POLSC 14

• Government


  An ensemble of political institutions mandated to make, enforce, and adjudicate rules binding to everyone within its territory
• The website of the Philippine government is www.gov.ph
• The website of the Senate is www.senate.gov.ph
• Three basic political institutions in a presidential democracy


  • Legislative - makes
  • Executive - enforces
  • Judiciary - adjudicates
• Philippine government


  The current presidential democracy under the 1987 constitution
• Natural-born Filipino citizens


  • Citizens from Birth
  • Born of Filipino father
  • Born of Filipino mother, starting January 17, 1973
  • Those born before January 17, 1973, of Filipino mothers, who elect Philippine citizenship upon reaching the age of majority
• January 17, 1973 is the start of effectivity of the 1973 Constitution, which introduced the "of Filipino mother also" rule, and the 1987 Philippine Constitution adopted this new rule and used the '73 date cutoff
• Requirements to be a Senator in the Philippines


  • Natural born citizen
  • At least 35 years old on the day of the election
  • Able to read and write
  • A registered voter
  • A resident of the Philippines for not less than 2 years immediately preceding the day of the election
• How we elect our senators

  1. Since 1995, 12 senators are elected every 3 years

  2. Following the Transitory Provisions (Section 2, Article 18), 1987 = elections for 24 senators, all until 1992

  3. 1992 = elections for 24 senators, ranks 1 to 12 in elections until 1998, ranks 13 to 24 until 1995 only

  4. 1995 thereafter = elections for 12 new senators only, with 12 old senators remaining in the senate
• Term of the senator


  6 years
• Term limit of the senator


  2 consecutive terms
• Powers of the senate president


  • Presides over senate sessions
  • Decides all points of order
  • Signs all senate legislative measures, subpoenas, and warrants of arrest
• Powers of the senate president pro tempore


  • Temporarily substitutes the senate president when he/she is absent temporarily or permanently incapacitated, resigned, removed from office, or dead
  • "Ex officio" member of all permanent committees
• Permanent committees


  Legislative committees tasked to tackle legislation in their respective jurisdiction, mandated to be in existence by the senate rules
• The senate rules identify the total number of permanent committees, total membership of each permanent committee, and jurisdiction of each permanent committee
• Majority leader


  Head of the majority, becomes acting senate president if the senate president and the senate president pro tempore are absent or incapacitated, chairperson of the Committee on Rules, ex officio member of all the permanent committees
• Minority leader


  Head of the minority, ex officio member of all the permanent committees
• Majority and the minority

  The majority refers to those who voted for the current senate president, while the minority refers to those who did not vote for the current senate president
• Floor leaders


  Given the priority in obtaining recognition to speak in the Senate for their faction
• Deputy majority leaders


  Become acting senate president if the senate president, senate president pro tempore, and the majority leader are absent or incapacitated, vice-chairpersons of the Committee on Rules, members of all the permanent committees
• Deputy minority leaders


  Member of all the permanent committees
• The website of the lower house or house of representatives is www.congress.gov.ph
• Composition of the house of representatives


  • Maximum of 250 representatives (unless otherwise fixed by law)
  • Currently (19th congress) = 316 congressional seats, Occupied = 310 congressional seats
  • District Representatives (80%) = (250 representatives), Current total of districts = 253, Current total of occupied district seats = 250
  • Party List Representatives (20%) = (50 congressmen), Current total of party-list seats = 63, Current total of occupied party-list seats = 60