Jhorin: Good Afternoon everyone, we are the second group and at this hour, we are about to take you into the world
of the Legislative branch as we let you explore the Roles and Responsibilities of the Philippine Senate and House of
Representatives. We hope for your full participation and utmost attention throughout the discussion. You may take
down notes but rest assured that we will be sending this PowerPoint presentation in our humble group chat after
everything has been settled.
So without much further ado, we will now begin with our reporting starting off from the introduction of the
Legislative branch.
The Legislative Branch. The Legislative branch is rooted in the Article 6, Section 1 of the Constitution which stated
that,
“ The Legislative Power shall be Vested in the Congress of the Philippines which shall consist of a Senate and a House
of Representatives, except to the extent reserved to the people by the provision on initiative and referendum.”
But what does Legislative power mean itself? Legislative power is the power or competence of lawmaking, the
framing and enactment of laws. It is reflected through the adoption of a bill, or a proposed or projected law which
once approved, becomes a statute (or law). It is the power of the legislature to enact, ordain, alter or modify, repeal
or abrogate existing laws.
The legislative branch of the government is bicameral, composed of the senate(upper house) and the house of
Representatives (lower house).
Now that we have identified the two main parts of the legislature, we now need to know their distinctions and their
duties. Let’s first start with the upper house which is the Senate.
Ariel: The Senate, or the upper house shall be composed of 24 Senators who shall be elected at large by the qualified
voters of the Philippines, as may be provided by law. The term of office of the senators is within six years continuing
body and shall be re-elected once. The Senate is led by the Senate President, who is elected by the senators. The
Senate President presides over the sessions, represents the Senate in its relations with other branches of
government, and plays a key role in setting the legislative agenda. Right now, the current Senate President is Juan
Miguel Zubiri. To be qualified for the Senate, a person must be atleast 35 years old at the time of election and a
resident of the Philippines for not less than two years immediately preceding the day of election.
Moreover, of the 24 senators elected in the election in 1922, the first twelve obtaining the highest number of votes
shall serve for six years and the remaining twelve for three years. Let us look at the table in order to understand.
The 12 senators elected in 1995 served full terms of six years. Those elected on 1998 will also serve full term of six
years. Those elected in 2001 will also serve the full term of six years amd so on. What does this mean? It means that
every three years, starting from 1995, twelve senators will be elected every three years to serve full six years term
(1995, 1998, 2001 and so on ). In effect, the Senate is completely dissolved. One half is retained as the other half is
either replaced or re-elected every three years. This system is referred to as the Staggered election system. In the
Philippines, senators serve six-year terms, and elections are held every three years for half of the senate seats.
The main reason for this system is to encourage the maintenance of Senate Policies and guarantee that there will be
experienced members who can help train the newly elected in the discharge of their duties. If all senators were
elected at the same time and served the same length of term, it could potentially lead to a complete turnover of the
Senate at each election. This could disrupt the functioning of the Senate and lead to a lack of experienced senators.
With staggered elections, there’s always a group of senators who have been in the Senate for at least three years.
This helps to maintain institutional knowledge and continuity, while still allowing for new ideas and perspectives to
be introduced regularly.
It’s a system that’s used in many bicameral legislatures around the world, not just in the Philippines. It’s seen as a
way to balance the need for renewal with the need for experience and continuity.
Furthermore, the Senate has various committees that focus on specific areas of legislation and oversight. These
committees conduct hearings, gather information, and make recommendations on specific issues. The committee
system allows senators to specialize in certain policy areas and contribute to the legislative process. The Philippine
Senate has a total of 41 standing committees for the 19th Congress. These committees cover a wide range of areas
and are responsible for reviewing and proposing legislation related to their respective fields. Here are some examples
of the standing committees in the Philippine Senate with their respective chair persons :
1. Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations (Blue Ribbon) lead by Francis Tolentino
2. Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform lead by Cynthia Villar
3. Banks, Financial Institutions and Currencies lead by Mark Villar
4. Civil Service, Government Reorganization and Professional Regulation lead by Bong Revilla, and
5. Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes lead by Robin Padilla
In addition to the standing committees, there are also congressional oversight, ad hoc, and special committees in the
Philippine Senate.
1. Congressional Oversight Committees: These committees are established to oversee and monitor the
implementation of specific laws or programs. They are responsible for ensuring that the executive branch is
effectively carrying out its duties and responsibilities in accordance with the legislation. Congressional oversight
committees play a crucial role in holding the government accountable and ensuring transparency. Here are some
examples:
*Congressional Oversight Committee on Public xxpenditures: This committee oversees the implementation of public
expenditures, ensuring that government funds are utilized efficiently and effectively.
*Congressional Oversight Committee on xducation: This committee monitors the implementation of education
policies and programs to ensure quality education for all Filipinos.
2. Ad Hoc Committees: Ad hoc committees are temporary committees that are created for a specific purpose or to
address a particular issue. They are formed when there is a need for focused attention on a particular matter that
falls outside the purview of the standing committees. Ad hoc committees are dissolved once they have completed
their assigned task or achieved their objectives. Some examples are:
*Ad Hoc Committee on the Bangsamoro Basic Law: This committee was formed to study and draft the proposed
Bangsamoro Basic Law, which aimed to establish an autonomous political entity for the Bangsamoro people in
Mindanao.
*Ad Hoc Committee on the COVID-19 Pandemic Response: This committee was created to address the challenges
posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and develop policies and strategies to mitigate its impact.
3. Special Committees: Special committees are established to handle specific matters or issues of importance that
may not fall under the jurisdiction of the standing committees. They are formed to address unique or emerging
issues that require specialized knowledge or expertise. Special committees are usually created for a limited duration
and are dissolved once their purpose is fulfilled. Here are a few examples:
*Special Committee on Clean Air and Sustainable xnergy: This committee focuses on issues related to air pollution,
climate change, and the promotion of sustainable energy sources.
*Special Committee on Disaster Resilience: This committee is tasked with formulating policies and programs to
enhance the country’s resilience and preparedness in the face of natural disasters.
Hence, these different types of committees allow legislative bodies to address a wide range of issues and ensure
effective governance. They provide a mechanism for in-depth examination, oversight, and decision-making on
various matters of national importance.
Jhorin: And that, classmates, is all about the Senate. But before we move on into the next part, please let us know if
you have any questions about the report.
Now, let us move on into the Lower House known as the House of Representatives.
Kenneth: The House of Representatives is the Lower house of the Congress of the Philippines. It is informally referred
to as Camara or Kamara. It is composed of the district Representatives (known as the congressman or
Congresswoman) and the Party-list Representatives. District Representatives are elected from legislative districts
apportioned among the provinces, cities and the metropolitan manila area while the Party-list Representatives are
elected by voting for the party- list a voter wants to be represented in the Congress.
The house of Representatives shall be composed of not more than 250 members, unless otherwise fixed by law, who
shall be elected from legislative districts (district representatives) 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 organisations. At the present, there are 307 members of the
house of Representatives. Representatives serve a term of three years with a maximum of three consecutive terms.
They can also be re-elected twice. The House of Representatives is led by the Speaker of the House, who is elected by
the members of the House. The Speaker is responsible for presiding over sessions, maintaining order, and
representing the House in its relations with other branches of government. At the present, the Speaker of the House
is Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.To be eligible for the position of representative, a person must be a natural-born
citizen of the Philippines, at least 25 years old on the day of the election, a registered voter in the district they intend
to represent, and a resident of that district for at least one year prior to the election.
According to Article VI, Section 5 of the Philippine Constitution, party-list representatives shall constitute twenty
percent of the total number of representatives, including those under the party list. For three consecutive terms after
the ratification of the Constitution, one-half of the seats allocated to party-list representatives shall be filled by
selection or election from various sectors such as labor, peasant, urban poor, indigenous cultural communities,
women, youth, and other sectors as provided by law. However, the religious sector is not allowed to have
representation in the party-list system.
This provision aims to provide representation to marginalized and underrepresented sectors in the Philippine House
of Representatives. It ensures that voices from different sectors of society have the opportunity to participate in the
legislative process and advocate for their respective interests and concerns.
COMxLxC shall prepare and publish a certified list of entities qualified to participate which shall be posted in all
voting booths on election day. xvery voter shall be entitled to two votes for the house of Representatives as follows:
a. a vote for a district representative; and
b. a vote for the party he wants to represent in the house of Representatives. Because the voting will be at large, and
not by sector, all votes obtained by a party regardless of constituency will be tallied on a nationwide basis. The
percentage of votes garnered by a party shall be computed in relation to the total votes cast for the Party-list
nationwide.
Moving on, The House of Representatives in the Philippines has various committees that play a crucial role in the
legislative process. These committees are responsible for reviewing and deliberating on bills, conducting
investigations, and making recommendations for the passage or rejection of proposed laws. Here are some key
points about the committees of the House of Representatives:
1. Standing Committees: The House of Representatives has several standing committees that are organized
based on specific areas of legislation. Some examples of standing committees include the Committee on
Appropriations, Committee on Ways and Means, Committee on Justice, Committee on xducation, and
Committee on Health, among others. These committees handle bills and issues related to their respective
areas of focus.
2. Committee Structure: xach standing committee is composed of a chairperson, vice-chairperson, and several
members. The chairperson, usually a representative from the majority party, leads the committee and is
responsible for setting the committee’s agenda, presiding over meetings, and coordinating its activities. The
members of the committee are representatives who are appointed or elected to serve on specific
committees based on their expertise or interests.
3. Committee Jurisdiction: xach standing committee has a specific jurisdiction or scope of authority. This means
that they are responsible for reviewing bills and conducting hearings related to specific subject matters. For
example, the Committee on Appropriations handles the budget and government spending, while the
Committee on Justice focuses on legislation related to the justice system and legal matters.
4. Committee Hearings: Committees hold hearings where they invite resource persons, stakeholders, and
experts to provide insights and perspectives on proposed bills or issues within their jurisdiction. These
hearings allow committee members to gather information, ask questions, and discuss the merits and
potential impact of the proposed legislation. Committee hearings are open to the public, and interested
parties can submit position papers or request to be heard during the proceedings.
5. Committee Reports: After conducting hearings and deliberations, committees prepare reports that contain
their findings, analysis, and recommendations on the bills or issues under their review. These reports are
submitted to the plenary session of the House of Representatives for further consideration and voting.
6. Ad Hoc and Special Committees: In addition to the standing committees, the House of Representatives may
also establish ad hoc or special committees. Ad hoc committees are formed for a specific purpose or to
address a particular issue that falls outside the jurisdiction of the standing committees. Special committees
are created to handle unique or emerging issues that require specialized knowledge or expertise.
7. Oversight Committees: The House of Representatives also has oversight committees that are responsible for
monitoring the implementation of laws and ensuring accountability in the executive branch. These
committees conduct investigations, audits, and reviews to assess the performance of government agencies
and programs.
It's important to note that the specific structure and organization of committees may vary over time, as they are
subject to the rules and decisions of the House of Representatives. The committees play a vital role in the legislative
process by thoroughly examining proposed legislation, conducting inquiries, and providing recommendations for the
improvement of laws and policies in the Philippines.
Jhorin: And that is the end of the Lower chamber of the Legislative branch. Next, we will be tackling about the Roles
and Functions of the Legislative Department. But before we move on, please do tell us your queries concerning our
report of the house of Representatives if you have any. If none, then let us proceed.