4. ARTICLE VI, SECTION 1
Power to enact law is vested in the PHILIPPINE
CONGRESS (comprised of the Senate and the
House of Representatives)
5. Senate House of
Representatives
Composition 24 250 (unless otherwise fixed by
law)
Manner of Election Elected at Large (Nationwide) by
qualified voters
By district proportional
representation and by party-list
system
Term of office Six years Three years
Maximum Term of Office Two consecutive terms Three consecutive terms
Structure and Organization
6. Senate House of Representatives
At least 35 years old At least 25 years old
Registered Voter Registered voter in the district (except in the party-
list)
Able to read and write Able to read and write
Natural-born citizen Natural-born citizen
Resident of the Philippines for not less than 2 years Resident of the district for not les than a year
Qualifications
7. POWERS OF THE CONGRESS
• Check the president’s power to appropriate money for
government use
• Provide consent on appointments made by the president
• Request heads of executive departments to appear before the
congress
• Check the president’s power in suspension of writ and
declaration of martial law
• Concur with president in granting amnesty to individuals
8. DIPLOMATIC POWERS OF THE CONGRESS
• Declaration of the existence of a state of
war
• Granting of emergency powers to the
president
• International agreement shall be
checked by the congress
9. THE LAW MAKING PROCESS
1. Preparation of the Bill
2. First reading
3. Committee consideration/action
4. Second reading
5. Third reading
6. Transmittal to the other house (repeat procedures 1 to 5)
7. Conference committee
8. Submission of the bill to the president
9. Presidential action on the bill
