Philippine Government

1. Republic of the Philippines
Province of Pampanga
Mabalacat City
Mabalacat City College
A.Y. 2017- 2018, 1st Semester
Article VI of 1987 Philippine Constitution
Meaning of Legislative Power
Unicameral vs. Bicameral Legislature
The Senates
The House of Representatives
Qualifications and Power of Senators and
Congressmen
Salary and Immunity

2. LEGISLATIVE POWER
 According to the 1987 Constitution, legislative power shall
be vested in the Congress of the Philippines, which shall
consist of a Senate and a House of Representatives.
 The authority of a branch of government that is charged
with making and enacting laws.
 Legislative power in general refers to the power to enact
laws, which includes the power to alter or repeal them.
Said power starts formally from the time a bill or a
proposed law is introduced by a member of the House of
Representatives or a Senator. Once approved by
Congress, and the President, the said bill becomes a law.

3. LEGISLATIVE POWER
 Specific legislative powers.
These are the powers expressly conferred by the
Constitution. They are: power of appropriation,
power taxation and power of expropriation.
 Non-legislative powers.
These are the powers which are not basically
legislative in nature but which are performed by
Congress. Examples are power to propose
amendments to the Constitution, power to impeach,
power to canvass presidential elections and power to
declare the existence of a state of war.

4. LEGISLATIVE POWER
 Implied powers.
These are the powers which are not expressly
conferred by the Constitution but which are implied
from those expressly granted. Examples are: power
to punish a person in contempt during or in the
course of legislative investigation and power to issue
summons and notices in connection with matters
subject of its investigation or inquiry.
 Inherent powers
These are the powers which are inherent to the
exercise of legislative powers like the power to
determine the rules of its proceedings.

5. LEGISLATIVE PROCESS
 Congress is responsible for making
enabling laws to make sure the spirit
of the constitution is upheld in the
country and, at times, amend or
change the constitution itself. In order
to craft laws, the legislative body
comes out with two main documents:
bills and resolutions.

6. UNICAMERAL VS. BICAMERAL LEGISLATURE
 Unicameral legislature or
unicameralism is the practice of having
only one parliamentary or legislative
chamber.
 Bicameral legislature or bicameralism is
a system where there are two
separate assemblies, houses or
chambers. The main intention of creating
bicameral legislature is to give distinct
voices to separate sectors of the society.

7.  Resolutions convey principles and sentiments of the
Senate or the House of Representatives. These
resolutions can further be divided into three different
elements:
 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.

8. HISTORY OF THE LEGISLATURE
 REPRESENTATION IN THE SPANISH CORTES
 Prior to the creation of a legislature in the Philippines,
Filipinos, from time to time, were allowed to sit in the
Spanish Cortes as representatives of the Philippine Islands.
In 1810, the Spanish government allowed Filipinos to
receive Spanish citizenship and appropriate representation
in the Cortes. When the Cadiz Constitution was in full force
and effect, Filipino representation became a standard in the
Cortes. However, in 1837, the liberal Cortes finally abolished
representation and declared that overseas territories of
Spain to be ruled by special laws. This loss of representation
was one of the main points that Jose Rizal and other
propagandists were fighting for during the Propaganda
movement.

9.  MALOLOS REPUBLIC, 1899 – 1901
 The first Filipino legislature was convened on September 15,
1898 in Barasoain Church, Malolos, Bulacan. Later known
as the Malolos Republic, it drafted the first constitution of the
Philippines, which was also the first democratic constitution
in Asia. The Congress included delegates from different
provinces of the Philippines, some elected and some
appointed. It was a short-lived legislature, unable to pass any
laws due to the onset of the Philippine-American War. The
first Philippine Republic was ended on March 23, 1901 with
the capture of President Emilio Aguinaldo in Palanan,
Isabela.

10.  PHILIPPINE COMMISSION, 1899 – 1916
 In 1899, United States President William McKinley
appointed a commission led by Dr. Jacob Schurman to
study and investigate the conditions in the Philippine
Islands. This would be known as the first Philippine
Commission. It was followed by another investigative
commission led by William Howard Taft in 1900, which
also had limited legislative and executive powers. From
1901 onwards, the Philippine Commission would be
regularized. It exercised both executive and legislative
powers, with three Filipino delegates, namely Benito
Legarda, Trinidad Pardo de Tavera, Jose Luzuriaga. After
the organization of the Philippine Assembly (see below) in
1907, the commission stayed on as the upper house of
the legislature.

11. PHILIPPINE ASSEMBLY, 1907 – 1916
 Electoral representation in the Philippines by Filipinos began
when the American insular government allowed partial self-
governance by establishing the Philippine Assembly. The
assembly, as the lower house, shared legislative power with
the Philippine Commission, which remained under American
control, as membership in the Philippine Commission was
still restricted to appointed American officials. In 1907, still
under American rule, the Philippines held its first national
elections for the newly created representative body, which
had an inaugural membership of 81 Filipinos representing
their respective districts. In the succeeding years, the
number of districts were increased to 85 in 1910, and 91 in
1912.

12. RESIDENT COMMISSIONERS, 1907 – 1946
 From 1907 to 1946, the Philippine legislature sent a
representative to sit in the U.S. House of
Representatives, as resident commissioner. Under
Spain, the Philippines had also been given limited
representation in the Spanish Cortes, and like the
resident commissioners, they had the right to
speak, but not to vote. The restoration of Philippine
independence in 1946 ended Philippine
representation in the U.S. Congress. (Note: To this
day, Puerto Rico still has a resident commissioner
in the U.S. House of Representatives.)

13. THE PHILIPPINE LEGISLATURE, 1916 – 1935
 Upon the enactment of the Jones Law in 1916, the Filipinos
were subsequently granted the opportunity to hold other
offices in the government. Positions in the Philippine Senate
were opened to Filipinos, with 12 senatorial districts and two
senators elected from each. The inaugural President of the
Senate in 1916 was Manuel L. Quezon, representing the fifth
senatorial district. He would hold this position until the
establishment of the Commonwealth of the Philippines in
1935. For the 19 years prior to the Commonwealth, the
Senate presidency was the highest position a Filipino could
hold.
 From the first Philippine Commission to the establishment of
the Commonwealth of the Philippines, the Philippine
legislature were passing public acts. This form of legislation is
started at Congress, with the approval of the American

14. COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES,
1935 – 1946
 On November 15, 1935, Quezon took his oath as the first
President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, giving
control of the executive branch of government to the
Filipinos. It was also in this era that the Supreme Court of the
Philippines was completely Filipinized. By virtue of the 1935
Constitution, the bicameral Philippine legislature was merged
to form the unicameral National Assembly.
 Two elections were held under the Commonwealth. The first,
in 1935, elected the President of the Philippines as well as
members of the National Assembly; the second, in 1939,
elected only members of the National Assembly. The
National Assembly would be retained until 1941, when a new
structure for the legislature was introduced through a
constitutional amendment.

15. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS OF 1941
 After six years under a unicameral legislature, the
Constitution of 1935 was amended, dividing the National
Assembly into two separate houses. The Senate of the
Philippines and the House of Representatives were
reestablished, with a Senate President and a Speaker of
the House leading their respective chambers.
 The elections for members of these newly created
chambers were held in 1941. However, the onset of World
War II prevented the elected members from assuming
their posts and the legislature of the Commonwealth of
the Philippines was dissolved upon the exile of the
government of the Philippines.

16. THE SECOND REPUBLIC, 1943
 On October 14, 1943, the Japanese-sponsored
Second Republic was inaugurated, with Jose. P.
Laurel as the President. This government followed
the newly crafted 1943 Constitution, and reverted
the legislature back to a unicameral National
Assembly. The National Assembly of the Second
Republic would remain in existence until the arrival
of the Allied forces in 1944, which liberated the
Philippines from the Imperial Japanese forces.

17. RESTORATION OF THE PHILIPPINE
COMMONWEALTH, 1945 – 1946
 Upon the reestablishment of the Commonwealth in
1945, President Sergio Osmeña called for a special
session of Congress. The first Congress convened
on June 9 of that year, with most of the senators and
representatives, who were elected in 1941, assuming
their positions. Manuel Roxas and Jose C. Zulueta
served as Senate President and Speaker of the
House, respectively. Not all, however, were allowed
to take their post because some were incarcerated
for collaboration with the Japanese.

18.  The inaugural session, was held in a converted school
house in Lepanto St., Manila, as the Legislative Building in
Manila was reduced to ruins as an outcome of the war.
 On April 23, 1946, national elections were held to choose
new members of Congress, the President, and the Vice
President of the Philippines. After the elections the second
Congress of the Commonwealth convened on May 25,
1946. It would only last until July 4, 1946, with the
inauguration of the Third Republic of the Philippines.

19. THE THIRD REPUBLIC, 1946 – 1972
 The independent Republic of the Philippines was finally
proclaimed on July 4, 1946 with Manuel Roxas as President.
The Second Congress of the Commonwealth was
transformed into the first Congress of the Republic of the
Philippines, also made up of the Senate and the House of
Representatives. This would mark the beginning of the count
of Congresses of the Republic until the imposition of Martial
Law in 1972, when Congress would be dissolved.
 This era started the legislation of republic acts which would
continue until 1972. Upon the restoration of democracy in
1986 and the ratification of the 1987 Constitution, the
naming of laws as republic acts would be reinstated.

20. MARTIAL LAW AND THE FOURTH
REPUBLIC, 1972-1986
 On September 23, 1972 President Ferdinand E. Marcos
issued Presidential Proclamation No. 1081, placing the
entire country under Martial Law. This coincided with the
closing of the sessions of both chambers of Congress.
Days before the scheduled reopening of the Senate and
the House of Representatives, Marcos promulgated the
1973 Constitution, which effectively abolished the
bicameral legislature and replaced it with a unicameral
legislature. Opposition legislators reported to the
Legislative Building on January 22, 1973, but found the
building padlocked and under an armed guard.

21. THE FIFTH REPUBLIC, 1987 – PRESENT
 On March 25, 1986, President Aquino declared a
revolutionary government by virtue of Presidential
Proclamation No. 3, s. 1986, which suspended
some provisions of the 1973 Constitution and
promulgated in its stead a transitory constitution.
This effectively abolished the Batasang Pambansa.
A constitutional commission, tasked with drafting a
new charter, was created by virtue of Proclamation
No. 9 issued on April 23, 1986.

22. THE SENATE
 The Senate shall be composed of
twenty-four Senators who shall be
elected at large by the qualified
voters of the Philippines, as may be
provided by law.
 Upper Chamber

23. OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES OF THE SENATE
 Senate President : Sen. Franklin Drilon
 Senate President Pro-Tempore : Sen. Ralph Recto
 Majority Floor Leader : Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano
 Minority Floor Leader : Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile

24. THE FOLLOWING SENATORS ARE ELECTED ON MAY 2013
AND WILL SERVE UNTIL JUNE 30, 2019.
 Sen. Juan Edgardo "Sonny" M. Angara
 Sen. Paolo Benigno "Bam" A. Aquino IV
 Sen. Maria Lourdes Nancy S. Binay
 Sen. Allan Peter S. Cayetano
 Sen. Joseph Victor "JV" G. Ejercito
 Sen. Francis "Chiz" G. Escudero
 Sen. Gregorio "Gringo" B. Honasan II
 Sen. Loren B. Legarda
 Sen. Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III
 Sen. Grace L. Poe
 Sen. Antonio "Sonny" F. Trillanes IV
 Sen. Cynthia A. Villar

25. THE FOLLOWING SENATORS ARE ELECTED ON MAY 2016
AND WILL SERVE UNTIL JUNE 30, 2022.
 Sen. Leila M. de Lima
 Sen. Franklin "Frank" M. Drilon
 Sen. Sherwin "Win" T. Gatchalian
 Sen. Richard "Dick" J. Gordon
 Sen. Ana Theresia "Risa" N. Hontiveros
 Sen. Panfilo "Ping" M. Lacson
 Sen. Emmanuel "Manny" D. Pacquiao
 Sen. Francis Pancratius "Kiko" N. Pangilinan
 Sen. Ralph G. Recto
 Sen. Vicente "Tito" C. Sotto III
 Sen. Emmanuel Joel Villanueva
 Sen. Juan Miguel "Migz" F. Zubiri

26. Committee Chairperson Jurisdiction
All matters relating to:
Accountability of Public
Officers and
Investigations (Blue
Ribbon)
Sen. Teofisto Guingona III malfeasance
Agrarian Reform Sen. Gregorio Honasan II agrarian reform
Agriculture and Food Sen. Cynthia Villar agriculture
Banks, Financial
Institutions, and
Currencies
Sen. Sergio Osmeña III banks, financial
institutions, government
and private currencies
Civil Service and
Government
Reorganization
Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV the civil service and the
status of officers and
employees of the
government

27. Climate Change Sen. Loren Legarda policies, programs,
strategies, technologies
and other innovations
addressing global
warming and climate
change impacts.
Constitutional
Amendments and
Revision of Codes
Sen. Miriam Defensor
Santiago
proposing amendments to
the constitution of the
Philippines, and the
revision of existing codes.
Cooperatives Sen. Manuel Lapid cooperatives, including
farm credit and farm
security
Cultural Communities Sen. Loren Legarda cultural communities.
Economic Affairs Sen. Joseph Victor
Ejercito
economic planning and
programming
Education, Arts, and
Culture
Sen. Pia Cayetano education, schools,
colleges, and universities

28. Electoral Reform and
People’s Participation
Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III election laws and to the
implementation of the
constitutional provisions
Energy Sen. Sergio Osmeña III the exploration,
exploitation, development,
extraction, importation,
refining, transport,
distribution, marketing,
conservation, or storage
of all forms of energy
Environment and
Natural Resources
Sen. Loren Legarda conservation and
protection of the
environment
Finance Sen. Francis Escudero
(Subcommittee A), Sen.
Sergio Osmeña III
(Subcommittee B), Sen.
Loren Legarda
(Subcommittee C), Sen.
Ralph Recto
(Subcommittee D), Sen.
funds for the expenditures
of the national
government and for the
payment of public
indebtedness

29. THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 The House of Representatives shall
be composed of not more than 250
(unless otherwise fixed by law), 20
percent of whom must be Party-list
representatives.
 Lower Chamber

30. OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES OF THE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 House Speaker : Rep. Feliciano Belmonte Jr. (Quezon City,
4th District)
 Deputy House Speakers : Rep. Henedina Abad (Batanes, Lone District)
Rep. Giorgidi Aggabao (Isabela, 4th District)
Rep. Sergio Apostol (Leyte, 2nd District)
Rep. Pangalian Balindong (Lanao del Sur,
2nd District)
Rep. Carlos Padilla (Nueva Vizcaya, Lone
District)
Rep. Roberto Puno (Antipolo City, 1st
District)
 Majority Floor Leader : Rep. Neptali Gonzales II (Mandaluyong City,
Lone District)
 Minority Floor Leader : Rep. Ronaldo Zamora (San Juan City,
Lone District)

31. SECTION 8. Unless otherwise
provided by law, the regular
election of the Senators and the
Members of the House of
Representatives shall be held on
the second Monday of May.

32. QUALIFICATIONS OF SENATORS AND
CONGRESSMAN
 The Senate shall be composed of twenty-four
Senators who shall be elected at large by the
qualified voters of the Philippines, as may be
provided by law;
 The House of Representatives shall be
composed of not more than 250 (unless
otherwise fixed by law), 20 percent of whom
must be Party-list representatives.

33. THE QUALIFICATIONS TO BECOME A
SENATOR
 a natural-born citizen of the Philippines;
 at least thirty-five years old;
 is able to read and write
 a registered voter; and
 a resident of the Philippines for not less than two
years before election day.
 Term: 6 years

34. QUALIFICATIONS OF THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES:
 a natural-born citizen of the Philippines;
 at least twenty-five years old;
 is able to read and write; and
 except the party-list representatives, a registered
voter and a resident for at least one year in the
district where s/he shall be elected.
 Term: 3 years

35. POWERS OF SENATORS AND
CONGRESSMEN
 Appointment of public officials
 Legislative inquiry and investigation
 Declare the existence of a state of war
 Ratify the country’s international
treaties( Senate)
 Authorize limited emergency powers
for the president

36. POWERS OF SENATOR AND
CONGRESSMAN
 Approve the government budget
 Undertake projects under the CDF
 Propose, review, and adopt bills for
enactment into law
 Overturn a Presidential veto with respect to
proposed legislation
 Allow for referanda
 Propose amendments to the constitution

37. SALARY
 The salaries of members of the Senate are governed by
Article VI of the Constitution as follows:
 Sec. 10. The salaries of Senators and Members of the
House of Representatives shall be determined by law.
No increase in said compensation shall take effect until
after the expiration of the full term of all the members of
the Senate and the House of Representatives approving
such increase.
 Sec. 20. The records and books of accounts of
Congress shall be preserved and be open to the public
in accordance with law, and such books shall be audited
by the Commission on Audit which shall publish annually
an itemized list of amounts paid to and expenses
incurred for each Member.

38. Monthly Salary Increase (Php)
Position Title Salary Grade Step 1, 1
st
Tranche (2016)
President of the Philippines 33 160,924
Vice-President of the Philippines 32 135,376
President of the Senate 32
Speaker of the House of
Representatives
32
Chief Justice of the Supreme
Court
32
Senator 31 117,086
Member of the House of
Representatives
31
Associate Justices of the Supreme
Court
31
Chairman of a Constitutional
Commission under Article IX, 1987
Constitution
31
Member of a Constitutional
Commission under Article IX, 1987
Constitution
30 96,354

39. IMMUNITY
 Section 11 “A Senator or Member of the House of
Representatives shall, in all offenses punishable
by not more than six years imprisonment, be
privileged from arrest while the Congress is in
session. No Member shall be questioned nor be
held liable in any other place for any speech or
debate in the Congress or in any committee
thereof. “

40. PARLIAMENTARY IMMUNITIES
Privilege from Arrest
 Congressman who committed an offense
punishable for not more than 6 years, but is not
attending session, cannot be arrested so long as
he is an incumbent congressman, and so long
as Congress is in session, whether or not he is
attending it, he shall be immune from arrest.
 Senator cannot be disbarred or disciplined by
the Supreme Court for statements made during
a privilege speech. The senator‐lawyer’s
privilege speech is not actionable criminally or in
a disciplinary proceeding under the Rules of
Court.

41.  Privilege of Speech and Debate
 To avail the Privilege of Speech and Debate, the
following requirements must be observed:
1. That the remarks must be made while the
legislature or the legislative committee is functioning,
that is in session
2. That they must be made in connection with
the discharge of official duties.
Speech or debate includes a vote or passage of
a resolution, all the utterances made by Congressmen in
the performance of their functions such
as speeches delivered, statements made, or votes casts
in the halls of Congress.

42. REFERENCES
 https://www.ecomparemo.com/info/here-are-the-updated-salaries-of-
politicians-and-government-officials/
 http://thelawdictionary.org/legislative-power/
 http://pediaa.com/difference-between-unicameral-and-bicameral-
legislature/
 http://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/about/gov/the-legislative-branch/
 https://www.senate.gov.ph/senators/terms.asp
 http://www.congress.gov.ph/about/?about=officials
 https://www.slideshare.net/heyrexjohn/article-iv-section-11-of-the-
philippine-constitution