Philippine Congress and Legislative Department

Salary and Term of Office

• Salaries of Senators and members of the House of Representatives cannot increase during their term.
• Senators serve for 6 years and can serve for two consecutive terms.
• Members of the House of Representatives serve for 3 years and can serve for three consecutive terms.

Qualifications and Eligibility

• Senators must be:
  • Natural Born Filipino Citizen
  • 35 years old
  • Able to read and write
  • Registered voter
  • Residency: not less than 2 years
• Members of the House of Representatives must be:
  • Natural Born Filipino Citizen
  • 25 years old
  • Able to read and write
  • Registered voter in the district they seek to represent
  • Residency: 1 year at least

Legislative Process

• Every bill must embrace only one subject, which shall be expressed in the title thereof.
• No bill can become a law unless it has passed three readings on separate days, and printed copies have been distributed to its Members three days before its passage.
• Upon the last reading of a bill, no amendment is allowed, and the vote shall be taken immediately thereafter, and the yeas and nays entered in the Journal.

Passage of Bills into Law

• Three options for passing the bill into law:
  • Approved: signed by the President
  • Vetoed: can be overridden by ⅔ votes of both houses of Congress
  • Lapsed: 30 days after presentation to the President

Powers of Congress

• Authority to create or pass laws, and to alter or repeal them when needed.
• Examples of authority include:
  • Declaration of war
  • Budget deliberation
  • Imposing taxes
• Congress has the authority to declare that the country is under a state of war by a vote of two-thirds of both Houses in a joint session assembled, voting separately.

Finance and Revenue

• Revenue Bill is one of the primary and specific purposes of raising profits.
• Congress has the authority to impose taxes and manage the country's finances.