[POSC 14] Congress

Congress

The legislative power is vested in this.

Senate and House of Representatives

The Congress of the Philippines, consists of?

24 senators

The Senate is composed of how many senators?

Natural-born citizen, at least 35 years old on election day, able to read and write, a registered voter, and a resident of the Philippines for at least two years preceding the election.

What are the five constitutional qualifications to be a Senator?

6

Senators serve a term of how many years, commencing at noon on the thirtieth day of June following their election.

2

No Senator shall serve for more than how many consecutive terms.

250

The House of Representative should not have more than how many members, unless fixed by law, elected from legislative districts and through a party-list system.

Natural-born citizen, at least twenty-five years of age on election day, able to read and write, a registered voter in the district (except party-list), and a resident of the district for at least one year preceding the election.

What are the five constitutional qualifications to be a Member of the House of Representatives?

3

Members of the House of Representatives are elected for a term of how many years?

3

No Member of the House of Representatives shall serve for more than how many consecutive terms.

second Monday of May

The regular election date for Congress should be on this date, unless otherwise provided by law.

Holding Other Office

Legislative Prohibition: No Senator or Member of the House may hold any other government office or employment during their term without forfeiting their seat.

Financial Interest

Legislative Prohibition: Legislators are prohibited from being directly or indirectly interested financially in any contract, franchise, or special privilege granted by the Government.

The president

The executive power is vested to who?

Natural-born citizen, registered voter, able to read and write, at least forty years of age on election day, and a resident of the Philippines for at least ten years preceding the election.

What are the five constitutional qualifications to be President?

Vice-Presidential Qualifications and Manner of Election

Same as the President

Vice President

Who may be appointed as a Member of the Cabinet without requiring confirmation?

6

The President serves a single term of how many years and is not eligible for any re-election.

Presidential Succession Election Eligibility

No person who has succeeded as President and served as such for more than four years shall be qualified for election to the same office at any time.

2

No Vice-President shall serve for not more than how many successive terms.

A Chief Justice and 14 Associate Justices.

What is the composition of the Supreme Court?

90

Any vacancy in the Supreme Court shall be filled within how many days from the occurrence thereof.

Natural-born citizen, at least 40 years of age, and at least 15 years of experience as a judge of a lower court or in the practice of law in the Philippines.

What are the three constitutional qualifications for a Member of the Supreme Court?

Must be a citizen of the Philippines and a member of the Philippine Bar, with other qualifications prescribed by Congress.

What are the qualifications of a Lower Court Judge?

competence, integrity, probity, and independence.

A member of the Judiciary must be a person of proven?

The Chief Justice, as ex officio Chairman; the Secretary of Justice; a representative of Congress; a representative of the Integrated Bar; a professor of law; a retired Member of the Supreme Court; and a representative of the private sector.

What is the composition of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC)?

Recommending appointees to the Judiciary.

What is the principal function of the Judicial and Bar Council?

The President appoints members from a list of at least three nominees prepared by the JBC, requiring no confirmation.

What is the appointment process for the judiciary?

Chief Justice, Associate Justices, and judges

The salary of these people shall be fixed by law and shall not be decreased during their continuance in office.

Parties

These are typically products of major factional splinters or organized around personalities perceived as viable presidential candidates.

1987 Constitution

This is marginally weaker than the 1935 one due to limitations on emergency powers and the introduction of a single term limit.

Supreme Court En Banc Requirements

All cases involving the constitutionality of a treaty, international agreement, or law must be heard by the Supreme Court sitting en banc.

90

The President must issue appointments for lower courts within how many days from the submission of the JBC list.

Constitutional

The Philippine government is classified as a Unitary Presidential _____ Republic.

The Philippines is a Unitary system, whereas the United States is Federal.

Compare the Philippine government structure to the United States regarding the 'National-Local' relationship.

Malolos Congress

Name the legislative body established during the early Philippine revolutionary period.

Philippine Commission

Under the 1902 Philippine Organic Act, the legislature was composed of the Philippine Assembly and the _____.

Jones Act

Which 1916 law abolished the Philippine Commission to create the Senate and House of Representatives?

National Assembly

What was the name of the unicameral legislature under the original 1935 Constitution?

Batasang Pambansa

The legislative body under the 1973 Constitution was known as the _____.

It restored the bicameral system consisting of two houses.

How did the 1987 Constitution change the structure of the Philippine legislature?

National Constituency

What type of constituency does the Senate of the Philippines represent?

24

The Senate of the Philippines is composed of how many senators?

6 years

What is the term length for an elected Senator in the Philippines?

2 consecutive terms

What is the maximum number of consecutive terms a Senator may serve?

35

To run for Senate, a candidate must be at least _____ years old on the day of the election.

At least 2 years

What is the residence requirement for a Senate candidate in the Philippines?

Local Constituency

What type of constituency does the House of Representatives represent?

250 members

Unless fixed by law, what is the maximum number of members in the House of Representatives?

20%

What percentage of seats in the House of Representatives is reserved for the party-list system?

3 years

What is the term length for an elected member of the House of Representatives?

3 consecutive terms

What is the maximum number of consecutive terms a Representative may serve?

25

To run for the House of Representatives, a candidate must be at least _____ years old on the day of election.

At least 1 year

What is the residence requirement for a candidate running for the House of Representatives?

Inhabitants

Legislative districts are apportioned among provinces and cities based on the number of their _____.

The Congress of the Philippines

According to Article VI, Section 1, where is legislative power vested in the Philippines?

Initiative and referendum

What legislative power is reserved specifically to the people under Article VI, Section 1?

Congress

Which branch of government is responsible for canvassing the votes for President and Vice President?

Congress chooses who shall become President.

How does Congress resolve a tie in a Presidential election?

Power to confirm certain appointments

What specific power allows Congress to oversee high-level Executive appointments?

Congress

Who has the constitutional power to declare the existence of a state of war?

During times of war or other national emergencies.

Under what conditions can Congress authorize the President to exercise emergency powers?

House of Representatives

Which house of Congress has the exclusive power to originate appropriation and revenue bills?

Public debt

Bills authorizing an increase of the _____ must originate exclusively in the House of Representatives.

It may propose or concur with amendments.

What role does the Senate play in appropriation or revenue bills?

By overriding the Presidential veto.

How can Congress check the President's power when a bill is rejected by the Executive?

Impeachment

What is the primary congressional check against high-ranking officials for betrayal of public trust?

It can revoke the proclamation.

What action can Congress take regarding a President's proclamation of martial law?

Senate concurrence

What is required from the Senate for treaties entered into by the Executive Branch to be valid?

By defining, prescribing, and apportioning the jurisdiction of lower courts.

How does Congress check the Judicial Branch regarding lower court jurisdiction?

Congress

Who determines the salaries of the Supreme Court justices and the President?

The bill is indexed and referred to the appropriate committee.

What occurs during the 'First Reading' of a bill in the lawmaking process?

Second Reading

In which stage of the lawmaking process do sponsorships, debates, and amendments occur?

No amendments are allowed at this stage.

What is the restriction regarding amendments during the 'Third Reading' of a bill?

To reconcile different versions of a bill passed by both houses.

What is the purpose of the Joint Bicameral Committee in the lawmaking process?

70.4 percent

What percentage of district representatives were members of political clans between 1986 and 2016?

The transformation of electoral and public office into family assets.

Political Clan Dominance

PDAF scandal

Name the specific 'pork barrel' scandal mentioned as an example of corruption in the lecture notes.

Speech

Congress is prohibited from passing any law that abridges freedom of _____.

Ex post facto

Congress is forbidden from enacting an _____ law, which punishes actions that were legal when committed.

Congress shall not enact a law granting such titles.

What constitutional restriction exists regarding titles of royalty or nobility in the Philippines?