THE LEGISLATIVE

DEPARTMENT
Section 1
The legislative power shall be vested in the
Congress of the Philippines which shall consist of
a Senate and a House of Representatives, except
to the extent reserved to the people by the
provision on initiative and referendum.
Q: What is Legislative
Power?

Answer: It is the authority to

make laws and alter or repeal
them.
2 kinds of Legislative power

1. Original Legislative Power – possessed

by the sovereign people.
2. Derivative Legislative Power – power that
has been delegated by the sovereign people
to legislative bodies and is subordinates to
the original power of the people.
Kinds of limits on legislative power
1. Substantive limits – curtails the content of the
law
Ex: No law shall be passed that impairs
freedom of speech
2. Procedural limits – curtails the manner of
passing laws.
Ex: bill must generally approved by the
President before it becomes a law.
Section 2
The Senate shall be composed of twenty-four
Senators who shall be elected at large by the
qualified voters of the Philippines, as may be
provided by law.
What is the composition of the
Senate?
Answer:
The senate is composed of 24
senators elected at large.
Section 3
No person shall be a Senator unless he is a
natural-born citizen of the Philippines and, on the
day of the election, is at least thirty-five years of
age, able to read and write, a registered voter, and
a resident of the Philippines for not less than two
years immediately preceding the day of the
election
What are the qualifications of a Senator?
1. Natural born citizen of the Philippines
2. At least 35 years of age on the day of the
election.
3. Able to read and write
4. Registered voter
5. Resident of the Philippines for not less than 2
years immediately preceding the day of election
Section 4
The term of office of the Senators shall be six
years and shall commence, unless otherwise
provided by law, at noon on the thirtieth day of
June next following their election. No Senator shall
serve for more than two consecutive terms.
Voluntary renunciation of the office for any length
of time shall not be considered as an interruption
in the continuity of his service for the full term of
which he was elected.
What is the term of office of a
Senator?

Answer: Six (6) years

May a Senator serve for more than 2

terms?

Answer: YES. Provided that the terms

are not consecutive.
Section 5
(1) The House of Representatives shall be composed of not more than two hundred and
fifty members, unless otherwise fixed by law, who shall be elected from legislative
districts apportioned among the provinces, cities, and the Metropolitan Manila area in
accordance with the number of their respective inhabitants, and on the basis of a uniform
and progressive ratio, and those who, as provided by law, shall be elected through a
party-list system of registered national, regional, and sectoral parties or organizations.

(2) The party-list representatives shall constitute twenty per centum of the total number of
representatives including those under the party list. For three consecutive terms after the
ratification of this Constitution, one-half of the seats allocated to party-list representatives
shall be filled, as provided by law, by selection or election from the labor, peasant, urban
poor, indigenous cultural communities, women, youth, and such other sectors as may be
provided by law, except the religious sector.

(3) Each legislative district shall comprise, as far as practicable, contiguous, compact,
and adjacent territory. Each city with a population of at least two hundred fifty thousand,
or each province, shall have at least one representative.

(4) Within three years following the return of every census, the Congress shall make a
reapportionment of legislative districts based on the standards provided in this section.
What is the total composition of the
House of Representatives?

Answer:
Not more than 250 members,
unless otherwise provided (fixed)
by law.
Classification of Members of the
House
1. District Representatives – those
representing congressional districts.
2. Party-list Representatives – elected
through party-list system
3. Sectoral Representatives – existed
only until 1998.
May religious leaders be elected or
selected as sectoral representatives?

Answer:
Yes. The prohibition is only against
representation of religious sectors
but not against religious leaders
becoming representatives
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.
What are the qualifications of a member
of the House of Representatives?

1. Natural born citizens of the Philippines

2. At least 25 years old
3. Able to read and write
4. Registered voter in the district in which he shall
be elected (except for party-list representatives)
5. Resident of the Philippines for a period of not
less than 1 year immediately preceding the day
of the election
What is term of the Member of HoR?

Answer:
Three (3) terms, unless
otherwise provided by law.