"RULES" OR LAWS DETERMINE THE ANSWERS TO these questions.

They are made by lawmakers in the Philippine

Legislature that is also called the Congress of the Philippines. Congress has two chambers or houses - the House of
Representatives and the Senate.
Lawmakers in the House of Representatives are called Representatives or Congressmen/Congress-women. They are elected to a
three-year term by voters in their respective legislative districts. A Representative can serve for not more than three consecutive
terms. There are 243 legislative districts in the country. You live in one of these districts along with about 250,000 other people!
There are 243 representatives elected by district. In addition, there are Representatives elected through the party-list system
who constitute not more than twenty percent (20%) of the total number of Representatives.
Lawmakers in the Senate are called Senators who are elected at large or nationwide by qualified voters to a six-year term.
Senators can serve for not more than two consecutive terms. The Senate has twenty-four (24) Senators.
To qualify for election as a Representative, you have to be a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, a registered voter in the
district in which you seek to be elected, a resident therein for not less than one (1) year before the day of the election and at
least twenty-five (25) years of age. To qualify for election as a Senator, you also have to be a natural-born Filipino citizen, a
registered voter, a resident of the Philippines for at least two (2) years before the day of the election and at least thirty-five (35)
years old.
Our Constitution provides that our Congress convenes for its regular session every year beginning on the 4th Monday of July. A
regular session can last until thirty days before the opening of its next regular session in the succeeding year. The President
may, however, call special sessions which are usually held between regular sessions to handle emergencies or urgent matters

YOUR HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

THE SPEAKER LEADS, MANAGES AND PRESIDES over your House of Representatives. A majority of all the Members of the
House elects the Speaker. Those who voted for the Speaker belong to the Majority while those who voted for the Speaker's
opponent belong to the Minority. Representatives belonging to the Majority choose the Majority Floor Leader who automatically
chairs the Committee on Rules, and those in the Minority choose the Minority Floor Leader.
The other officers of the House of Representatives are the thirty-two (32) Deputy Speakers, the Secretary-General and
the Sergeant-at-Arms who are also elected by a majority of all the Representatives.
Committees, or small groups of Representatives, headed by committee chairpersons, study proposed laws called bills, and other
measures relating to issues and concerns affecting our lives, our communities and our society. They conduct hearings that give
us, citizens, opportunities to express our views on proposed laws or measures. Employees of the House constituting Committee
Secretariats provide the committees with legislative support services such as research, report preparation, policy studies and the
like.
When you visit the House of Representatives, you may see your Representatives in action during sessions or committee
hearings. If you wish to speak with any one of them during sessions or hearings, the Pages who assist and run errands for our
representatives in the Session Hall and in our conference rooms, can bring your notes and messages to the Representative you
wish to speak with.
You may also send an email to your Representatives, attend or testify at committee hearings, or ask for information about the
legislative process or a specific bill. Your Representatives will appreciate hearing from you because they know how important
your views are in making good laws that effectively address the welfare of our people.

· LEGISLATIVE PROCESS - How A Bill Becomes A Law

1. PREPARATION OF THE BILL2. FIRST READING3. COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION / ACTION4. SECOND

READING5. THIRD READING6. TRANSMITTAL OF THE APPROVED BILL TO THE SENATE7. SENATE ACTION ON
APPROVED BILL OF THE HOUSE8. CONFERENCE COMMITTEE9. TRANSMITTAL OF THE BILL TO THE
PRESIDENT10. PRESIDENTIAL ACTION ON THE BILL11. ACTION ON APPROVED BILL12. ACTION ON VETOED
BILL

1. PREPARATION OF THE BILL

The Member or the Bill Drafting Division of the Reference and Research Bureau prepares and drafts the bill upon
the Member's request.

2. FIRST READING

1. The bill is filed with the Bills and Index Service and the same is numbered and reproduced.
2. Three days after its filing, the same is included in the Order of Business for First Reading.
3. On First Reading, the Secretary General reads the title and number of the bill. The Speaker refers the bill
to the appropriate Committee/s.
3. COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION/ACTION

1. The Committee where the bill was referred to evaluates it to determine the necessity of conducting public
hearings.
If the Committee finds it necessary to conduct public hearings, it schedules the time thereof, issues public
notics and invites resource persons from the public and private sectors, the academe and experts on the
proposed legislation.
If the Committee finds that no public hearing is not needed, it schedules the bill for Committee
discussion/s.
2. Based on the result of the public hearings or Committee discussions, the Committee may introduce
amendments, consolidate bills on the same subject matter, or propose a subsitute bill. It then prepares
the corresponding committee report.
3. The Committee approves the Committee Report and formally transmits the same to the Plenary Affairs
Bureau.

4. SECOND READING

1. The Committee Report is registered and numbered by the Bills and Index Service. It is included in the
Order of Business and referred to the Committee on Rules.
2. The Committee on Rules schedules the bill for consideration on Second Reading.
3. On Second Reading, the Secretary General reads the number, title and text of the bill and the following
takes place:

1. Period of Sponsorship and Debate

2. Period of Amendments
3. Voting which may be by:
1. viva voce
2. count by tellers
3. division of the House; or
4. nominal voting

5. THIRD READING

1. The amendments, if any, are engrossed and printed copies of the bill are reproduced for Third Reading.
2. The engrossed bill is included in the Calendar of Bills for Third Reading and copies of the same are
distributed to all the Members three days before its Third Reading.
3. On Third Reading, the Secretary General reads only the number and title of the bill.
4. A roll call or nominal voting is called and a Member, if he desires, is given three minutes to explain his
vote. No amendment on the bill is allowed at this stage.

1. The bill is approved by an affirmative vote of a majority of the Members present.

2. If the bill is disapproved, the same is transmitted to the Archives.

6. TRANSMITTAL OF THE APPROVED BILL TO THE SENATE

The approved bill is transmitted to the Senate for its concurrence.

7. SENATE ACTION ON APPROVED BILL OF THE HOUSE

The bill undergoes the same legislative process in the Senate.

8. CONFERENCE COMMITTEE

1. A Conference Committee is constituted and is composed of Members from each House of Congress to
settle, reconcile or thresh out differences or disagreements on any provision of the bill.
 2. The conferees are not limited to reconciling the differences in the bill but may introduce new provisions
germane to the subject matter or may report out an entirely new bill on the subject.
3. The Conference Committee prepares a report to be signed by all the conferees and the Chairman.
4. The Conference Committee Report is submitted for consideration/approval of both Houses. No amendment
is allowed.

9. TRANSMITTAL OF THE BILL TO THE PRESIDENT

Copies of the bill, signed by the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives and certified by
both the Secretary of the Senate and the Secretary General of the House, are transmitted to the President.

10. PRESIDENTIAL ACTION ON THE BILL

1. If the bill is approved the President, the same is assigned an RA number and transmitted to the House
where it originated.
2. If the bill is vetoed, the same, together with a message citing the reason for the veto, is transmitted to the
House where the bill originated.

11. ACTION ON APPROVED BIL

The bill is reproduced and copies are sent to the Official Gasette Office for publication and distribution to the
implementing agencies. It is then included in the annual compilation of Acts and Resolutions.

12. ACTION ON VETOED BILL

The message is included in the Order of Business. If the Congress decides to override the veto, the House and the
Senate shall proceed separately to reconsider the bill or the vetoed items of the bill. If the bill or its vetoed items
is passed by a vote of two-thirds of the Members of each House, such bill or items shall become a law.

NOTE: A joint resolution having the force and effect of a law goes through the same process.