate must • qualified candidate must be

be at least 35 years old at least 25 years old
 The Two Chambers of Congress
Senate House of Representatives
(Upper House) (Lower House)
• qualified candidate must be • qualified candidate must be a
a resident of the resident of the Philippines for
Philippines for not less than at least one year in the district
two years before election where he/she will be elected
day (except for party-list
representatives)
• term of office starts at noon of the 30th day of June following
the election
• will serve for six years • will serve for three years
• shall not serve for more • shall not hold office for
than two consecutive terms more than three
consecutive terms
 Primary Function of the
Legislative Branch

The creation, enactment, and

amendment of laws

Proposed laws may come These proposals are drafted

from the senators or into a bill, which is a draft of
representatives themselves, law presented to legislation
the people they represent for enactment, by the
(district, province, or the approval by Congress and
party), or the other two the president of the
branches of the government. Republic.
 How a Law Is Created/Amended

 The basic process begins with a bill

drafted by a senator or a representative
and filed for the first reading.
The first reading is where the
Senate President or the
Speaker of the House reads
out the title, bill number, and
author’s name, and then
assigns the bill to the proper
Senate or House Committee.
 How a Law Is Created/Amended
The following are some things to consider in reviewing a
 The
bill: author(s) or the concerned committee
will send out an invitation
1. Does the bill conform to the provisions of the
to various
concerned
Constitution? parties, agencies, and
2. What is the main issue that the bill is trying to address?
stakeholders for a public hearing of the bill
3. What are the methods that the bill is trying to propose
to review
in order to the proposed
answer the issue? bill and give their
4. Are there alternative means to address the issue?
comments during
5. Who will benefit fromthe deliberations.
the bill if it is enacted into law?
How
The will thecommittee
concerned benefits canbe given? Will thisworking
hold a technical creategroup
further
problems?
meeting for specific changes to the provisions such as proper
6.concepts,
Is therecorrection
sufficient fund for and
of grammar, the deletion
law? Where willofthe
or addition
government
certain get
phrases or the fund needed to enforce the law?
words.
 How a Law Is Created/Amended
 After the approval of the bill by the
committee members, a committee report
is then filed with its approved version of
the bill to the Committee on Rules for the
second reading.
In the second reading, the author of the bill or the chairperson of
the committee delivers a sponsorship speech followed by a
period of interpellation. After the interpellation, the senators or
representatives may make some amendments.
 How a Law Is Created/Amended
 The representatives or the senators again
vote for the passage of the bill on second
reading.
The
As afinal
Note that version
general of athebill
two versions
rule, ofapproved
amust
bill are bill
pass by both
processed
both chambers is the
thesimultaneously
Senate and then
in
printed
both
House. for approval. Or if there are disagreements between the two
chambers.
chambers on the final version of the bill, a Bicameral Conference
Committee is created to make the necessary changes before
printing out the final and reconciled version of the bill.
 How a Law Is Created/Amended
 Another period of interpellation follows
after which the senators or the
representatives vote for the third reading
of the bill.

No amendment shall be allowed upon the

last reading of a bill.
 How a Law Is Created/Amended
 Upon approval of the final version of the
bill by both chambers, the Senate
President and the Speaker of the House
shall sign the final copy now known as the
enrolled bill and send it to the President
for approval and signature.
 How a Law Is Created/Amended
 The bill becomes a law upon the signing
of the President.

IfInthe House
case of Representatives
of objection or the Senate
from the President, still reconsiders
the enrolled the
bill is vetoed
bill,
andatreturned
least two-thirds of all where
to the House the members
the bill isoforiginated.
the House shall vote for
the bill to become a law. If the President fails to act on the enrolled
bill within 30 days upon his/her receipt thereof, the bill becomes a
law as if the President has signed it.
 Other Than a Bill, Each
Chamber Can Make…
…Resolutions, which “conveys principles
and sentiments of the members of the
Senate or the House of Representative”.
Concurrent
Simple Resolutions
Resolutions
Joint
 Resolutions
 Used
Deal for
with
matters
matters
affecting
entirely
the operations
within the of
 Require the approval of both chambers of
both
prerogative
chambers of one
of Congress
chamber of Congress
 Congress
 Must
Are not and the to
be referred
approved signature
inthe of theform
thePresident
same President
forbyhis/her
both
 Have the force and effect of a law if approved
houses
signature, and therefore have no force and
 Are
effect
notoftransmitted
a law to the President for his/her
signature and therefore have no force and
effect of a law
 Analysis Guide
1. What is more beneficial for a democratic
country, to vote for a representative or to allow
the people to do the processes of legislation?
Explain your answer.
2. Do you think laws in our country are not
properly enforced? Explain your answer.
3. With the current set-up of legislation, what do
you propose that members of Congress must
do to represent or serve their constituents
better?