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• Legislative branch


  Authorized to make laws, alter, and repeal them through the power vested in the Philippine Congress
• Philippine Congress


  • The country's highest law making body
• Structures for legislative branches of government

  • Unicameral
  • Bicameral
• Unicameral


  The legislative branch consists of one chamber/house
• Bicameral


  The Legislative power is vested in two chambers/houses
• Functions of Congress


  • Passes laws that regulate the conduct of and relations between the private citizens and the government
  • Defines and punishes crimes against the state and against persons and their property
  • Determines the taxes people should pay for the maintenance of the government
  • Appropriates the money to be spent for public purposes
  • Can reorganize, create, or abolish offices under the civil service
  • Can create and abolish courts, except the Supreme Court
  • Has the sole power to declare war and to authorize the President to issue executive orders in case of national emergency or war
• The general power, function, eligibility, and duties and responsibilities of the Legislative branch of the Philippine Government are stated in the Article VI of the 1987 Philippine Constitution and supported by other laws

  
• The legislative power shall be vested in the Congress of the Philippines (Bicameral) which shall consist of a Senate (upper chamber) and a House of Representatives (lower chamber), except to the extent reserved to the people by the provision on initiative and referendum
• Senate


  Composed of twenty-four Senators who shall be elected at large by the qualified voters of the Philippines
• Term of office of Senators

  • Six years
  • No Senator shall serve for more than two consecutive terms
  • Voluntary renunciation of the office for any length of time shall not be considered as an interruption in the continuity of his service for the full term for which he was elected
• House of Representatives


  Composed of not more than two hundred and fifty members, unless otherwise fixed by law, who shall be elected from legislative districts apportioned among the provinces, cities, and the Metropolitan Manila area in accordance with the number of their respective inhabitants, and on the basis of a uniform and progressive ratio, and those who, as provided by law, shall be elected through a party-list system of registered national, regional, and sectoral parties or organizations
• Party-list representatives


  • Constitute twenty percent of the total number of representatives including those under the party list
  • For three consecutive terms after the ratification of this Constitution, one-half of the seats allocated to party-list representatives shall be filled, as provided by law, by selection or election from the labor, peasant, urban poor, indigenous cultural communities, women, youth, and such other sectors as may be provided by law, except the religious sector
• Gabriela Party List


  • Represents all the women in the Country
  • Ensures women empowerment, equal rights and protect them from different abuses through resolutions and/or by enacting/legislating and/or sponsoring/co-sponsoring bills and make passed it as law
• Term of office of Members of the House of Representatives

  • Three years
  • No member shall serve for more than three consecutive terms
  • Voluntary renunciation of the office for any length of time shall not be considered as an interruption in the continuity of his service for the full term for which he was elected
• Regular election of the Senators and the Members of the House of Representatives shall be held on the second Monday of May
• Senate President


  Chief executive of the Senate
• Speaker of the House


  Chief executive of the House of Representatives
• Types of resolutions


  • Joint resolutions
  • Concurrent resolutions
  • Simple resolutions
• Joint resolutions


  Require the approval of both chambers of Congress and the signature of the President, and have the force and effect of a law if approved
• Concurrent resolutions


  Used for matters affecting the operations of both chambers of Congress and must be approved in the same form by both houses, but are not transmitted to the President for his signature and therefore have no force and effect of a law
• Simple resolutions


  Deal with matters entirely within the prerogative of one chamber of Congress, are not referred to the President for his signature, and therefore have no force and effect of a law
• Steps in the passage of a bill

  • First Reading
  • Referral to Appropriate Committee
  • Second Reading
  • Debates
  • Printing and Distribution
  • Third Reading
  • Referral to the Other House
  • Submission to Joint Bicameral Committee
  • Submission to the President
• A bill approved on Third Reading by both Houses shall be printed and forthwith transmitted to the President for his action - approval or disapproval
• Ways a bill may become a law

  • When the President approves the bill by signing it
  • When the President vetoes the bill and the same is overriden by 2/3 votes of all the members of both Houses
  • When the President does not communicate his veto within 30 days after the date of receipt
• Other responsibilities of Congress


  • Power to remove from office impeachable government officials
  • Power to declare the existence of a state of war
  • Power to revoke the President's proclamation of martial law or the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus
  • Power to authorize the President to exercise powers to carry out a declared national policy in times of war or other national emergency
• Congress has the "sole power to declare the existence of a state of war," according to Section 23 Article VI of the Constitution. A vote of two-thirds of both Houses, voting separately, is needed.
• Congress can revoke the President's proclamation of martial law or the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus by a vote of at least a majority of all members of the Senate and the House. If requested, Congress can also extend the period of martial law beyond the mandated 60 days.
• Congress may authorize the President to exercise powers to carry out a declared national policy "for a limited period and subject to restrictions" in times of war or other national emergency.
• Without emergency power given by the congress the President cannot re-appropriate funds and it may lead to his impeachment because only the congress has the sole authority to do it.
• Oversight


  Reviewing how particular laws are implemented by relevant government agencies
• The Senate committee in August 2018 conducted a hearing on the TRAIN law's impact on inflation amid rising prices of commodities.
• Congress is involved in the national budget process.

  1. It can decide whether or not to add or reduce a government agency's budget, effectively overseeing budget appropriations and being on guard against suspected corruption.

  2. The budget bill begins with the House of Representatives based on an expenditure program prepared by the executive department.

  3. The Senate examines the budget and can introduce amendments as well
• Appointees required by the constitution to go through the commission include cabinet officials, ambassadors, top military officers, and members of constitutional commissions.
• Congress needs to concur with any amnesty granted by the president, according to Section 19, Article VII of the Constitution. A vote of majority of all members is needed.
• Amnesty


  The official pardon for people who have been convicted of political offenses, though it is different to pardon itself. Amnesty "looks backward and abolishes and puts into oblivion the offense itself" as if no crime has been committed.
• Pardon


  "looks forward and relieves the offender from the consequences of an offense of which he has been convicted" but does not automatically restore one's political rights (unless restored by the terms of pardon) and does not absolve him or her from paying civil indemnity.
• Congress is heavily involved in starting charter change.

  It can either convene into a Constituent Assembly (through a vote of three-fourths of all members) and propose both amendments and revisions, or call for an election of members of a Constitutional Convention (vote of two-thirds of its members).
• Congress ratifies treaties or international agreements entered into by the Philippine government to take effect.
• Parliamentary privileges of Congressmen while Congress is in session

  • Privilege from arrest (Immunity from offenses punishable by not more than six years imprisonment)
  • Privilege of speech and debate (Immunity from libel and slander)
• The reason for the congressional privileges is to enable members of Congress to discharge their functions adequately and without fear. The harm which would come from its abuse is considered slight compared to that which might arise if the privileges were not given.