Congress of the Philippines
Encyclopedia
The Congress of the Philippines (Filipino
: Kongreso ng Pilipinas) is the national legislature
of the Republic of the Philippines. It is a bicameral
body consisting of the Senate
(upper chamber), and the House of Representatives
(lower chamber) although commonly in the Philippines the term congress refers to the latter.
The Senate is composed of 24 senators half of which are elected every three years. Each senator, therefore, serves a total of six years. The senators are elected by the whole electorate and do not represent any geographical district.
The House of Representatives is composed of a maximum of 250 congressmen. There are two types of congressmen: the district and the sectoral representatives. The district congressmen represent a particular geographical district of the country. All provinces
in the country are composed of at least one congressional district. Several cities
also have their own congressional districts, with some composed of two or more representatives.
The sectoral congressmen represent the minority sectors of the population. This enables these minority groups to be represented in the Congress, when they would otherwise not be represented properly through district representation. Also known as party-list representatives, sectoral congressmen represent labor unions, rights groups, and other organizations.
The Constitution
provides that the Congress shall convene for its regular session every year beginning on the 4th Monday of July. A regular session can last until thirty days before the opening of its next regular session in the succeeding year. The President may, however, call special session
s which are usually held between regular legislative sessions to handle emergencies or urgent matters.
colonial rule, the colony was not given representation to the Spanish Cortes. It was only in 1809 where the colony was made an integral part of Spain and was given representation in the Cortes. On March 19, 1812, the Constitution of Cadiz was approved, which led to the colony's first representatives at the Cortes in September 24, 1812 by Pedro Perez de Tagle and Jose Manuel Coretto. However, with Napoleon I
's defeat at the Battle of Waterloo
, his brother Joseph Bonaparte
was removed the Spanish throne, and the Cadiz Constitution was rejected by the Cortes on May 24, 1816 with a more conservative constitution that removed Philippine representation on the Cortes, among other things. Restoration of Philippine representation to the Cortes was one of the grievances by the Illustrados, the educated class during the late 19th century.
that aimed to overthrow Spanish rule. Proclaiming independence on June 12, 1898, President
Emilio Aguinaldo
then ordered the convening of a revolutionary congress at Malolos. The Malolos Congress
, among other things, approved the 1899 Constitution of the Philippines. With the approval of the Treaty of Paris
, the Spanish sold the Philippines to the United States
. The revolutionaries, attempting to prevent American conquest, launched the Philippine-American War
, but were defeated when Aguinaldo was captured on 1901.
was under American colonial rule, the legislative body was the Philippine Commission
which existed from 1900 to 1907. The President of the United States
appointed the members of the Philippine Commission
. Furthermore, two Filipinos served as Resident Commissioners
to the House of Representatives of the United States from 1907 to 1935, then only one from 1935 to 1946. The Resident Commissioners had a voice in the House, but did not have voting rights.
The Philippine Bill of 1902 mandated the creation of a bicameral or a two-chamber Philippine Legislature
with the Philippine Commission
as the Upper House and the Philippine Assembly
as the Lower House. This bicameral legislature was inaugurated in 1907. Through the leadership of then Speaker
Sergio Osmeña
and then Floor Leader Manuel L. Quezon
, the Rules of the 59th United States Congress
was substantially adopted as the Rules of the Philippine Legislature.
In 1916, the Jones Law changed the legislative system. The Philippine Commission
was abolished, and a new bicameral Philippine Legislature consisting of a House of Representatives
and a Senate
was established.
, aside from instituting the Commonwealth
which gave the Filipinos more role in government, established a unicameral National Assembly
. But in 1940, through an amendment to the 1935 Constitution
, a bicameral Congress of the Philippines consisting of a House of Representatives
and a Senate
was created. Those elected in 1941 would not serve until 1945, as World War II
intervened. The invading Japanese set up the Second Philippine Republic
and convened its own National Assembly
. With the Japanese defeat in 1945, the Commonwealth and its Congress was restored. The same set up will continue until the Americans granted independence on July 4, 1946.
on July 4, 1946, Republic Act
No. 6 was enacted providing that on the date of the proclamation of the Republic of the Philippines
, the existing Congress would be known as the First Congress of the Republic
. Successive Congresses were elected until President Ferdinand Marcos
declared martial law on September 23, 1972. Marcos then ruled by decree.
As early as 1970, Marcos had convened a constitutional convention to revise the 1935 constitution; on 1973, the Constitution was approved. It abolished the bicameral Congress and created a unicameral National Assembly, which would ultimately be known as the Batasang Pambansa
in a parliamentary system
of government. The parliament elected a prime minister
. The Batasang Pambansa first convened on 1978.
Marcos was overthrown after the 1986 People Power Revolution; President Corazon Aquino
then ruled by decree. Later that year she appointed a constitutional commission
that drafted a new constitution. The Constitution
was approved in a plebiscite the next year; it restored the presidential system
of government together with a bicameral Congress of the Philippines. It first convened on 1987.
expressly and specifically directs to perform or execute.
Powers enjoyed by the Congress classifiable under this category are:
In most cases, such as the approval of bills, only a majority of members present is needed; on some cases such as the election of presiding officers, a majority of all members, including vacant seats, is needed.
A voter has two votes in the House of Representatives: one vote for a representative elected in the voter's congressional district (first-past-the-post
), and one vote for a party in the party-list system (closed list
), the so-called sectoral representatives; sectoral representatives shall comprise not more than 20% of the House of Representatives.
To determine the winning parties in the party-list election, a party must surpass the 2% election threshold
of the national vote; usually, the party with the largest number of votes wins the maximum three seats, the rest two seats. If the number of seats of the parties that surpassed the 2% threshold is less than 20% of the total seats, the parties that won less than 2% of the vote gets one seat each until the 20% requirement is met.
In what could be a unique setup, Congress' two houses meet at different places in Metro Manila
, the seat of government: the Senate sits at a building shared with the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) at Pasay, while the House of Representatives sits at the Batasang Pambansa Complex
.
Historically, when Congress is composed of two houses, it sat on one building. The Philippine Legislature
convened at the Ayuntamiento in Intramuros, Manila from 1907 to 1926, when it transferred to the Manila Legislative Building
outside Intramuros. In the Legislative Building, the Senate occupied the upper floors while the House of Representatives used the lower floors. However the Barasoain Church
in Malolos, Bulacan serve as a meeting place of unicameral congress
of the First Philippine Republic
Destroyed during the Battle of Manila of 1945, the Commonwealth Congress convened at the Old Japanese Schoolhouse at Sampaloc
. Congress met at the school auditorium, with the Senate convening on evenings and the House of Representatives meeting every morning. Congress would return to the Legislative Building, which will be renamed as the Congress Building, on 1949 up to 1973 when President Marcos ruled by decree. Marcos built a new seat of a unicameral parliament at Quezon City
, which would eventually be the Batasang Pambansa Complex
. The parliament that will eventually be named as the Batasang Pambansa
(National Legislature), first met at the Batasang Pambansa Complex on 1978.
With the overthrow of Marcos after the People Power Revolution, the bicameral Congress was restored. The House of Representatives inherited the Batasang Pambansa Complex, while the Senate returned to the Congress Building. On May 1997, the Senate moved to the newly constructed building owned by the GSIS on land reclaimed from Manila Bay
at Pasay; the Congress Building was eventually transformed into the National Museum of the Philippines
.
Filipino language
This move has drawn much criticism from other regional groups.In 1987, a new constitution introduced many provisions for the language.Article XIV, Section 6, omits any mention of Tagalog as the basis for Filipino, and states that:...
: Kongreso ng Pilipinas) is the national legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
of the Republic of the Philippines. It is a bicameral
Bicameralism
In the government, bicameralism is the practice of having two legislative or parliamentary chambers. Thus, a bicameral parliament or bicameral legislature is a legislature which consists of two chambers or houses....
body consisting of the Senate
Senate of the Philippines
The Senate of the Philippines is the upper chamber of the bicameral legislature of the Philippines, the Congress of the Philippines...
(upper chamber), and the House of Representatives
House of Representatives of the Philippines
The House of Representatives of the Philippines is the lower chamber of the...
(lower chamber) although commonly in the Philippines the term congress refers to the latter.
The Senate is composed of 24 senators half of which are elected every three years. Each senator, therefore, serves a total of six years. The senators are elected by the whole electorate and do not represent any geographical district.
The House of Representatives is composed of a maximum of 250 congressmen. There are two types of congressmen: the district and the sectoral representatives. The district congressmen represent a particular geographical district of the country. All provinces
Provinces of the Philippines
The Provinces of the Philippines are the primary political and administrative divisions of the Philippines. There are 80 provinces at present, further subdivided into component cities and municipalities. The National Capital Region, as well as independent cities, are autonomous from any provincial...
in the country are composed of at least one congressional district. Several cities
Cities of the Philippines
A city is a tier of local government in the Philippines. All Philippine cities are chartered cities, whose existence as corporate and administrative entities is governed by their own specific charters in addition to the Local Government Code of 1991, which specifies the administrative structure...
also have their own congressional districts, with some composed of two or more representatives.
The sectoral congressmen represent the minority sectors of the population. This enables these minority groups to be represented in the Congress, when they would otherwise not be represented properly through district representation. Also known as party-list representatives, sectoral congressmen represent labor unions, rights groups, and other organizations.
The Constitution
Constitution of the Philippines
The Constitution of the Philippines is the supreme law of the Philippines.The Constitution currently in effect was enacted in 1987, during the administration of President Corazon Aquino, and is popularly known as the "1987 Constitution"...
provides that the Congress shall convene for its regular session every year beginning on the 4th Monday of July. A regular session can last until thirty days before the opening of its next regular session in the succeeding year. The President may, however, call special session
Special session
In a legislature, a special session is a period when the body convenes outside of the normal legislative session. This most frequently occurs in order to complete unfinished tasks for the year , such as outlining the government's budget for the next fiscal year, biennium, or other period...
s which are usually held between regular legislative sessions to handle emergencies or urgent matters.
Spanish era
When the Philippines was under SpanishSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
colonial rule, the colony was not given representation to the Spanish Cortes. It was only in 1809 where the colony was made an integral part of Spain and was given representation in the Cortes. On March 19, 1812, the Constitution of Cadiz was approved, which led to the colony's first representatives at the Cortes in September 24, 1812 by Pedro Perez de Tagle and Jose Manuel Coretto. However, with Napoleon I
Napoleon I
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
's defeat at the Battle of Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
, his brother Joseph Bonaparte
Joseph Bonaparte
Joseph-Napoléon Bonaparte was the elder brother of Napoleon Bonaparte, who made him King of Naples and Sicily , and later King of Spain...
was removed the Spanish throne, and the Cadiz Constitution was rejected by the Cortes on May 24, 1816 with a more conservative constitution that removed Philippine representation on the Cortes, among other things. Restoration of Philippine representation to the Cortes was one of the grievances by the Illustrados, the educated class during the late 19th century.
Revolutionary era
The Illustrados' campaign transformed into the Philippine RevolutionPhilippine Revolution
The Philippine Revolution , called the "Tagalog War" by the Spanish, was an armed military conflict between the people of the Philippines and the Spanish colonial authorities which resulted in the secession of the Philippine Islands from the Spanish Empire.The Philippine Revolution began in August...
that aimed to overthrow Spanish rule. Proclaiming independence on June 12, 1898, President
President of the Philippines
The President of the Philippines is the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines...
Emilio Aguinaldo
Emilio Aguinaldo
Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy was a Filipino general, politician, and independence leader. He played an instrumental role during the Philippines' revolution against Spain, and the subsequent Philippine-American War or War of Philippine Independence that resisted American occupation...
then ordered the convening of a revolutionary congress at Malolos. The Malolos Congress
Malolos Congress
-Further reading:*Philippine House of Representatives Congressional Library...
, among other things, approved the 1899 Constitution of the Philippines. With the approval of the Treaty of Paris
Treaty of Paris (1898)
The Treaty of Paris of 1898 was signed on December 10, 1898, at the end of the Spanish-American War, and came into effect on April 11, 1899, when the ratifications were exchanged....
, the Spanish sold the Philippines to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The revolutionaries, attempting to prevent American conquest, launched the Philippine-American War
Philippine-American War
The Philippine–American War, also known as the Philippine War of Independence or the Philippine Insurrection , was an armed conflict between a group of Filipino revolutionaries and the United States which arose from the struggle of the First Philippine Republic to gain independence following...
, but were defeated when Aguinaldo was captured on 1901.
American era
When the PhilippinesPhilippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
was under American colonial rule, the legislative body was the Philippine Commission
Philippine Commission
The Philippine Commission was a body appointed by the President of the United States to exercise legislative and limited executive powers in the Philippines. It was first appointed by President William McKinley in 1901. Beginning in 1907, it acted as the upper house of a bicameral Philippine...
which existed from 1900 to 1907. The President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
appointed the members of the Philippine Commission
Philippine Commission
The Philippine Commission was a body appointed by the President of the United States to exercise legislative and limited executive powers in the Philippines. It was first appointed by President William McKinley in 1901. Beginning in 1907, it acted as the upper house of a bicameral Philippine...
. Furthermore, two Filipinos served as Resident Commissioners
Resident Commissioners from the Philippines
From 1907 until 1946, the Philippines sent Resident Commissioners to the United States House of Representatives to represent the island state, which was a U.S. territory from 13 August 1898...
to the House of Representatives of the United States from 1907 to 1935, then only one from 1935 to 1946. The Resident Commissioners had a voice in the House, but did not have voting rights.
The Philippine Bill of 1902 mandated the creation of a bicameral or a two-chamber Philippine Legislature
Philippine Legislature
The Philippine Legislature was the legislative body of the Philippines during the earlier part U.S. colonial administration. It was a bicameral legislature, with the Philippine Commission, headed by the U.S. Governor General serving as the upper house, and the Philippine Assembly serving as the...
with the Philippine Commission
Philippine Commission
The Philippine Commission was a body appointed by the President of the United States to exercise legislative and limited executive powers in the Philippines. It was first appointed by President William McKinley in 1901. Beginning in 1907, it acted as the upper house of a bicameral Philippine...
as the Upper House and the Philippine Assembly
Philippine Assembly
The Philippine Assembly was the lower house of the legislative body of the Philippines during the early part of American colonial period. It was created by the Philippine Organic Act, passed in 1902, which also established the Philippine Commission as the upper house of the Philippine Legislature,...
as the Lower House. This bicameral legislature was inaugurated in 1907. Through the leadership of then Speaker
Speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives
The Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines is the presiding officer of the lower house of Congress, the House of Representatives....
Sergio Osmeña
Sergio Osmeña
Sergio Osmeña y Suico was a Filipino politician who served as the 4th President of the Philippines from 1944 to 1946. He was Vice President under Manuel L. Quezon, and rose to the presidency upon Quezon's death in 1944, being the oldest Philippine president to hold office at age 65...
and then Floor Leader Manuel L. Quezon
Manuel L. Quezon
Manuel Luis Quezón y Molina served as president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines from 1935 to 1944. He was the first Filipino to head a government of the Philippines...
, the Rules of the 59th United States Congress
59th United States Congress
The Fifty-ninth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from March 4, 1905 to March 4, 1907, during the fifth and sixth...
was substantially adopted as the Rules of the Philippine Legislature.
In 1916, the Jones Law changed the legislative system. The Philippine Commission
Philippine Commission
The Philippine Commission was a body appointed by the President of the United States to exercise legislative and limited executive powers in the Philippines. It was first appointed by President William McKinley in 1901. Beginning in 1907, it acted as the upper house of a bicameral Philippine...
was abolished, and a new bicameral Philippine Legislature consisting of a House of Representatives
House of Representatives of the Philippines
The House of Representatives of the Philippines is the lower chamber of the...
and a Senate
Senate of the Philippines
The Senate of the Philippines is the upper chamber of the bicameral legislature of the Philippines, the Congress of the Philippines...
was established.
Commonwealth and Second Republic era
The legislative system was changed again in 1935. The 1935 ConstitutionConstitution of the Philippines
The Constitution of the Philippines is the supreme law of the Philippines.The Constitution currently in effect was enacted in 1987, during the administration of President Corazon Aquino, and is popularly known as the "1987 Constitution"...
, aside from instituting the Commonwealth
Commonwealth of the Philippines
The Commonwealth of the Philippines was a designation of the Philippines from 1935 to 1946 when the country was a commonwealth of the United States. The Commonwealth was created by the Tydings-McDuffie Act, which was passed by the U.S. Congress in 1934. When Manuel L...
which gave the Filipinos more role in government, established a unicameral National Assembly
National Assembly of the Philippines
The National Assembly of the Philippines refers to the legislature of the Philippine Commonwealth from 1935 to 1941, and the Second Philippine Republic. The National Assembly of the Commonwealth of the Philippines was created under the 1935 Constitution, which served as the Philippines' fundamental...
. But in 1940, through an amendment to the 1935 Constitution
Constitution of the Philippines
The Constitution of the Philippines is the supreme law of the Philippines.The Constitution currently in effect was enacted in 1987, during the administration of President Corazon Aquino, and is popularly known as the "1987 Constitution"...
, a bicameral Congress of the Philippines consisting of a House of Representatives
House of Representatives of the Philippines
The House of Representatives of the Philippines is the lower chamber of the...
and a Senate
Senate of the Philippines
The Senate of the Philippines is the upper chamber of the bicameral legislature of the Philippines, the Congress of the Philippines...
was created. Those elected in 1941 would not serve until 1945, as World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
intervened. The invading Japanese set up the Second Philippine Republic
Second Philippine Republic
The Second Philippine Republic, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , was a state in the Philippines established on October 14, 1943 under Japanese occupation....
and convened its own National Assembly
National Assembly of the Second Philippine Republic
The National Assembly of the Second Philippine Republic was the legislature of the Second Philippine Republic, from September 25, 1943 to February 2, 1944.-Sessions:*First Special Session: September 25, 1943...
. With the Japanese defeat in 1945, the Commonwealth and its Congress was restored. The same set up will continue until the Americans granted independence on July 4, 1946.
Independent era
Upon the inauguration of the Republic of the PhilippinesPhilippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
on July 4, 1946, Republic Act
Republic Acts of the Philippines
This article contains a partial list of Philippine laws. Philippine laws have had various nomenclature designations at different periods in the history of the Philippines, as shown in the following table:...
No. 6 was enacted providing that on the date of the proclamation of the Republic of the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, the existing Congress would be known as the First Congress of the Republic
1st Congress of the Philippines
The First Congress of the Philippines was the meeting of the legislature of the Republic of the Philippines, composed of the Philippine Senate and House of Representatives from May 25, 1946 until December 13, 1949. The body was originally convened as the Second Congress of the Commonwealth of the...
. Successive Congresses were elected until President Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...
declared martial law on September 23, 1972. Marcos then ruled by decree.
As early as 1970, Marcos had convened a constitutional convention to revise the 1935 constitution; on 1973, the Constitution was approved. It abolished the bicameral Congress and created a unicameral National Assembly, which would ultimately be known as the Batasang Pambansa
Batasang Pambansa
The Batasang Pambansa , also known by its nickname, the Batasan, was the former parliament of the Philippines, established as an interim assembly in 1978 and finally as an official body in 1984. Under the 1973 constitution, it replaced the former Congress established under the 1935 Commonwealth...
in a parliamentary system
Parliamentary system
A parliamentary system is a system of government in which the ministers of the executive branch get their democratic legitimacy from the legislature and are accountable to that body, such that the executive and legislative branches are intertwined....
of government. The parliament elected a prime minister
Prime Minister of the Philippines
The Prime Minister of the Philippines was the official designation of the head of the government of the Philippines from 1978 until People Power Revolution in 1986...
. The Batasang Pambansa first convened on 1978.
Marcos was overthrown after the 1986 People Power Revolution; President Corazon Aquino
Corazon Aquino
Maria Corazon Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino was the 11th President of the Philippines and the first woman to hold that office in Philippine history. She is best remembered for leading the 1986 People Power Revolution, which toppled Ferdinand Marcos and restored democracy in the Philippines...
then ruled by decree. Later that year she appointed a constitutional commission
Philippine Constitutional Commission of 1986
The Philippine Constitutional Commission of 1986 was the commission of the tasked to draft the Constitution of the Philippines in 1986.-Legislation:-Members: Resigned-See also:*Congress of the Philippines*Senate of the Philippines...
that drafted a new constitution. The Constitution
Constitution of the Philippines
The Constitution of the Philippines is the supreme law of the Philippines.The Constitution currently in effect was enacted in 1987, during the administration of President Corazon Aquino, and is popularly known as the "1987 Constitution"...
was approved in a plebiscite the next year; it restored the presidential system
Presidential system
A presidential system is a system of government where an executive branch exists and presides separately from the legislature, to which it is not responsible and which cannot, in normal circumstances, dismiss it....
of government together with a bicameral Congress of the Philippines. It first convened on 1987.
Summary
| In operation | Authority | Legislature | Type | Upper house | Lower house |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900–07 | Appointment by the President of the United States President of the United States The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces.... |
Philippine Commission Philippine Commission The Philippine Commission was a body appointed by the President of the United States to exercise legislative and limited executive powers in the Philippines. It was first appointed by President William McKinley in 1901. Beginning in 1907, it acted as the upper house of a bicameral Philippine... |
Unicameral | Philippine Commission Philippine Commission The Philippine Commission was a body appointed by the President of the United States to exercise legislative and limited executive powers in the Philippines. It was first appointed by President William McKinley in 1901. Beginning in 1907, it acted as the upper house of a bicameral Philippine... |
|
| 1907–16 | Philippine Bill of 1902 | Philippine Legislature Philippine Legislature The Philippine Legislature was the legislative body of the Philippines during the earlier part U.S. colonial administration. It was a bicameral legislature, with the Philippine Commission, headed by the U.S. Governor General serving as the upper house, and the Philippine Assembly serving as the... |
Bicameral | Philippine Commission Philippine Commission The Philippine Commission was a body appointed by the President of the United States to exercise legislative and limited executive powers in the Philippines. It was first appointed by President William McKinley in 1901. Beginning in 1907, it acted as the upper house of a bicameral Philippine... |
Philippine Assembly Philippine Assembly The Philippine Assembly was the lower house of the legislative body of the Philippines during the early part of American colonial period. It was created by the Philippine Organic Act, passed in 1902, which also established the Philippine Commission as the upper house of the Philippine Legislature,... |
| 1916–35 | Philippine Autonomy Act Jones Law (Philippines) The Jones Law or the Act of Congress of August 29, 1916, also known as the Philippine Autonomy Act of 1916, replaced the Philippine Organic Act of 1902 that earlier served as a constitution for the Philippine Islands. The Philippines was ceded by Spain to the United States in 1898 and a civil... |
Philippine Legislature Philippine Legislature The Philippine Legislature was the legislative body of the Philippines during the earlier part U.S. colonial administration. It was a bicameral legislature, with the Philippine Commission, headed by the U.S. Governor General serving as the upper house, and the Philippine Assembly serving as the... |
Bicameral | Senate Senate of the Philippines The Senate of the Philippines is the upper chamber of the bicameral legislature of the Philippines, the Congress of the Philippines... |
House of Representatives House of Representatives of the Philippines The House of Representatives of the Philippines is the lower chamber of the... |
| 1935–41 | 1935 Constitution | National Assembly National Assembly of the Philippines The National Assembly of the Philippines refers to the legislature of the Philippine Commonwealth from 1935 to 1941, and the Second Philippine Republic. The National Assembly of the Commonwealth of the Philippines was created under the 1935 Constitution, which served as the Philippines' fundamental... |
Unicameral | National Assembly National Assembly of the Philippines The National Assembly of the Philippines refers to the legislature of the Philippine Commonwealth from 1935 to 1941, and the Second Philippine Republic. The National Assembly of the Commonwealth of the Philippines was created under the 1935 Constitution, which served as the Philippines' fundamental... |
|
| 1943–44 | 1943 Constitution | National Assembly National Assembly of the Second Philippine Republic The National Assembly of the Second Philippine Republic was the legislature of the Second Philippine Republic, from September 25, 1943 to February 2, 1944.-Sessions:*First Special Session: September 25, 1943... |
Unicameral | National Assembly National Assembly of the Second Philippine Republic The National Assembly of the Second Philippine Republic was the legislature of the Second Philippine Republic, from September 25, 1943 to February 2, 1944.-Sessions:*First Special Session: September 25, 1943... |
|
| 1945–46 | Amendments to the 1935 Constitution | Commonwealth Congress | Bicameral | Senate Senate of the Philippines The Senate of the Philippines is the upper chamber of the bicameral legislature of the Philippines, the Congress of the Philippines... |
House of Representatives House of Representatives of the Philippines The House of Representatives of the Philippines is the lower chamber of the... |
| 1946–73 | Congress | Bicameral | Senate Senate of the Philippines The Senate of the Philippines is the upper chamber of the bicameral legislature of the Philippines, the Congress of the Philippines... |
House of Representatives House of Representatives of the Philippines The House of Representatives of the Philippines is the lower chamber of the... |
|
| never convened | 1973 Constitution | National Assembly | Unicameral | National Assembly | |
| 1978–86 | Amendments to the 1973 Constitution | Batasang Pambansa Batasang Pambansa The Batasang Pambansa , also known by its nickname, the Batasan, was the former parliament of the Philippines, established as an interim assembly in 1978 and finally as an official body in 1984. Under the 1973 constitution, it replaced the former Congress established under the 1935 Commonwealth... |
Unicameral | Batasang Pambansa Batasang Pambansa The Batasang Pambansa , also known by its nickname, the Batasan, was the former parliament of the Philippines, established as an interim assembly in 1978 and finally as an official body in 1984. Under the 1973 constitution, it replaced the former Congress established under the 1935 Commonwealth... |
|
| 1987–present | 1987 Constitution | Congress | Bicameral | Senate Senate of the Philippines The Senate of the Philippines is the upper chamber of the bicameral legislature of the Philippines, the Congress of the Philippines... |
House of Representatives House of Representatives of the Philippines The House of Representatives of the Philippines is the lower chamber of the... |
General legislative power
It consists of the enactment of laws intended as a rule of conduct to govern the relation between individuals (i.e., civil laws, commercial laws, etc.) or between individuals and the state (i.e., criminal law, political law, etc.)Implied powers
It is the essential to the effective exercise of other powers expressly granted to the assembly.Inherent powers
These are the powers which though not expressly given are nevertheless exercised by the Congress as they are necessary for its existence such as:- to determine the rules of proceedings;
- to compel attendance of absent members to obtain quorum to do business;
- to keep journal of its proceedings; etc.
Specific legislative powers
It has reference to powers which the ConstitutionConstitution of the Philippines
The Constitution of the Philippines is the supreme law of the Philippines.The Constitution currently in effect was enacted in 1987, during the administration of President Corazon Aquino, and is popularly known as the "1987 Constitution"...
expressly and specifically directs to perform or execute.
Powers enjoyed by the Congress classifiable under this category are:
- Power to appropriate;
- Power to act as constituent assembly; (The Senate and the House of Representatives must convene and vote on joint or separate session to do this.)
- Power to impeach; (to initiate all cases of impeachment is the power of the House of Representatives; To try all cases of impeachment is the power of the Senate.)
- Power to confirm treaties;(Only the Senate is authorized to use this power.)
- Power to declare the existence of war; (The Senate and the House of Representatives must convene in joint session to do this.)
- Power to concur amnesty; and
- Power to act as board of canvasser for presidential/vice-presidential votes. (by creating a joint congressional committee to do the canvassing.)
- Power to contempt
- Blending of power
- Delegation of power
- Budgetary power
- Power to taxation
Executive power
Powers of the Congress that are executive in nature are:- Appointment of its officers;
- Affirming treaties;
- Confirming presidential appointees through the Commission on AppointmentsCommission on AppointmentsThe Commission on Appointments is a body of the Congress of the Philippines as provided by the Constitution. It confirms certain appointments made by the President of the Philippines...
; - Removal power; etc.
Director/Suprevisory power
The Congress of the Philippines exercises considerable control and supervision over the administrative branch - e.g.:- To decide the creation of a department/agency/office;
- To define powers and duties of officers;
- To appropriate funds for governmental operations;
- To prescribe rules and procedure to be followed; etc.
Electoral power
Considered as electoral power of the Congress of the Philippines are the Congress' power to:- Elect its presiding officer/s and other officers of the House;
- Act as board of canvassers for the canvass of presidential/vice-presidential votes; and
- Elect the President in case of any electoral tie to the said post.
Judicial power
Constitutionally, each house has judicial powers:- To punish its Members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two-thirds of all its Members, suspend or expel a Member
- To concur and approve amnesty declared by the President of the PhilippinesPresident of the PhilippinesThe President of the Philippines is the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines...
; - To initiate, prosecute and thereafter decide cases of impeachment; and
- To decide electoral protests of its members through the respective Electoral Tribunal.
Miscellaneous powers
The other powers of Congress mandated by the Constitution are as follows:- To authorize the Commission on Audit to audit fund and property;
- To authorize the President of the PhilippinesPresident of the PhilippinesThe President of the Philippines is the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines...
to fix tariff rates, quotas, and dues; - To authorize the President of the PhilippinesPresident of the PhilippinesThe President of the Philippines is the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines...
to formulate rules and regulations in times of emergency; - To reapportion legislative districts based on established constitutional standards;
- To implement laws on autonomy;
- To establish a national language commission;
- To implement free public secondary education;
- To allow small scale utilization of natural resources;
- To specify the limits of forest lands and national parks;
- To determine the ownerships and extent of ancestral domain; and
- To establish independent economic and planning agency.
Lawmaking
- Preparation of the bill
- The Member or the Bill Drafting Division of the Reference and Research Bureau prepares and drafts the bill upon the Member's request.
- First reading
- The bill is filed with the Bills and Index Service and the same is numbered and reproduced.
- Three days after its filing, the same is included in the Order of Business for First Reading.
- On First Reading, the Secretary General reads the title and number of the bill. The Speaker refers the bill to the appropriate Committee/s.
- Committee consideration / action
- The Committee where the bill was referred to evaluates it to determine the necessity of conducting public hearings.
-
- If the Committee finds it necessary to conduct public hearings, it schedules the time thereof, issues public notices and invites resource persons from the public and private sectors, the academe, and experts on the proposed legislation.
- If the Committee determines that public hearing is not needed, it schedules the bill for Committee discussion/s.
- Based on the result of the public hearings or Committee discussions, the Committee may introduce amendments, consolidate bills on the same subject matter, or propose a substitute bill. It then prepares the corresponding committee report.
- The Committee approves the Committee Report and formally transmits the same to the Plenary Affairs Bureau.
- Second reading
- The Committee Report is registered and numbered by the Bills and Index Service. It is included in the Order of Business and referred to the Committee on Rules.
- The Committee on Rules schedules the bill for consideration on Second Reading.
- On Second Reading, the Secretary General reads the number, title and text of the bill and the following takes place:
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- Period of Sponsorship and Debate
- Period of Amendments
- Voting, which may be by
-
- viva voceVoice voteA voice vote is a voting method used by deliberative assemblies in which a vote is taken on a topic or motion by responding verbally....
- count by tellers
- division of the House
- nominal votingRecorded voteA recorded vote is a vote in which the names of those voting for and against a motion may be recorded.In many deliberative bodies , questions may be decided by voice vote, but the voice vote does not allow one to determine at a later date which members voted for and against the motion...
- viva voce
- Third reading
- The amendments, if any, are engrossed and printed copies of the bill are reproduced for Third Reading.
- The engrossed bill is included in the Calendar of Bills for Third Reading and copies of the same are distributed to all the Members three days before its Third Reading.
- On Third Reading, the Secretary General reads only the number and title of the bill.
- A roll call or nominal voting is called and a Member, if he desires, is given three minutes to explain his vote. No amendment on the bill is allowed at this stage.
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- The bill is approved by an affirmative vote of a majority of the Members present.
- If the bill is disapproved, the same is transmitted to the Archives.
- Transmittal of the approved bill to the Senate
- The approved bill is transmitted to the Senate for its concurrence.
- Senate action on approved bill of the House
- The bill undergoes the same legislative process in the Senate.
- Conference committee
- A Conference Committee is constituted and is composed of Members from each House of Congress to settle, reconcile or thresh out differences or disagreements on any provision of the bill.
- The conferees are not limited to reconciling the differences in the bill but may introduce new provisions germane to the subject matter or may report out an entirely new bill on the subject.
- The Conference Committee prepares a report to be signed by all the conferees and the Chairman.
- The Conference Committee Report is submitted for consideration/approval of both Houses. No amendment is allowed.
- Transmittal of the bill to the President
- Copies of the bill, signed by the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives and certified by both the Secretary of the Senate and the Secretary General of the House, are transmitted to the President.
- Presidential action on the bill
- If the bill is approved by the President, it is assigned an RA number and transmitted to the House where it originated.
- Action on approved bill
- The bill is reproduced and copies are sent to the Official Gazette Office for publication and distribution to the implementing agencies. It is then included in the annual compilation of Acts and Resolutions.
- Action on vetoed bill
- The message is included in the Order of Business. If the Congress decides to override the veto, the House and the Senate shall proceed separately to reconsider the bill or the vetoed items of the bill. If the bill or its vetoed items is passed by a vote of two-thirds of the Members of each House, such bill or items shall become a law.
Voting requirements
The vote requirements in the Congress of the Philippines are as follows:| Requirement | Senate | House of Representatives | Joint session | All members |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One-fifth |
|
N/A | N/A | |
| One-third | N/A |
|
N/A | N/A |
| Majority (50% +1 member) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
| Two-thirds |
|
|
|
|
|
|
N/A | |||
| Three-fourths | N/A | N/A | N/A |
|
Senate
In the Philippines, the most common way to illustrate the result in a Senate election is via a tally of candidates in descending order of votes. The twelve candidates with the highest number of votes are elected.House of Representatives
- For party-list election results, see Philippine House of Representatives party-list election, 2010Philippine House of Representatives party-list election, 2010The 2010 House of Representatives of the Philippines party-list election was on May 10, 2010. The whole country was one at-large district, where parties nominate three persons to be their candidates, ranked in order of which they'll be seated if elected...
A voter has two votes in the House of Representatives: one vote for a representative elected in the voter's congressional district (first-past-the-post
First-past-the-post
First-past-the-post voting refers to an election won by the candidate with the most votes. The winning potato candidate does not necessarily receive an absolute majority of all votes cast.-Overview:...
), and one vote for a party in the party-list system (closed list
Closed list
Closed list describes the variant of party-list proportional representation where voters can only vote for political parties as a whole and thus have no influence on the party-supplied order in which party candidates are elected...
), the so-called sectoral representatives; sectoral representatives shall comprise not more than 20% of the House of Representatives.
To determine the winning parties in the party-list election, a party must surpass the 2% election threshold
Election threshold
In party-list proportional representation systems, an election threshold is a clause that stipulates that a party must receive a minimum percentage of votes, either nationally or within a particular district, to obtain any seats in the parliament...
of the national vote; usually, the party with the largest number of votes wins the maximum three seats, the rest two seats. If the number of seats of the parties that surpassed the 2% threshold is less than 20% of the total seats, the parties that won less than 2% of the vote gets one seat each until the 20% requirement is met.
Seat
In what could be a unique setup, Congress' two houses meet at different places in Metro Manila
Metro Manila
Metropolitan Manila , the National Capital Region , or simply Metro Manila, is the metropolitan region encompassing the City of Manila and its surrounding areas in the Philippines...
, the seat of government: the Senate sits at a building shared with the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) at Pasay, while the House of Representatives sits at the Batasang Pambansa Complex
Batasang Pambansa Complex
The Batasang Pambansa Complex is the headquarters of the House of Representatives of the Philippines. It is located at Batasan Road, Batasan Hills, Quezon City....
.
Historically, when Congress is composed of two houses, it sat on one building. The Philippine Legislature
Philippine Legislature
The Philippine Legislature was the legislative body of the Philippines during the earlier part U.S. colonial administration. It was a bicameral legislature, with the Philippine Commission, headed by the U.S. Governor General serving as the upper house, and the Philippine Assembly serving as the...
convened at the Ayuntamiento in Intramuros, Manila from 1907 to 1926, when it transferred to the Manila Legislative Building
Old Congress Building, Manila
The Old Congress Building is a building located on Padre Burgos Avenue, Ermita, Manila, Philippines. It is currently home of the National Art Gallery of the National Museum of the Philippines...
outside Intramuros. In the Legislative Building, the Senate occupied the upper floors while the House of Representatives used the lower floors. However the Barasoain Church
Barasoain Church
Barasoain Church is a Roman Catholic church built in 1630 in Malolos City, Bulacan. Having earned the title as the Cradle of Democracy in the East, the most important religious building in the Philippines, and the site of the First Philippine Republic, the Church is proverbial for its historical...
in Malolos, Bulacan serve as a meeting place of unicameral congress
Malolos Congress
-Further reading:*Philippine House of Representatives Congressional Library...
of the First Philippine Republic
First Philippine Republic
The Philippine Republic , more commonly known as the First Philippine Republic or the Malolos Republic was a short-lived insurgent revolutionary government in the Philippines...
Destroyed during the Battle of Manila of 1945, the Commonwealth Congress convened at the Old Japanese Schoolhouse at Sampaloc
Sampaloc, Manila
Sampaloc is a district of Manila which is primarily a residential and educational center. Part of the Malacañang Palace is located in Sampaloc. The University of Santo Tomas, University of the East Manila are part of the University Belt to name a few, the famous Dangwa flower market at Dimasalang...
. Congress met at the school auditorium, with the Senate convening on evenings and the House of Representatives meeting every morning. Congress would return to the Legislative Building, which will be renamed as the Congress Building, on 1949 up to 1973 when President Marcos ruled by decree. Marcos built a new seat of a unicameral parliament at Quezon City
Quezon City
Quezon City is the former capital and the most populous city in the Philippines. Located on the island of Luzon, Quezon City is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila, the National Capital Region. The city was named after Manuel L...
, which would eventually be the Batasang Pambansa Complex
Batasang Pambansa Complex
The Batasang Pambansa Complex is the headquarters of the House of Representatives of the Philippines. It is located at Batasan Road, Batasan Hills, Quezon City....
. The parliament that will eventually be named as the Batasang Pambansa
Batasang Pambansa
The Batasang Pambansa , also known by its nickname, the Batasan, was the former parliament of the Philippines, established as an interim assembly in 1978 and finally as an official body in 1984. Under the 1973 constitution, it replaced the former Congress established under the 1935 Commonwealth...
(National Legislature), first met at the Batasang Pambansa Complex on 1978.
With the overthrow of Marcos after the People Power Revolution, the bicameral Congress was restored. The House of Representatives inherited the Batasang Pambansa Complex, while the Senate returned to the Congress Building. On May 1997, the Senate moved to the newly constructed building owned by the GSIS on land reclaimed from Manila Bay
Manila Bay
Manila Bay is a natural harbor which serves the Port of Manila , in the Philippines.The bay is considered to be one of the best natural harbors in Southeast Asia and one of the finest in the world...
at Pasay; the Congress Building was eventually transformed into the National Museum of the Philippines
National Museum of the Philippines
The Museum of the Filipino People is a department of the National Museum of the Philippines that houses the Anthropology and Archaeology Divisions of the National Museum. It is located in the Agrifina Circle, Rizal Park, Manila adjacent to the main National Museum building...
.
Congresses of the Philippines
See also
- Politics of the PhilippinesPolitics of the PhilippinesThe Politics of the Philippines takes place in an organized framework of a presidential, representative, and democratic republic whereby the president is both the head of state and the head of government within a pluriform multi-party system...
- Senate of the PhilippinesSenate of the PhilippinesThe Senate of the Philippines is the upper chamber of the bicameral legislature of the Philippines, the Congress of the Philippines...
- House of Representatives of the PhilippinesHouse of Representatives of the PhilippinesThe House of Representatives of the Philippines is the lower chamber of the...
- List of Philippine Senate committees
- List of Philippine House committees
Sources
- Ramirez, Efren V. and Lee, Jr., German G., The New Philippine Constitution. Cebu City: 1987: pp. 142–173.
- Article VI of the 1987 Philippine Constitution
- How a Bill becomes a Law
- Legislative History
- Your Legislature