Philippine Government Set – up & Its

Constitution

The Philippines is a republic with a presidential form of government wherein power is equally
divided among its three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial.
To ensure a separation of powers, the Philippine Government is made up of three branches:
legislative, executive and judicial. To ensure the government is effective and citizens’ rights are
protected, each branch has its own powers and responsibilities, including working with the other
branches.

LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
 The legislative power of the government is given the Congress of the Philippines.
 The Congress is divided into two chambers: the House of Representatives (Lower
House) and the Senate of the Philippines (Upper House).
 Primary function is the creation enactment, and amendment of laws.
 Proposed laws may come from Senators or Congressmen.
 Bill – is a draft of law presented to legislation for enactment.

The Senate

 The Senate is composed of 24 senators elected at large.

 Natural born citizen, able to read and write, a registered voter, at least 35 yrs. old.
 Senate President: Juan Miguel Zubiri.

The Congress

 The Senate is composed of not more than 250 members; 20% Party List
Representatives.
 Represent a district in a province, a province, or a certain group (party list).
  Natural born citizen, able to read and write, a registered voter, at least 25 yrs. old.
 Speaker of the House: Ferdinand Martin Gomez Romualdez.

9 Strange Laws that Exists in the Philippines

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/669648/9-strange-laws-that-exist-in-the-
philippines/story/

1. ARTICLE 15, FAMILY CODE

 Sinumang magpakasal na nasa 21-25 taong gulang ay kailangang humingi ng
‘parental advice’ dahil sakaling wala nito, hindi sila maiisyuhan ng marriage
license, isang format requisite sa pagpapakasal.

2. REPUBLIC ACT 3553 o ANTI – PANA LAW

 Sinumang tao ang nagma-may-ari ng ‘deadly arrow’ o pana na walang permiso
galing sa mga opisyal ng local na pamahalaan ay maaaring makulong ng hindi
bababa sa 30 araw at hindi lalagpas ng 6 buwan.

3. REPUBLIC ACT 8353 o ANTI – RAPE LAW OF 1997

 Maaaring mapawalang – sala ang gumahasa kapag pinakasalan nito ang biktima
(Article 266 – C).

4. ARTICLE 247 (1) OF THE REVISED PENAL CODE (ACT 3815)

 Kapag naaktuhang mong nakikipagtalik ang iyong asawa sa iba at dahil dito’y
napatay, nasaktan o napinsala mo siya at ang kanyang kinakatalik, maaari kang
maabsuwelto sa krimen o mapatawan lang ng destierro (pagbabawal sa akusado
 na tumira sa kanyang bahay sa radius na 25 kilometro sa itinakdang panahon).
Ayon sa batas, kailangang ‘legally married ang mag – asawa.

5. ARTICLE 247 (3) OF THE REVISED PENAL CODE (3815)

 Kapag naaktuhan ng magulang na nakikipagtalik ang kanyang dalagang anak na
nasa 18 – anyos pababa at dahil dito’y napatay, nasaktan o napinsala niya ang
anak at kanyang kinakatalik, maaaring maabsuwelto sa krimen o mapatawan
lang ng destierro (pagbabawal sa akusado na tumira sa kanyang bahay sa
radius na 25 kilometro sa itinakdang panahon) ang nasabing magulang. Ayon sa
batas, kailangang 18 – anyos pababa ang kanyang anak na babae at nakatira sa
kanilang poder.

6. OMNIBUS ELECTION CODE (BATAS PAMBANSA BILANG 881)

 Sa eleksyon, maaaring gamiting ang ‘draw lots’ gaya ng toss coin para malaman
kung sino ang panalo sa dalawang magkalabang kandidato na nakakuha ng
parehong bilang ng boto (Article 240 of Election Code and COMELEC Resolution
9648).

7. ARTICLE 332 OF THE REVISED PENAL CODE

 Walang anomang criminal na pananagutan, civil liability lamang, ang sinumang
miyembro ng pamilya na makagagawa ng krimen gaya ng theft, swinding o
malicious mischief sa isa ring miyembro ng pamilya. Ang miyembro ng pamilyang
tinutukoy ay ‘spouses, ascendants. descendants, relatives by affinity, widowed
spouse, brothers, sisters, brothers-in-law, sister’s-in-law, if living together.’

8. ANTI – SQUATTING LAW REPEAL ACT OF 1997

 Ayon sa batas na ito, ang squatting ay hindi isang krimen. Inameyandahan nito
ang Presidental Decree 772 na nagpaparusa sa mga informal settler. Ito rin ang
tinatawag na Lina Law.

9. ARTICLE 2014 OF THE CIVIL CODE

 Ayon sa batas na ito, ang sinumang natalo sa isang game of chance ay
maaaring i-recover ang natalo sa kanya na may legal interest mula sa taong
nanalo at pati sa operator o manager ng gambling house.d