GEC RIZAL_BILL

• When a Bill Becomes Law

  1. Bill refers to a draft proposal for the creation of a specific law that shall be implemented in the country

  2. Bill does not become a law in the Philippines unless it is passed by the two houses of Congress—the House of Representatives and the Senate

  3. Once signed by the President, the bill is deemed enacted, becoming an act or a law

  4. It will eventually be implemented by the respective agency in the executive branch of the government under the Office of the President
• Lawmaking Process in the Philippines

  1. The bill is prepared

  2. The House of Representatives has its first reading

  3. A Committee Consideration/Action session is held

  4. The House of Representatives has its second reading

  5. The House of Representatives has its third reading

  6. The approved bill is transmitted to the Senate

  7. A conference committee is assembled

  8. The bill is transmitted to the President of the Philippines to be signed and passed
• Preparation of the Bill

  1. Senators and representatives engage with their constituents to come up with ideas for laws

  2. If lawmakers decide that solutions to the concerns of their constituents can be addressed by passing a law, they carefully study the ideas and write them into bills

  3. Individuals and groups may also draft bills and ask their lawmakers to file them in Congress

  4. The president of the Philippines outlines their legislative agenda during the annual State of the Nation Address (SONA)

  5. Different executive departments and agencies under the president draft relevant bills in support of the president's agenda and transmit them to Congress for legislative action
• First Reading

  1. Once the bill is finalized, it is filed with the Bills and Index Service, numbered, and reproduced

  2. Three days after filing, the proposed measure is included in the Order of Business for the First Reading in the session

  3. During the First Reading, the number and title of the bill are read, and then the bill is referred to the appropriate committee by the presiding officer
• Committee Consideration/Action

  1. The committee determines if there is a need to conduct public hearings

  2. If yes, the committee schedules the hearing, sends public notices, and invites relevant resource persons for input

  3. If no, the committee schedules the bill for committee discussions

  4. From the result of the public hearings or committee discussions, the bill may be amended, consolidated, or substituted with another bill by the committee

  5. A committee report is prepared after, designating the purpose and scope of the bill, explaining any committee amendments, and indicating proposed changes in existing law
• Committee consideration of a bill

  1. Bill may be amended, consolidated, or substituted with another bill by the committee

  2. Committee report is prepared after, designating the purpose and scope of the bill, explaining any committee amendments, indicating proposed changes in existing law, and other relevant materials

  3. Approved report is transmitted to the office handling bill processing and documentation of plenary proceedings and debates
• Second Reading of a bill

  1. Committee Report is registered and numbered by the Bills and Index Service, included in the Order of Business, and referred to the Committee on Rules

  2. Bill is scheduled for consideration on Second Reading where the Secretary reads the number, title, and text of the bill

  3. Period of Sponsorship and Debate follows, with the Committee Chairman reading the Sponsorship Speech and defending the bill's merit

  4. Period of Amendments allows other lawmakers to propose specific wordings, stylistics, and intents for inclusion in the final version

  5. Bill's approval for Second Reading is voted on by all legislators using various voting methods
• Third Reading of a bill

  1. Amendments proposed during Second Reading are absorbed

  2. Printed copies of the bill are reproduced for Third Reading, included in the Calendar of Bills, and distributed to all members three days before reading

  3. On the actual day, the secretary reads only the number and title of the bill, followed by roll call or nominal voting

  4. Nominal voting involves all members casting their "yes" or "no" vote orally and explaining their vote

  5. Amendments are no longer allowed during the Third Reading

  6. If the bill receives a majority vote, it is considered approved; if disapproved, it is transmitted to the Archives
• Transmittal of the Approved Bill to the Counterpart House

  1. A bill must be approved by both the House of Representatives and the Senate to become a law

  2. Once approved by one house, the bill is transmitted to the other house for concurrence and undergoes the same process
• Two co-equal houses of Congress

  • House of Representatives
  • Senate
• A bill cannot become a law unless

  Each house has given its nod to the proposed measure
• Passing a bill in Congress

  Approved at one house, transmitted to the other for concurrence, undergoes the same process in the other house
• Conference Committee meeting


  Composed of Members of the House of Representatives and the Senate to settle differences in bill versions and introduce new provisions if necessary
• Preparation of Conference Committee Report


  Shows changes made in the bill, explains actions of members of both houses, submitted to both houses for approval
• There are bills where the Senate or House of Representatives may adopt the version of the other house, eliminating the need for a Conference Committee
• Transmittal of the Bill to the President of the Philippines

  Approved bill signed by Speaker of the House of Representatives and President of the Senate, certified by Secretary General of the House of Representatives and Secretary of the Senate, transmitted to the Office of the President
• Options for the President with a bill

  • Sign and pass the bill
  • Veto the bill
  • Pocket veto the bill
• If the President vetoes the bill

  Sent back to the House of Representatives with reasons for the veto, both houses can vote to override the veto with a two-thirds majority
• If the President pocket vetoes the bill

  Bill automatically becomes law after thirty days if Congress is still in session
• After bill approval

  Reproduced, sent to Official Gazette Office for publication and distribution to implementing agencies, included in annual compilation of Acts and Resolutions, concerned executive branch agencies work on Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the law