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Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
Region VIII – Eastern Visayas
Schools Division of Tacloban City
STO. NIÑO SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Tacloban City

DepEd Learning Activity Sheets (LAS)

Name of Learner: _______________________________________

Grade Level: ___________________________________________
Section: _______________________________________________
Date: _________________________________________________

LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEETS

IN

PHILIPPINE POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

(WEEKS 10-11)

Background Information for Learners:

Today’s lesson will be focused on the responsibilities of the Philippine House of

Representatives. On our previous lesson, you were given the function of what the members of
the House of Representatives do to out government. To be specific, members of the House are
divided into two (2) these are the House of Senate and the House of Representatives. The
House of Senate is composed of 24 Senators and the House of Representatives is composed of
250 Legislative Districts being representative for each district whether regular or High Urbanized
City or lone district. Of the 250 districts, 20% of which will seat as Party list Representatives
coming from the peasant’s poor, women, fishermen folks, etc.

Remember, the Legislative Department is in charge to make, create, amend and repeal
laws. Before a Bill will become a law, it has to pass 3 readings. The president may upon his
power, veto or approve it. Proposals of bill/s may either be done through initiative or
referendum. Initiative is a process whereby people are given opportunity to directly propose or
enact laws. This can also be used by the people in proposing changes to the fundamental law
of the land. Referendum is the process wherein a law or part of law passed by the legislature or
local legislative body is submitted to the people for their approval or rejection.

Learning Competency with code:

Discuss the roles and responsibilities of the Philippine House of Representatives.

(HUMSS_PG12-Ii-27 to 33)
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Directions/ Instructions:

Write your answers on a yellow paper. You can keep the learning activity sheets with
you for purposes of your review and reference. Comprehend the lessons well. Be meticulous in
answering questions. You are given 2 weeks to finish the activities. It is expected that come
February 1, 2021 you are to submit the answers of your activities or tasks.

PRINCIPLE OF SEPARATION OF POWERS

- Each government branch is not permitted to encroach upon the powers confided to
others. Arbitrary rule would result if the same body is to exercise all the powers of the
government.

PRINCIPLE OF CHECKS AND BALANCES

- Authorizing a considerable amount of encroachment or checking by one branch

in the affairs of the others. Each branch is given certain powers with which to
check others.

- President may disapprove bills enacted by Congress.

- Congress may reject appointments by the President.
- Judiciary may declare unconstitutional laws.

THE PHILIPPINE CONGRESS

- The Philippine Congress is the country’s legislative department. (Art. VI, Sec. 1).
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- Congress is bicameral.

1. Upper House – Senate

2. Lower House – House of Representatives

ARTICLE VI (1987 CONSTITUTION)

THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Section 1 (Art. VI, 1987 Phil. Const.)

The Legislative power shall be vested in the Congress of the Philippines which shall
consist of a Senate and a House of Representatives.

Section 2 Seat of Legislative Power

Section 3 Inhibitions Against Members of Congress.

Section 4 Electoral Tribunal

Section 5 Commission on Appointments

Section 6 Legislative Investigation

Section 7 Appearance of Heads of Department

Section 8 Initiative and Referendum

Section 9 Power to Propose Const. Amendments

Section 10 Validity of Constitutional Amendments

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2 KINDS OF MEMBERS OF HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

1. District Representative – elected directly and personally from the territorial unit
he is seeking to represent.
2. Party-list Representative – chosen indirectly, through the party he represents,
which is the one voted for by the electorate. This is to give an opportunity to
weak sectors to have their voices heard.

Section 6

No person shall be a Member of the House of Representatives unless he is a

natural-born citizen of the Philippines and, on the day of the election, is at least twenty-
five years of age, able to read and write, and, except the party-list representatives, a
registered voter in the district in which he shall be elected, and a resident thereof for a
period of not less than one year immediately preceding the day of the election.

Section 7
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The Members of the House of Representatives shall be elected for a term of

three years.

No member of the House of Representatives shall serve for more than three
consecutive terms.

Section 11

A Senator or Member of the House of Representatives shall, in all offenses

punishable by not more than six years imprisonment, be privileged from arrest while
the Congress is in session. No Member shall be questioned nor be held liable in any
other place for any speech or debate in the Congress or in any committee thereof.

SALARIES (REFER TO THE ADJUSTED SALARY STANDARDIZATION LAW/SSL)

Senators

 43,000 basic monthly salary (516,000 per annum)

 1.3M for salaries of staff (15.6M per annum)
 200M Pork Barrel Funds
 Travel and other allowances (216.116M Pesos)

FREEDOM FROM ARREST

Offenses punishable by not more than six years imprisonment while Congress is in
session.

FREEDOM FROM SPEECH AND DEBATE

Remarks must be made in connection with the discharge of official duties while
Congress is in session.

REASON FOR THE CONGRESSIONAL PRIVILEGES

To enable members of Congress to discharge their functions adequately and without

fear. It is true that the privileges may be abused. However, the harm which would come from
its abuse is considered slight compared to that which might arise if the privileges were not
given.

Section 12

All Members of the Senate and the House of Representatives shall, upon
assumption of office, make a full disclosure of their financial and business interests.
They shall notify the House concerned of a potential conflict of interest that may arise
from the filling of a proposed legislation of which they are authors.

Section 13
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No Senator or Member of the House of Representatives may hold any other office or
employment in the Government during his term without forfeiting his seat. Neither shall he be
appointed to any office which may have been created or the emoluments thereof increased
during the term for which he was elected.

INCOMPATIBLE OFFICE

Office which may not be held by a member of a Congress outside the legislative
department. There is a need for members to devote their time and attention to discharge of
their legislative responsibilities.

FORBIDDEN OFFICE

Office which a member of a Congress may not be a beneficiary by reason of being a

participant when said office was created. Hence, a member of Congress shall not be eligible for
appointment to such office even if he resigns.

Section 15 The Congress shall convene once every year on the fourth Monday of July for its
regular session,… and shall continue to be in session for such number of days as it may
determine until thirty days before the opening of its next regular session, exclusive of Saturdays,
Sundays and legal holidays. The President may call a special session at any time.

Section 16

(1) The Senate shall elect its President and the House of Representatives its
Speaker, by a majority vote of all its respective Members.
(2) A majority of each House shall constitute a quorum to do business.
(3) Each House may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its
Members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two-thirds of all
its members, suspend or expel a Member. A penalty of suspension, when
imposed, shall not exceed sixty days.
(4) Each House shall keep a Journal of its proceedings, and from time to time
publish the same, excepting such parts as may, in its judgment, affect
national security; and the yeas and nays on any question shall, at the request
of one-fifth of the members present, be entered in the Journal.
(5) Neither House during the sessions of the Congress shall, without the consent
of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other place than
that in which the two Houses shall be sitting.

QUORUM

A number of memberships which is competent to transact its business; is at least one-

half plus one of the members of a body.
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LEGISLATIVE JOURNAL

The official record of what is done and passed in a legislative assembly and the
proceedings occurred from day to day.

Section 17

The Senate and the House of Representatives shall each have an Section 16

which shall be the sole judge of all contests relating to the election, returns, and qualifications of
their respective Members…

Section 18

There shall be a Commission on Appointments… shall act on all appointments submitted

to it…

Section 21

 The Senate or the House of Representatives or any of its respective committees

may conduct inquires in aid of legislation in accordance with its duly published
rules of procedure. The rights of persons appearing in or affected by such
inquiries shall be respected.

Section 26

No bill passed by either House shall become a law unless it has passed three readings
on separated days, and printed copies thereof in its final form have been distributed to its
Members three days before its passage…Upon the last reading of a bill, no amendment thereto
shall be allowed, and the vote thereon shall be taken immediately thereafter, and the yeas and
nays entered in the Journal.

STEPS IN THE PASSAGE OF A BILL

First Reading

 Reading of the number, title of the measure and name of the author.

Second Reading

 The bill is read in its entirety, scrutinized, debated upon and amended when desired.

Third Reading

 Members merely register their votes and explain them. No further amendment thereto
shall be allowed.

Section 27
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(1) Every bill passed by the Congress shall, before it becomes a law, be presented to
the President. If he approves the same, he shall sign it; otherwise, he shall veto it
and return the same with his objections to the House where it originated, which shall
enter the objections at large in its Journal and proceed to reconsider it. If, after such
reconsideration, two-thirds of all the Members of such House shall agree to pass the
bill, it shall be sent, together with the objections, to the other House by which it shall
likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two-thirds of all the Members of that
House, it shall become a law. In all such cases, the votes of each House shall be
determined by yeas or nays, and the names of the Members voting for or against
shall be entered in its Journal. The President shall communicate his veto of any bill
to the House where it originated within thirty days after the date of receipt thereof;
otherwise, it shall become a law as if he had signed it.
(2) The President shall have the power to veto any particular item or items in an
appropriation, revenue, or tariff bill, but the veto shall not affect the item or items to
which he does not object.

3 WAYS WHEN A BILL BECOME A LAW

1. When the President approves the bill by signing it.

2. When the President vetoes the bill and the same is overridden by 2/3 votes of all the
members of both Houses.
3. When the President does not communicate his veto within 30 days after the date of
receipt.

THE PHILIPPINE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 18T CONGRESS

Congress of the Philippines (Filipino: Kongreso ng Pilipinas) is the national legislature of
the Philippines. It is a bicameral body consisting of the Senate (upper chamber), and the House
of Representatives (lower chamber),[1] although colloquially, the term "Congress" commonly
refers to just the latter.
The Senate is composed of 24 senators[2] half of which are elected every three years. Each
senator, therefore, serves a total of six years. The senators are elected by the whole electorate
and do not represent any geographical district.
In the ongoing 18th Congress, there are 304 seats in the House of Representatives. The
Constitution states that the House "shall be composed of not more than 250 members, unless
otherwise fixed by law," and that at least 20% of it shall be sectoral representatives. There are
two types of congressmen: the district and the sectoral representatives. At the time of the
ratification of the constitution, there were 200 districts, leaving 50 seats for sectoral
representatives.
The district congressmen represent a particular congressional district of the country.
All provinces in the country are composed of at least one congressional district.
Several cities also have their own congressional districts, with some having two or more
representatives.[1] From 200 districts in 1987, the number of districts have increased to 243.
Every new Congress has seen an increase in the number of districts.
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The party-list congressmen represent the minority sectors of the population. This enables these
minority groups to be represented in the Congress, when they would otherwise not be
represented properly through district representation. Also known as party-list representatives,
sectoral congressmen represent labor unions, rights groups, and other organizations.[1] With the
increase of districts also means that the seats for party-list representatives increase as well, as
the 1:4 ratio has to be respected.
The Constitution provides that Congress shall convene 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 legislative sessions to handle
emergencies or urgent matters.[1]

PARLIAMENTARY PRIVILEGES
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Congress has two parliamentary privileges while Congress is in session:

1. Privilege from arrest

 Immunity from offenses punishable by not more than six years imprisonment.
2. Privilege of speech and debate
 Immunity from libel and slander

TRANSPARENCY

Elected Congressmen must:

1. Fully disclose their financial and business interests.

2. Disclose potential conflicts of interests that arise in the course of legislation.
3. Keep from any other office or employment (appointed or otherwise), forfeit his/her seat
to do so.

POWERS OF CONGRESS

1. Appointment of Public Officials

2. Legislative inquiry and investigation
3. Declare the existence of a state of war
4. Ratify the country’s international treaties (Senate)
5. Authorize limited emergency powers for the President
6. Approve the government budget
7. Undertake projects under the CDF
8. Propose, review, and adopt bills for enactment into law
9. Overturn a Presidential veto with respect to proposed legislation
10. Allow for referenda
11. Propose amendments to the constitution and call for a constitutional convention
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THE FOLLOWING OFFICES ARE UNDER THE SECRETARY GENERAL:

THE INTER-PARLIAMENTARY RELATIONS AND SPECIAL AFFAIRS BUREAU

 Inter-Parliamentary Relations and Travel Service

 Protocol and Special Affairs Service
 Executive Lounges

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS BUREAU

 Information and Communication Technology Service

 Planning and Management Information Service

PUBLIC RELATIONS AND INFORMATION BUREAU

 Publishing and Design Service

 Media Affairs and Public Information Service
 Public Affairs Service

LEGISLATIVE LIMITATIONS

Congress may not:

1. Increase appropriations recommended by the executive branch

2. Pass tax exemptions without the concurrence of a majority of its members
3. Grant titles of nobility
4. Pass ex post facto bills
5. Pass bills of attainder

Identification.
____1. To whom is legislative power vested??
____2. How many houses are there in the legislative department?
____3. What particular article in the 1987 Constitution can you find the provisions for legislative
department?
____4. The age qualification for senatorial candidate.
____5. The age qualification for a congressional candidate.
____6. How many senators do we have in all?
____7. Give the term of office of a senator
____8. Give the term of office of a congressman
____9. In which reading, shall the president make his veto or approval of a bill to become a
law?
____10. A sufficient number of members which is competent to transact business or meeting.

Activity 1: Essay.

1. Give a gist or summary of your understanding about the Legislative Department

2. Compare and contrast the roles and responsibilities of senators and
congressmen.
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Activity 2: Time-line Making.

Make a time line using a short bond paper regarding the term or office or tenure
of members of the Congress. You can make your own design and combine colors of
your time-line. Legend and data may also be used on this project.

Activity 3: Symbolism/Insignia
From what you have learned today, you are task to draw, print or cut-out pictures
symbolizing the legislative department. Indicate your discussion or explanation of the chosen
symbol or picture.

Reflection

Write your reflection of your learnings today on a yellow paper.

Rubric for scoring

Content………….50%
Originality……….30%
Impact……… ….20%
Total 100%

References for learners.

Google
Inquirer.net
Linked in.
SlideShare.

Prepared by:

CORWEILLA Y. SERRANO, LPT, MPA, LlB.

Name of writer/MT I
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STO. NIÑO SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

SCHOOL ID: 344881
STO. NIÑO ST. BRGY. 6 TACLOBAN CITY, 6500
snshs2018@gmail.com
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