Philippine Congress Overview

Study Notes

Legislative power is vested in the Congress of the Philippines, which includes the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Article 6 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution outlines the responsibilities of the legislative branch.
Legislative power is the authority to create, change, and repeal laws, except for instances where the power is reserved to the people through initiatives and referendums.

The Congress of the Philippines is a bicameral body, meaning it has two chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives.
The Senate comprises 24 senators.
The House of Representatives includes 250 members, with the specific number potentially subject to change through law.

Senators are elected by qualified Filipino voters across the entire nation (elected at large).
Qualifications for Senate:
- Natural-born Filipino citizen
- At least 35 years old on the day of the election
- Able to read and write
- Registered voter
- Resident of the Philippines for at least two years prior to the election
Senators serve a six-year term and can be elected for a maximum of two terms.

Representatives are elected from legislative districts allocated among provinces, cities, and the Metropolitan Manila area.
The number of districts per area is determined by population, using a consistent and progressive ratio.
Qualifications for House of Representatives:
- Natural-born Filipino citizen
- At least 25 years old on the day of the election
- Able to read and write
- Registered voter in their district
- Resident of the district for at least one year before the election
Representatives serve a three-year term and are eligible for re-election for a maximum of three terms.

The House of Representatives also includes representatives elected through the party list system.
This system allows national, regional, and sectoral parties or organizations to nominate candidates.