Region V, Schools Divison of Sorsogon

SMILE GUBAT NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Gubat, Sorsogon
(Simplified Module Intended for Learning Encounters)

Learner’s Packet (LP#9) (1 Week)

Name_________________________________ Date___________________
Year/Section__________________________ Subject Teacher___________________
PHILIPPINE POLITICS AND GOVERNANCE - GRADE 12
Legislation and the Rule of Law - (The Legislative Branch)

I. Introductory Concept
It is often said that it is a must to follow the law, and that no one is above it. In fact, those who fail
to abide by the rule of law are imprisoned or punished. Several instances of violations of the law,
particularly crime, are often reported in the news. With this, one might ask: what are laws and why
is it important to follow them? Laws are important aspect of governance. They help regulate the
rights enjoyed by any member of the state, be it a government official or a citizen. Laws also
address the excesses committed in enjoying these rights. To further understand the significance of
laws, it is important to be able to understand the nature of laws and lawmaking. It is also
important to know more about the individuals behind the creation and implementation of laws, and
the process through which laws are made.

II. Learning Skills from MELCs

1) Answer the importance of laws and legislation in politics and governance and how they are
made.
2) Differentiate the roles and responsibilities of the Philippine Senate and the House of
Representatives.

III. Activities
A. Let Us Study - Study the information below and perform the tasks that follow.

Lawmaking and the Rule of Law

Laws are set of rules or pieces of legislation that are formulated by the government and are meant
to be followed by all citizens of a state. A law is also referred to as a statutory law or legislation,
and is made by a legislative body, such as congress or parliament. Legislation also refers to the act
of making laws, and is one of the powers of government.

The importance of laws and legislation for a state is underscored by the rule of law. The rule of law
is a principle centered on the belief that a state should be governed by laws and not by the
arbitrary decisions of leaders or government officials. Laws regulate the actions of government
agencies and set limits on freedoms of citizens to prevent the abuse and misuse of their powers and
rights.

In the Philippines, the crafting of laws is primarily the responsibility of the Philippine Congress,
which is the legislative branch of the government. Once laws are approved and promulgated, it is
the task of the executive branch to enforce them.

Citizens can also participate in legislation through and initiative and a referendum. An initiative
allows the people to directly propose laws and even amendments to the Constitution. A
referendum, meanwhile, is a means by which the people are able to vote to either approve or reject
a piece of legislation.

Important Vocabularies
Constitution – is the supreme law of the land, and it is the basis and foundation of all laws in the
country
Republic Acts – are laws crafted and passed by Congress and approved by the President.
Administrative law – refers to legislation specifically concerned with the activities and actions of
government agencies and departments
Civil Service law – pertains to public service, particularly the employment, selection, and
promotions
of public workers.

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Learner’s Packet (LP#9) (1 Week)

Civil Law – outlines the rights and duties of individuals, particularly concerning contracts and
other
agreements.
Criminal law – addresses crimes, and outlines criminal behaviors and their appropriate sanctions.
Labor law – addresses the relationship between employers and workers and outlines their rights,
responsibilities, and privileges.
Commercial law – focuses on trade concerns, particularly the production, distribution, exchange,
and pricing of goods and services.
Taxation law – identifies, determines, and regulates the type of taxes to be levied from a particular
business transaction, trade, or activity.
Ordinances – local laws created by local government units (LGUs)

The Philippine Congress

The Philippine Congress is the legislative branch of the government which has the power to create
laws. It is a bicameral body composed of two houses: the Upper House or Senate, and the Lower
House or House of Representatives. Both houses have specific responsibilities and their members
are chosen based on distinct criteria.

The Senate is composed of 24 senators who are elected nationally. Each senator serves a six-year
term of office, for a maximum of two consecutive terms. The senators
elect among themselves the officers who will head the various offices
of the body. The highest official of the Senate is the Senate
President who leads the Senate sessions and ensures order in all
proceedings. Senators also elect a Senate President Pro Tempore,
who performs the functions of the Senate President in case of the
latter’s prolonged absence, incapacity, or removal from office. The
members of the majority bloc, elect the Majority Floor Leader while
the members of the minority political bloc elect the Minority Floor
Leader. These two officials work together in endorsing, analyzing, and evaluating proposed pieces
of legislation in the Senate.

The Lower House of Congress or the House of Representatives is composed of representatives who
are colloquially referred to as “congressmen” and
“congresswomen.” The members of the House of
Representatives are given three-year terms, and may serve not
more than three consecutive terms in office. The Constitution
states that the House of Representatives must be composed of
250 members. Each member is classified either as a district
representative or party-list representative. They comprise
the majority of the House of Representatives. These
representatives are elected by constituents residing in their
respective congressional districts.

The party-list representatives, meanwhile, make up about 20% of the members of the House of
Representatives. They do not represent a certain geopolitical area of the country; instead, they
come from organizations corresponding to the various sectors of society, such as the youth, women,
the labor sector, and indigenous communities, among others.

Like in the Senate, the members of the House of Representatives also elect their own set of officials,
the highest of which is the Speaker of the House. The Speaker is the presiding officer during
sessions and is the key decision-maker in the House. Should the Speaker be absent, incapacitated,
or removed from office, he or she shall be replace by one of the Deputy Speakers. They are second-
in-power after the Speaker. The next leadership positions in the House of Representatives are the
Majority and Minority Leaders. The Majority Leader serves as the spokesperson of the majority
party in the House and leads the discussions on the bills being passed. On the other hand, the
Minority Leader acts as the spokesperson of the minority party in the House. The final two officials
in the House of Representatives are the Secretary-General and the Sergeant-at-Arms. the
Secretary-General secures and manages the House records and property, as well as contracts, and

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Learner’s Packet (LP#9) (1 Week)

agreements related to the activities of the House. Meanwhile, the Sergeant-at-Arms is tasked to
maintain order and safety inside the premises of the House of Representatives.

The regular session of Congress starts on the fourth Monday of July and ends before the fourth
Monday of the succeeding year. Special or emergency sessions may also be held as per the order of
the President. It is in these sessions that the bult of the legislative process takes place.

Both the Senate and the House of Representatives organize legislative committees to review existing
laws and state policies, and investigate the conditions of the country in order to propose
appropriate legislation or amendments to existing laws.

The Legislative Process

A law is created through the legislative process. The process starts with the initiation of a bill or
proposed legislation. The bill contains an outline of the provisions of the proposed law, as well as
an explanatory note providing the background or need for such a law. This process is outlined
below:
1) Authorship and Labeling of the Bill – The House of Representatives and the Senate author bills to
address issues on both the national and local levels. These bills are then submitted for
consideration in their respective houses. If the bill is filed in the Senate, it is labeled as Senate Bill.
If it is in the House of Representatives, it is called House Bill. It is also assigned a specific number.
2) First Reading – The author and the title of the bill are read, and the document is referred to the
appropriate legislative committee, depending on the agenda of the bill.
3) Committee Consideration/Action – The appropriate legislative committee evaluates the bill and
may conduct public hearings. In these public hearing, experts on the agenda of the bill are invited
to provide insights and information to improve it. Then, it will be referred to the Committee on
Rules, which shall include the bill in its Calendar of Business.
4) Second Reading – This is the stage where the Calendar of Business takes effect. The Calendar of
Business includes sponsorship, or the generation of support from the other House members; a
period of debate, where the soundness of a bill is orally deliberated among the legislators; a
period of amendments, where a bill undergoes revisions; and nominal voting, where the House
members decide whether the bill should proceed to the next stages of the legislative process. If the
bill is considered favorably, it will be scheduled for a Third Reading. If not, it will instead be
archived and may be considered for future legislations.
5) Third Reading – The revised bill is printed and distributed to the members of the House. Roll call
voting then takes place. If the bill is voted for favorably, it is transmitted to the other House for
consensus. In the event that the two Houses have a disagreement on the contents of the bill, a
Bicameral Conference Committee is organized to reconcile their differences and make
appropriate amendments to the bill. After this, the bill is submitted for the approval of both houses
of Congress. At this point, no amendments are allowed. After approval, it is now printed in its final
(engrossed) form, and submitted to the Office of the President for approval.
6) Presidential Action – If the President approves the bill, it becomes a law and is labeled as a
“Republic Act.” It takes into effect 15 days after approval, and is published in the Official Gazette or
at least two nationally circulating newspapers. Should the President disapprove the bill, he may
veto it and have it returned to the legislative House where it was originally authored, with an
explanation regarding the veto. Upon return to the specific legislative House, its members review
the President’s reasons for disapproving the bill. Both legislative Houses may then accept the veto
and amend the bill, or override it instead. Overriding a presidential veto is done by a vote of at least
2/3 of the members of each House.

Other Roles and Powers of the Philippine Congress

1. Congress initiates investigations into matters of public concern, in aid of legislation.
2. Approves the appropriation of the national budget.
3. Organizes itself as the National Board of Canvassers during the Presidential and Vice-
Presidential
elections.
4. In keeping with the system of check and balances instituted by the Constitution, Congress has a
Commission on Appointments to review and approve all executive appointments such as
Cabinet

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Learner’s Packet (LP#9) (1 Week)

officials and heads of government offices.
5. Congress is the sole branch that has the power to declare a state of war. The Senate, meanwhile,
is the sole body that approves all international treaties and agreements entered into by the
government.
6. Congress also initiates impeachment of public officers, and the Senate has the sole power to try
and decide all cases of impeachment.
B. Let Us Practice
Identify the following.
1. These are set of rules formulated by the government and followed by all citizens. ______
2. This is the legislative branch of the Philippine government tasked with the crafting of laws.
______
3. This is the supreme law of the state and the basis of all laws in the country. ________
4. These are the representatives who come from organizations that represent various sectors of
society. ______
5. This is a commission organized by Congress to evaluate and approve Presidential appointees.
_____

(This will be your output to be compiled and to be submitted as portfolio at the end of the semester.)

C. Evaluation
How do the branches of government work together in the creation of laws?

(Submit this output by indicating the LAS# number for checking reference, to be submitted next week.)

IV. Rubric for Scoring (Open-Ended Question Response)

Main Idea of Opinion – (3) Response rephrases the question while declaring the writer’s main
idea or opinion. (2) Response declares writer’s main idea or opinion. (1) Writer’s main idea or
opinion is not clear.
Details and Evidence – (3) Writer shares at least 3 clear examples and evidence to support their
idea or opinion. (2) Writer shares 1 or 2 examples and evidence to support their idea or opinion.
(1) Writer shares little or no evidence and examples to support their answer.
Organization, Grammar, Usage, and Punctuation – (3) Writer’s response has a clear beginning,
middle, and end. Grammar, usage and punctuation makes the writing readable. (2) Writer’s
response flows, but the beginning, middle, or end is not clear. Grammar, usage and
punctuation slow readability. (1) Response needs stronger transitions. Grammar, usage and
punctuation make the text difficult to understand. (2019 Studies Weekly)

V. Reference
Philippine Politics and Governance, Arnel E. Joven, Ph.D., C & E Publishing, Inc., 2017.

VI. Authors
Prepared by: Rey D. Patriarca
Reviewed by: Rechil D. Fajardo - SGH/QA Team
Noted: Azalea L. Narvadez - ASP-II SHS ACADEMICS