POWER OF

GOVERNMENT
Three Branches of Government
Power
1. EXECUTIVE BRANCH
2. LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
3. JUDICIAL BRANCH
 EXECUTIVE BRANCH
According to Defensor-Santiago 2002, the president of the Philippines is
the center of power, the head of both government and state.

The executive power vested upon the president and the executive branch
basically means “ the power to enforce and administer the laws”
Qualifications for a Candidate of
Presidency:
1. a natural born Filipino citizen;
2. a registered voter;
3. able to read and write;
4. at least forty (40) years of age on the day of election; and
5. a resident of Philippines for at least ten years immediately receding such
election.
 The same qualifications apply to the vice president.
 FUNCTIONS AND POWER OF
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
1. Enforcement of Laws:
The primary function of the executive is to enforce laws and to maintain law and order in the
state. Whenever a breach of law takes place, it is the responsibility of the executive to plug the
breach and bring the offenders to book. Each government department is responsible for the
implementation of the laws and policies concerning its work. For maintaining law and order in
the state, the executive organizes and maintains the police force.
2. Appointment-Making Functions:
All major appointments are made by the chief executive. For example, the President of Nigeria
appoints ministers who make up his cabinet to take responsibility for each of the government
ministries. The ministers appointed include Minister of Justice or Attorney General, Minister of
Foreign Affairs, Minister of Finance, Minister of Defence, Minister of Education and so on.
3. Treaty-Making Functions:
It is the responsibility of the executive to decide as to which treaties are to be signed
with which other countries. The executive negotiates the treaties in accordance with the
procedure defined by international law and also in accordance with the provisions of the
constitution of the state. Each treaty is signed by a member of the executive. Most of the
treaties also require ratification by the legislature of the State. It is again the
responsibility of the executive to secure legislative approval for the treaties signed by it.
4. Defence, War and Peace Functions:
One of the key functions of the state is to defend and preserve the unity and integrity of
the country and protect it in the event of an external aggression or war. It is the
responsibility of the executive to undertake this work. To organise military for the
defence of the state, to prepare for and fight the war, if it becomes necessary, and to
negotiate and sign peace settlement after every war, are the functions performed by the
executive.
5. Foreign Policy-Making and the Conduct of Foreign Relations:
The executive formulates the goals of national interest and fixes the
priorities. It first formulates the foreign policy of the nation and
then implements it for securing the defined goals of national
interest. The executive appoints the ambassadors of the state to
other states.
6. Policy-Making:
It is the executive which undertakes the task of policy-making and
developmental planning. These are the two most important
functions of the executive, because by these the state carries out
its objective of promoting the welfare of its people.
7. Functions Related to Law-Making:
Law-making is primarily the function of legislative. However, the executive also
plays a role in law-making. In this sphere too, the role of the executive has
been increasing by leaps and bounds. In a parliamentary system, the ministers
are also members of the legislature and they play a leading role in law-making.
8. Financial Functions:
It is the legislature which is the custodian of all finances. It has the power to
impose, or reduce or eliminate a tax. However, in actual practice, the executive
exercises a number of financial functions. It has the responsibility to prepare
the budget. It proposes the levy of new taxes or changes in tax structure and
administration. It collects and spends the money as sanctioned by the
legislature.
9. Some Semi-Judicial Functions:
The appointment of judges by the executive is regarded as the best method for ensuring the
independence of judiciary. In almost all democratic systems, the chief executive has the
power to appoint judges. Further, he has the right to grant pardon, reprieve and amnesty to
criminals. Under the system of administrative adjudication, the executive agencies have the
power to hear and decide cases involving particular fields of administrative activity.
10. Grant of Titles and Honours:
Another important function of the executive is to grant titles and honours to the people in
recognition of their meritorious services to the nation. Such persons who do commendable
work in their respective spheres of activity—Art, Science, Literature etc. are granted titles by
the executive. It also grants titles to such defense personnel who show exemplary courage
and devotion to duty during war or peace. Even ordinary citizens are granted honours in
recognition of their meritorious work for the society. All decisions in this respect are taken
by the executive. 
 LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
 According to the 1987 Constitution, legislative power shall be
vested in the Congress of the Philippines, which shall consist of a
Senate and a House of Representatives.
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; the House of Representatives shall be composed of
not more than 250 (unless otherwise fixed by law), 20 percent of
whom must be Party-list representatives.
The qualifications to become a senator, as
stipulated in the constitution, are:
1. a natural-born citizen of the Philippines;
2. at least thirty-five years old;
3. is able to read and write
4. a registered voter; and
5. a resident of the Philippines for not less than two years before
election day.
Meanwhile, the constitution provides for the following
criteria to become a member of the House of Representatives:
1. a natural-born citizen of the Philippines;
2. at least twenty-five years old;
3. is able to read and write; and
4. except the party-list representatives, a registered voter and a
resident for at least one year in the district where s/he shall be
elected.
Legislative process
Congress is responsible for making enabling laws to make sure the spirit of the constitution
is upheld in the country and, at times, amend or change the constitution itself. In order to
craft laws, the legislative body comes out with two main documents: bills and resolutions.
Resolutions convey principles and sentiments of the Senate or the House of
Representatives. These resolutions can further be divided into three different elements:
• joint resolutions — require the approval of both chambers of Congress and the signature
of the President, and have the force and effect of a law if approved.
• concurrent resolutions — used for matters affecting the operations of both chambers of
Congress and must be approved in the same form by both houses, but are not
transmitted to the President for his signature and therefore have no force and effect of a
law.
• simple resolutions — deal with matters entirely within the prerogative of one chamber
of Congress, are not referred to the President for his signature, and therefore have no
force and effect of a law.
Bills are laws in the making. They pass into law when they are
approved by both houses and the President of the Philippines. A
bill may be vetoed by the President, but the House of
Representatives may overturn a presidential veto by garnering a
2/3rds vote. If the President does not act on a proposed law
submitted by Congress, it will lapse into law after 30 days of
receipt.
 Arrange the JUMBLED LETTERS to
come up with the correct answer.
 The court that handles graft and corruption cases of government employees.
(NASANYDIABNGA)
 This person appoints the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. (TEENSIRPD)
 This court handles the appointment of judges to various lower courts.
(PERMESU TURCO)
 This Court reviews decisions and orders of the Regional Trial Court (TURCO OF
APPEALS)
 The establishment or determination of rights according to the rules of law,
which the judicial branch tries to provide the people. (SICEUJT)
 Functions of the Judicial Branch
The judicial branch interprets the meaning of laws, applies laws to
individual cases, and decides if laws violate the Constitution. The judicial
power shall be vested in one Supreme Court and in such lower courts as may
be established by law.
Judicial power includes the duty of the courts of justice to settle actual
controversies involving rights which are legally demandable and enforceable,
and to determine whether or not there has been a grave abuse of discretion
amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction on the part of any branch or
instrumentality of the Government. The judicial branch interprets the
meaning of laws, applies laws to individual cases, and decides if laws violate
the Constitution.