Congress of the Philippines facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Congress of the Philippines Kongreso ng Pilipinas  (Filipino)
19th Congress of the Philippines
Seals of the Senate (left) and of the House of Representatives (right)
Type
Type	Bicameral
Houses	Senate House of Representatives
History
Founded	June 9, 1945; 80 years ago (1945-06-09)
Preceded by	National Assembly of the Philippines
New session started	July 25, 2022 (2022-07-25)
Leadership
President of the Senate	Migz Zubiri, Independent Since July 25, 2022
Speaker of the House of Representatives	Martin Romualdez, Lakas Since July 25, 2022
Structure
Seats	340 (see list) 24 senators 316 representatives
Senate political groups	NPC (5)      PDP (5)      Nacionalista (4)      Akbayan (1)      Lakas (1)      LDP (1)      PMP (1)      UNA (1)      Independent (5)
House of Representatives political groups	Lakas (92)      Party-list Coalition (58)      NUP (38)      NPC (38)      Nacionalista (36)      PFP (11)      Liberal (10)      Local parties (8)      PDP (5)      Makabayan (3)      PRP (2)      Aksyon (1)      CDP (1)      LDP (1)      Reporma (1)      UNA (1)      Independent (4)      Vacancies (4)
Joint committees	Joint committees are chaired by senators
Authority	Article VI of the Constitution of the Philippines
Elections
Senate voting system	Multiple non-transferable vote
House of Representatives voting system	Parallel voting (Party-list proportional representation and first-past-the-post)
Senate last election	May 9, 2022
House of Representatives last election	May 9, 2022
Senate next election	May 12, 2025
House of Representatives next election	May 12, 2025
Meeting place
The Senate meets at the GSIS Building, Financial Center, Jose W. Diokno Boulevard, Pasay
The House of Representatives meets at the Batasang Pambansa Complex, Quezon City, which also hosts joint sessions

The Congress of the Philippines (called Kongreso ng Pilipinas in Filipino) is the main law-making body of the government of the Philippines. It has two parts, like a two-story building. This is called a bicameral system.

The two parts are:

• The Senate (the upper house)
• The House of Representatives (the lower house)

The House of Representatives often gets called "Congress" in everyday talk. The House meets in Quezon City at the Batasang Pambansa Complex. The Senate meets in Pasay at the GSIS Building.

The Senate has 24 senators. Half of them are chosen every three years. This means each senator serves for six years. Senators are elected by the whole country, not just one area.

The House of Representatives currently has 316 members in the 19th Congress. The Constitution says there should be no more than 250 members, unless a new law changes this. At least 20% of these members should represent specific groups. There are two kinds of representatives:

• District representatives: These members represent a specific area or "district" in the country. Every province has at least one district. Some cities also have their own districts. The number of districts has grown over time.
• Party-list representatives: These members represent minority groups or specific sectors of the population. This helps groups like labor unions or rights groups have a voice in Congress. As the number of districts grows, so does the number of party-list seats.

Congress holds its regular meetings every year. These meetings start on the fourth Monday of July. A regular meeting can last almost a year. The President can also call special meetings. These special meetings are for urgent matters or emergencies.

History of the Philippine Congress

Early Beginnings in Spanish Times

During the time Spain ruled the Philippines, local councils called Cabildos were set up. Manila had one of these councils in 1571.

For a long time, the Philippines had no say in the Spanish government. This changed in 1809 when the Philippines became a full part of Spain. Then, the Philippines could send representatives to the Spanish Parliament, called the Cortes. The first delegates for the Philippines were chosen in a hurry.

In 1810, Governor General Manuel González de Aguilar was told to hold an election. Only the Manila City Council could choose a representative. They picked Ventura de los Reyes to go to the Cortes. He arrived in Spain in late 1811.

However, after Napoleon's defeat, the Spanish government changed. The new government removed the Philippines' representation in the Cortes in 1816. This made many educated Filipinos, called Ilustrados, very unhappy. They wanted their voice back in the government.

The Revolutionary Era and First Republic

The Ilustrados' fight for representation grew into the Philippine Revolution. This revolution aimed to end Spanish rule. On June 12, 1898, the Philippines declared its independence. Then, President Emilio Aguinaldo called for a revolutionary congress in Malolos. This Malolos Congress created the Malolos Constitution.

But then, Spain gave the Philippines to the United States in the Treaty of Paris. Filipino revolutionaries fought against the Americans in the Philippine–American War. They lost when Aguinaldo was captured in 1901.

American Rule and New Legislatures

When the United States took over, the first law-making body was the Philippine Commission (1900-1907). The US President chose its members. Filipinos also had two "Resident Commissioners" in the US House of Representatives. They could speak but not vote.

In 1902, the Philippine Bill of 1902 created a two-part legislature. It had the Philippine Commission as the upper house and the Philippine Assembly as the lower house. This new system started in 1907.

Later, in 1916, the Jones Law changed things again. The Philippine Commission was removed. A new two-part Philippine Legislature was set up. It had a House of Representatives and a Senate.

Commonwealth and Second Republic

The law-making system changed once more in 1935. The 1935 Constitution created the Commonwealth of the Philippines. This gave Filipinos more control over their government. It also set up a single-chamber National Assembly.

But in 1940, the Constitution was changed. It brought back a two-part Congress of the Philippines. This Congress had a House of Representatives and a Senate. Members elected in 1941 could not serve right away because World War II started.

During the war, Japan took over the Philippines. They set up their own Second Philippine Republic and a National Assembly. After Japan lost in 1945, the Commonwealth and its Congress were brought back. This system continued until the US granted the Philippines independence in 1946.

Independence and Modern Congress

When the Republic of the Philippines became independent on July 4, 1946, the existing Congress became the First Congress of the Republic. New Congresses were elected regularly.

However, President Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law in 1972. He then ruled by himself, making laws by decree. In 1973, a new Constitution was approved. It removed the two-part Congress. Instead, it created a single-chamber National Assembly, later known as the Batasang Pambansa. This body first met in 1978.

After the 1986 People Power Revolution, Marcos was overthrown. President Corazon Aquino then ruled by decree for a short time. A new Constitution was written and approved in 1987. This Constitution brought back the two-part Congress of the Philippines. The restored Congress first met in 1987.

Where Congress Meets

The two parts of Congress meet in different places in Metro Manila. This is where the government is located.

• The Senate meets at the GSIS Building in Pasay.
• The House of Representatives meets at the Batasang Pambansa Complex in Quezon City.

These two places are about 25 kilometers (15 miles) apart.

Barasoain Church in Malolos, a historical meeting place for the First Philippine Republic's congress.

The Ayuntamiento de Manila, where the Philippine Legislature met from 1907 to 1926.

The Old Legislative Building, which served as the Congress Building from 1926 to 1973 and 1950 to 1997.

Historically, Congress has met in several places:

• The Barasoain Church in Malolos, Bulacan, was where the first single-chamber congress of the First Philippine Republic met.
• After the Americans took over, the Philippine Legislature met at the Ayuntamiento in Intramuros, Manila. This was from 1907 to 1926.
• In 1926, they moved to the Legislative Building. The Senate used the upper floors, and the House used the lower floors.
• This building was destroyed in the Battle of Manila of 1945. So, the Commonwealth Congress met at an old Japanese Schoolhouse in Sampaloc. The Senate later moved to the Manila City Hall.
• In 1950, both houses returned to the rebuilt Legislative Building, now called the Congress Building.
• When President Marcos declared martial law in 1973, Congress was closed. Marcos built a new place for a single parliament in Quezon City. This became the Batasang Pambansa Complex. The Batasang Pambansa first met there in 1978.
• After Marcos was removed, the two-part Congress came back. The House of Representatives kept using the Batasang Pambansa Complex. The Senate went back to the Congress Building.
• In 1997, the Senate moved to a new building in Pasay. This building was owned by the GSIS. The old Congress Building became the National Museum of Fine Arts. The Senate plans to move to a new building they will own in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig, in the future.

What Congress Does (Powers)

Congress has many important jobs. Here are some of its powers:

Making Laws (General Legislative Power)

• Congress creates laws that guide how people interact with each other (like civil laws).
• It also makes laws about how people interact with the government (like criminal laws).

Hidden Powers (Implied Powers)

• These are powers that Congress needs to do its main jobs effectively.

Basic Powers (Inherent Powers)

• These powers are not written down but are needed for Congress to exist.
• Examples include:
  • Setting its own rules for meetings.
  • Making sure enough members are present to do business.
  • Keeping records of its meetings.

Specific Law-Making Powers

• The Constitution tells Congress to do these specific things:
  • Decide how government money is spent (Power to appropriate).
  • Help change the Constitution (Constituent assembly).
  • Remove officials from office (Power to impeach). The House starts the process, and the Senate holds the trial.
  • Approve treaties with other countries (only the Senate does this).
  • Declare if the country is at war (both houses meet together for this).
  • Agree to amnesty (forgiveness for crimes).
  • Count votes for President and Vice-President (they form a special committee).
  • Set taxes.

Executive Powers

• Congress also has some powers that are usually for the President:
  • Appointing its own leaders.
  • Approving treaties.
  • Confirming people the President appoints to important jobs through the Commission on Appointments.
  • Removing officials from office.

Watching Over Others (Supervisory Powers)

• Congress checks on how the government's departments and agencies work.
• Examples include:
  • Deciding if a new government department should be created.
  • Defining what government officers can do.
  • Approving money for government operations.
  • Setting rules for how government agencies should work.

Election Powers

• Congress has powers related to elections:
  • Electing its own leaders.
  • Counting votes for President and Vice-President.
  • Choosing the President if there's a tie in the election.

Court-like Powers (Judicial Powers)

• Each house of Congress has some powers like a court:
  • Punishing its own members for bad behavior. They can even suspend or remove a member with a two-thirds vote.
  • Agreeing to amnesty declared by the President.
  • Handling impeachment cases.
  • Deciding on election protests for its own members through special tribunals.

Other Powers

• The Constitution gives Congress other powers, such as:
  • Allowing the Commission on Audit to check government money.
  • Letting the President set taxes on imported goods during emergencies.
  • Letting the President make rules during emergencies.
  • Redrawing legislative districts based on population.
  • Making laws about self-governance for certain regions.
  • Setting up a national language commission.
  • Making public secondary education free.
  • Allowing small-scale use of natural resources.
  • Defining forest lands and national parks.
  • Deciding who owns ancestral lands.
  • Creating independent economic and planning agencies.

How Laws Are Made (Lawmaking Process)

Making a law in the Philippines is a long process. Here are the main steps:

• Step 1: Preparing the Bill
  • A member of Congress or a special team writes the idea for a new law, called a "bill."

• Step 2: First Reading
  • The bill is given a number and copied.
  • A few days later, its title and number are read out loud in Congress.
  • The Speaker (for the House) or Senate President (for the Senate) sends the bill to the right committee.

• Step 3: Committee Review
  • The committee looks at the bill. They decide if they need to hold public hearings.
  • If they do, they invite people from the public, experts, and groups to share their thoughts.
  • If no hearing is needed, they just discuss the bill among themselves.
  • Based on discussions or hearings, the committee might change the bill. They might combine it with other bills or write a new one.
  • The committee then approves a report about the bill and sends it to the main meeting area.

• Step 4: Second Reading
  • The committee's report is recorded and sent to the Committee on Rules.
  • The Committee on Rules decides when the bill will be discussed by all members.
  • During the Second Reading, the bill's number, title, and full text are read.
  • Then, members can talk about the bill and suggest changes.
  • Finally, they vote on the bill. This can be by voice, by counting members, or by calling out names.

• Step 5: Third Reading
  • Any changes made are put into the bill, and new copies are printed.
  • These copies are given to all members three days before the Third Reading.
  • On the Third Reading, only the bill's number and title are read.
  • Members vote by roll call. They can explain their vote for up to three minutes. No more changes can be made at this stage.
  • If most members present vote "yes," the bill is approved. If not, it's put away.

• Step 6: Sending to the Other House
  • If the House of Representatives approves a bill, it's sent to the Senate for their approval.
  • The bill goes through the same steps in the Senate.

• Step 7: Conference Committee (if needed)
  • If the House and Senate pass different versions of the same bill, a special committee is formed.
  • This "Conference Committee" has members from both houses. They work to fix any differences.
  • They can even add new parts to the bill if they relate to the main topic.
  • The committee writes a report, and all members sign it.
  • Both the House and Senate must approve this report without any changes.

• Step 8: Sending to the President
  • Once both houses approve the bill, it's signed by the Senate President and the Speaker of the House.
  • It's then sent to the President.

• Step 9: President's Decision
  • If the President approves the bill, it becomes a law. It gets a special "Republic Act" (RA) number.
  • Copies are sent out to be published and given to government agencies.

• Step 10: What if the President Says No? (Veto)
  • If the President doesn't approve the bill, they send it back with reasons why. This is called a "veto."
  • Congress can try to "override" the veto. If two-thirds of the members in each house vote "yes" again, the bill becomes a law even without the President's approval.

Who is in Congress (Composition)

Composition of the Philippine Senate.

Composition of the Philippine House of Representatives.

The diagrams show how Congress is divided into groups. The colors show the political party of the group's leader. These groups are formed based on how members vote for the Speaker or Senate President.

In both the Senate and House, the "majority bloc" usually supports the current President. The "minority blocs" are those who are against the President. In the House, there's also an independent minority group.

Members get to be part of committees based on the size of their group. In the Philippines, political parties can be flexible. It's common for members of the same party to end up in different groups.

Leaders of Congress

Each part of Congress has its own leader:

• The Senate is led by the Senate President.
• The House of Representatives is led by the Speaker.

The Senate also has a Senate President pro tempore, who acts as leader when the Senate President is away. The House has deputy speakers. Both houses also have floor leaders who manage discussions.

How Many Votes Are Needed (Voting Requirements)

Different decisions in Congress need different numbers of votes:

For most things, like approving bills, only a majority of members present and voting is needed. But for some important decisions, like electing leaders, a majority of all members (even if some seats are empty) is required.

Meetings of Congress (Sessions)

A new session of Congress begins after every election for the House of Representatives.

List of Congresses Over Time

Here's a quick look at how Congress has changed throughout history:

In operation	Authority	Government	Legislature	Type	Upper house	Lower house
1898–99	Malolos Constitution	First Philippine Republic	Malolos Congress	Unicameral (one house)	Malolos Congress
1907–1916	Philippine Organic Act	Insular Government of the Philippine Islands (US rule)	Philippine Legislature	Bicameral (two houses)	Philippine Commission	Philippine Assembly
1916–1935	Philippine Autonomy Act	Insular Government of the Philippine Islands (US rule)	Philippine Legislature	Bicameral (two houses)	Senate	House of Representatives
1935–1941	1935 Constitution	Commonwealth of the Philippines	National Assembly	Unicameral (one house)	National Assembly
1945–46	Amendments to the 1935 Constitution	Commonwealth of the Philippines	Congress (Commonwealth)	Bicameral (two houses)	Senate	House of Representatives
1946–1973	Amendments to the 1935 Constitution	Third Republic of the Philippines	Congress	Bicameral (two houses)
1978–1986	Amendments to the 1973 Constitution	Fourth Republic of the Philippines	Batasang Pambansa	Unicameral (one house)	Batasang Pambansa
1987–present	1987 Constitution	Fifth Republic of the Philippines	Congress	Bicameral (two houses)	Senate	House of Representatives

Latest Elections (2022)

Senate Elections

Results of the 2022 Philippine Senate election.

In the Philippines, the Senate election results are often shown by listing candidates from most votes to least votes. The twelve candidates with the highest number of votes are elected.

House of Representatives Elections

In the House of Representatives elections, voters have two votes:

• One vote for a representative in their local area (congressional district). The person with the most votes wins.
• One vote for a party in the "party-list" system. These parties represent specific groups or sectors. Party-list representatives should make up no more than 20% of the House.

To win seats in the party-list election, a party usually needs to get at least 2% of the national vote. The party with the most votes can win up to three seats. Other parties that pass the 2% mark usually get two seats. If not enough seats are filled this way, parties with less than 2% of the vote can get one seat each until the 20% requirement is met.

Images for kids

• 

  The GSIS Building in Pasay, current home of the Senate.

• 

  The Batasang Pambansa Complex in Quezon City, current home of the House of Representatives.

See also

• Politics of the Philippines
• Senate of the Philippines
• House of Representatives of the Philippines
• Legislative districts of the Philippines