The Long Road: Bill To Law In Philippines

The process of how a bill becomes a law in the Philippines is outlined in the country's constitution. The Philippines' legislative branch, Congress, is made up of two chambers: the Senate (Upper House) and the House of Representatives (Lower House). A bill must pass through both chambers and be signed by the President to become a law, known as a Republic Act. The bill goes through three readings in each chamber, with the first reading consisting of reading the title and author(s) and referral to the appropriate committee(s). The second reading involves sponsorships, debates, and amendments, followed by a vote. If the bill passes the second reading, it moves to the third and final reading, where it undergoes a final check and vote. If approved, it is sent to the other house, repeating the same procedure. Once passed by both houses, a Bicameral Conference Committee is formed to deliberate, integrate, and reconcile any differences or amendments. The bill is then submitted to the President, who can approve, veto, or take no action on it. If the President does not act on the bill within 30 days, it becomes a law without their signature.

The legislative process

First Reading of the Bill

A member of Congress or the Bill Drafting Division of the Reference and Research Bureau drafts the bill, which is then filed with the Bills and Index Service, numbered, and reproduced. Three days after filing, the bill is included in the Order of Business for its First Reading. During the First Reading, the Secretary-General reads the title and number of the bill, and the Speaker refers it to the appropriate committee(s). The committee evaluates the bill, conducts public hearings, makes recommendations, and transmits it to the Plenary Session for appropriate action.

Second Reading of the Bill

The bill undergoes its Second Reading, during which the Secretary-General reads the number, title, and text of the bill. This stage includes the following:

• Period of Sponsorship and Debate
• Period of Amendments
• Voting, which may be viva voce, count by tellers, division of the House, or nominal voting

Third Reading of the Bill

The bill undergoes its Third and final Reading. Amendments, if any, are incorporated, and printed copies of the bill are reproduced for the Third Reading. The engrossed bill is included in the Calendar of Bills for the Third Reading, and copies are distributed to all members three days before the Third Reading. During the Third Reading, the Secretary-General reads only the number and title of the bill, and a roll call or nominal voting is conducted. Members may explain their votes, but no amendments are allowed at this stage. The bill is approved by an affirmative vote of the majority of members present. If the bill is approved, it is transmitted to the other house of Congress (the Senate or the House of Representatives, depending on where it originated) for concurrence.

Bicameral Conference Committee

Once a bill is approved by both houses of Congress, a Bicameral Conference Committee is formed to deliberate, integrate, and reconcile any changes and amendments made by the different bills passed by the two houses. The Conference Committee may introduce new provisions relevant to the subject matter or report out an entirely new bill. The Conference Committee prepares a report to be signed by all conferees and the Chairman, which is then submitted for consideration and approval of both houses. No amendments are allowed at this stage.

Approval or Veto by the President

After both houses of Congress have given their approval, copies of the bill, signed by the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and certified by the Secretary of the Senate and the Secretary-General of the House, are transmitted to the President for approval or veto. The President has three options:

• Approve the bill, after which it is assigned an RA number and transmitted back to the house where it originated.
• Veto the bill, providing a message citing the reason for the veto, and transmit it back to the originating house.
• Take no action on the bill for 30 days, in which case it becomes a law as if the President had signed it.

If the President vetoes the bill, it goes back to Congress for appropriate action. If Congress overrides the veto by a two-thirds vote in both houses, the bill becomes a law.

The role of Congress

The Philippine Congress is the legislative branch of the country, consisting of two chambers: the Senate (Upper House) and the House of Representatives (Lower House). Legislative power is vested in Congress, according to Sec. 1., Art. VI of the Constitution.

The Senate has 24 seats, with half of the Senators being voted on by the nation every 3 years. Each Senator serves a 6-year term and can be a member of any of the 40 permanent committees. They cannot serve for more than 2 consecutive terms. The House of Representatives, on the other hand, is made up of 292 representatives serving 238 districts and 47 party lists. Each representative can be a member of the house's 58 standing or 14 special committees. They serve a 3-year term and can be re-elected but cannot serve more than 3 consecutive terms.

If the second house approves the bill, it is authenticated and transmitted to the President. However, if the second house introduces amendments, the bill goes back to the first house. If the first house agrees to the amendments, the bill is then sent to the President. If not, the differences are settled by a Conference Committee made up of members from both houses. The Conference Committee provides a report or recommendation, which is then approved by both houses, and the new version is sent to the President.

The President can either sign the bill, making it a law, not act on the bill within 30 days, in which case it becomes a law as if the President had signed it, or veto the bill. If the President vetoes the bill, it goes back to the first house, where it can be passed by a two-thirds majority vote in both houses, and it becomes a law without the President's signature.

In summary, the role of Congress in the process of a bill becoming a law in the Philippines is to introduce, debate, amend, and vote on bills, as well as to work with the other house and the President to reach a final version of the bill that becomes a law.

The three readings

First Reading

During the first reading, the number and title of the bill are read. The bill is then referred to the appropriate committee for study and recommendation. The committee evaluates the bill, conducts public hearings, makes recommendations, and transmits it to the Plenary Session for action. The committee may also decide to hold public hearings, inviting experts and stakeholders from various sectors. Based on the outcome of these hearings or internal committee discussions, the committee may introduce amendments, consolidate similar bills, or propose a substitute bill.

Second Reading

In the second reading, the bill is read in full, along with any amendments proposed by the committee. This stage involves debates and further amendments, followed by a vote. If approved, the bill proceeds to the third reading.

Third Reading

The third reading involves another vote, and if the bill is approved, it is transmitted to the Second House. If the bill is disapproved, it is archived.

The Conference Committee

Once both Houses have given their final approval, the bill is printed in its final form, known as the "enrolled bill", and certified as correct by the Secretary of the Senate and the Secretary General of the House of Representatives. It is then signed by the Speaker of the HoR and the Senate President and transmitted to the President.

Approval or veto by the President

Once a bill has been approved by both houses of Congress, it is sent to the President for approval or veto. The President has three options:

Approval

If the President approves the bill, he signs it, and it becomes a Republic Act. It takes effect 15 days after publication in the Official Gazette or at least two national newspapers of general circulation.

Veto

If the President vetoes the bill, he returns it to the originating house (the First House) with a message citing the reasons for his veto. The First House can then choose to accept the veto or override it with a two-thirds majority vote. If the First House overrides the veto, the bill, along with the President's objections, is sent to the other house (the Second House), where it must also be approved by a two-thirds majority vote. If both houses override the veto, the bill becomes a law.

No action

If the President takes no action on the bill (neither signing nor vetoing it) within 30 days of receiving it, the bill automatically becomes a law as if the President had signed it.

Frequently asked questions