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What are the three branches of the Philippine government?
How many Senators are there in the Philippine Senate?
Which of the following statements is true about bills in Congress?
What is the primary difference between a bill and a joint resolution?
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What is the purpose of concurrent resolutions in Congress?
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What is the primary purpose of a concurrent resolution in Congress?
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What is a simple resolution primarily used for?
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What authority does the Constitution grant to the President regarding cabinet appointments?
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Which power allows the President to streamline policies and programs of an administration?
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What power does the Supreme Court hold in relation to laws and treaties?
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What is the primary purpose of a simple resolution in Congress?
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What authority does the President have regarding the creation or dissolution of executive departments?
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Which role does the Vice President not hold under the Constitution?
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What is the primary function of the judicial power as vested in the Supreme Court?
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What does the power of judicial review enable the Supreme Court to do?
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What is the composition requirement for the House of Representatives in terms of party-list representatives?
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What is a key similarity between a bill and a joint resolution in the legislative process?
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Which of the following statements accurately describes the Senate in the context of the Philippine Congress?
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What role does Congress play in relation to the Constitution of the Philippines?
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In what instances are concurrent resolutions used within the legislative process?
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Study Notes
The Philippines: A Presidential Republic
- The Philippines is a republic with a presidential form of government.
- Power is divided among three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial.
Legislative Branch: Congress
- The Legislative power is vested in the Congress of the Philippines, composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
- The Senate has 24 Senators elected at large by the qualified voters of the Philippines.
- The House of Representatives has no more than 250 members.
- 80% are district representatives.
- 20% are party-list representatives.
- Congress is responsible for making enabling laws to uphold the spirit of the constitution.
- Congress can amend or change the constitution.
Types of Legislation
- Bills: become laws when passed by both houses in identical form and signed by the President, or passed over a presidential veto.
- Joint Resolutions: used for singular issues, such as emergency appropriations or constitutional amendments.
- Concurrent Resolutions: affect both houses, and are used to fix adjournment times or express Congressional sentiment.
- Simple Resolutions: deal with matters within the prerogative of a single house, like adopting rules.
Executive Branch: The President and Cabinet
- The President is the head of state and head of the Executive Branch.
- The President appoints Cabinet members.
- The VP may assume a Cabinet position after succeeding the President.
- The VP is also mandated to assume the Presidency if the President is unable to serve.
- Cabinet secretaries act as the alter egos of the President.
- The President can create or dissolve departments as needed.
- The Executive Branch extends beyond the national government and includes local governments supervised by the President.
Judicial Branch: The Courts
- Judicial power rests with the Supreme Court and lower courts.
- The Supreme Court has 15 members.
- The Supreme Court has the power of Judicial Review: to declare treaties, laws, executive acts unconstitutional.
Principle of Checks and Balances
- The three branches are designed to be balanced by giving each branch powers to check the others.
- Checks by the President: veto bills, pardon convicts, modify court judgments.
- Checks by the Congress: override presidential veto, reject appointments, impeach officials, amend court decisions.
- Checks by the Judiciary: declare legislative measures and executive acts unconstitutional.
Qualifications of Officials
- President and Vice President: natural-born citizen, registered voter, literate, at least 40 years old, resident for 10 years.
- Senators: natural-born citizen, literate, registered voter, at least 35 years old, resident for 2 years.
- House of Representatives: natural-born citizen, literate, registered voter, at least 25 years old, resident of the district for 1 year.
- Party-list Representatives: must be a bona fide member of the party for 90 days prior to the election.
- Supreme Court: natural-born citizen, at least 40 years old, 15 years as a judge or lawyer, person of proven competence, integrity, probity, and independence.
Terms of Office
- Senate: 6-year terms, 2 consecutive terms allowed.
- House of Representatives: 3-year terms, 3 consecutive terms allowed.
- President/Vice President: 6-year term, no re-election for the President.
- Supreme Court: no term limit, but judges can serve until age 70 or become incapacitated.
The Philippine Government
- The Philippine Government is a republic with a presidential system.
- Power is divided equally among three branches: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial.
Legislative Branch
- The Legislative power is vested in the Congress.
- Congress is composed of two chambers: The Senate and the House of Representatives.
- The Senate has 24 senators elected at large by the qualified voters of the Philippines.
- The House of Representatives has a maximum of 250 members.
- 80% of the House is composed of district representatives, while 20% are party-list representatives.
Legislative Process
- The Legislative branch is responsible for creating, amending, and repealing laws.
- This includes enabling laws that ensure the constitution is upheld and possibly amending the constitution itself.
- Resolutions are used to express the sentiments and principles of a chamber of Congress.
- Congress can create bills that become laws when they are passed by both chambers in identical form and signed by the President.
Executive Branch
- Executive power is vested in the President of the Philippines.
- The President is in charge of all executive departments, bureaus, and offices.
- The President appoints cabinet secretaries, who act as the President's alter ego.
- The President can create or dissolve any department as they see fit.
- The President is responsible for supervising local governments across the country.
Judicial Branch
- The Judicial power rests with the Supreme Court and lower courts.
- The Supreme Court has the power to declare treaties, international or executive agreements, laws, presidential decrees, proclamations, orders, instructions, ordinances, or regulations unconstitutional.
Principle of Checks and Balances
- The three branches of government are established with balanced power.
- Each branch has the power to check the actions of the other branches to maintain balance.
- Checks include:
- President can veto bills.
- Congress can override President's veto.
- Supreme Court can declare laws or executive acts unconstitutional.
Qualifications for National Government Officials
-
President and Vice-President:
- Natural-born citizen of the Philippines.
- Registered voter.
- Must be able to read and write.
- At least 40 years old on election day.
- Resident of the Philippines for at least 10 years prior to election.
-
Senators:
- Natural-born citizen of the Philippines.
- At least 35 years old on election day.
- Must be able to read and write.
- Registered voter.
- Resident of the Philippines for at least 2 years prior to election.
-
House Representatives:
- Natural-born citizen of the Philippines.
- At least 25 years old on election day.
- Must be able to read and write.
- Registered voter in the district they will represent (except for party-list representatives).
- Resident of the district for at least 1 year prior to election.
-
Party-List Representatives:
- All requirements for House Representatives.
- Must have been a bona fide member of the party/organization they represent for at least 90 days prior to the election.
-
Supreme Court Justices:
- Natural-born citizen of the Philippines.
- At least 40 years old.
- Must have been a judge of a lower court for 15 years or more, or engaged in the practice of law in the Philippines for 15 years or more.
- Proven competence, integrity, probity, and independence.
Composition and Terms of Office
-
Legislative Department:
- Senate: 24 members, 6-year terms, 2 consecutive terms allowed.
- House of Representatives: 250 members (maximum), 3-year terms, 3 consecutive terms allowed.
- Breakdown: 80% District representatives, 20% Party-list representatives.
-
Executive Department:
- President: 6-year term, no re-election.
- Vice President: 6-year term, 2 consecutive terms allowed.
-
Judicial Department:
- Supreme Court: 15 members (1 Chief Justice and 14 Associate Justices), no term limit.
- Justices hold their office during good behavior until they reach the age of 70 or become incapacitated.
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Description
Test your knowledge on the structure and functions of the Philippine presidential republic. This quiz covers the roles of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, along with the specifics of Congress and types of legislation. Dive deeper into how the Philippine government operates!
