Philippines Bill Process: First Reading to Law

What happens to a bill three days after it is filed with the Bills and Index Service?

Who reads the number and title of the bill during the First Reading in the session?

What is the role of the President of the Senate or Speaker of the House of Representatives during the First Reading?

When does a bill undergo its First Reading in a session?

Where do all lawmakers convene for a plenary session during the First Reading?

What is the final step in the process of how a bill becomes a law in the Philippines?

Who in the Philippines has the authority to sign a bill into law?

What is the purpose of a Committee Consideration/Action session in the lawmaking process in the Philippines?

At what point is a bill transmitted to the President of the Philippines for signing and passing?

What branch of the Philippine government does the respective agency that implements a new law fall under?

What must happen for a bill to become a law in the Philippines?

How a Bill Becomes Law in the Philippines

A bill is a draft proposal for a specific law that will be implemented in the country.
A bill must be passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate to become a law.
After being signed by the President, the bill becomes an act or a law.

The Lawmaking Process in the Philippines

A bill is prepared by lawmakers, individuals, or groups.
The bill is studied and written into a draft.
The President of the Philippines outlines their legislative agenda during the annual State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Preparation of the Bill

Senators and representatives engage with their constituents to identify ideas for laws.
Individuals and groups can also draft bills and ask lawmakers to file them in Congress.
The president's legislative agenda is supported by bills drafted by executive departments and agencies.

First Reading

The finalized bill is filed with the Bills and Index Service and numbered and reproduced.
The bill is included in the Order of Business for the First Reading in the session after three days.
The secretary of the House of Representatives or the Senate reads the number and title of the bill during the First Reading.
The presiding officer refers the bill to the appropriate committee.

The Rest of the Process

A Committee Consideration/Action session is held.
The House of Representatives has its second and third readings.
The approved bill is transmitted to the Senate.
A conference committee is assembled.
The bill is transmitted to the President of the Philippines to be signed and passed.

Explore the process of how a bill transforms into a law in the Philippines, from its proposal in Congress to being signed by the President. Understand the roles of the House of Representatives and the Senate in this legislative journey.