The Journey Of A Bill To A Law In Philippines

The process of a bill becoming a law in the Philippines involves multiple steps and the participation of both the Senate and the House of Representatives. The bill is initially drafted by a legislator and filed in their respective chamber, where it undergoes three readings and committee consideration. If approved, it moves to the other chamber for a similar process. In cases where differences arise between the two versions, a bicameral conference committee works to reconcile them. The final bill is then presented to the President, who can sign it into law or veto it. However, Congress has the power to override a presidential veto with a two-thirds majority vote in both houses. This comprehensive procedure ensures the careful consideration and approval of bills before they become laws in the Philippines.

How a bill is drafted and filed

The legislative process for passing a bill into law in the Philippines involves up to 12 steps. It begins with a member of Congress, or a legislator, drafting a bill. The bill is then filed with the Office of the Secretary of the Senate or the House, where it is given a number and calendared for its first reading.

During the first reading, the title, bill number and author's name are read on the floor. After this, the bill is sent to the proper committee for study and recommendation. The committee will then conduct hearings and consultation meetings, and may either approve the bill without amendment, approve it with changes, or recommend a substitute bill or consolidate the bill with similar bills.

Once the committee has made its decision, a report is prepared and submitted to the Committee on Rules to be calendared for the second reading.

The role of the House of Representatives

The House of Representatives is a crucial part of the legislative branch of the Philippines government, also known as Congress. It plays a significant role in the process of turning a bill into a law.

A bill may originate from the Senate or the House of Representatives. However, under the Constitution, "all appropriation, revenue or tariff bills, bills authorising an increase of the public debt, bills of local application, and private bills shall originate exclusively in the House of Representatives." Once a bill is drafted by a legislator, it is filed in the chamber they are a member of. It then goes through three readings and committee consideration in that chamber. During the first reading, the title, bill number, and author's name are read on the floor, after which it is referred to the proper committee. The committee may approve the bill without amendment, approve it with changes, or recommend a substitute bill. The committee report is then prepared and submitted for the second reading.

During the second reading, the author of the bill delivers a speech, and members of the House of Representatives debate, interpellate, and rebut to highlight the pros and cons of the bill. A period of amendment is allowed to incorporate any necessary changes. The bill is then voted on, and if approved, it is calendared for the third reading. In the third reading, only the title of the bill is read, and nominal voting is held. If passed, the approved bill is referred to the other chamber (in this case, the Senate) for concurrence.

The House of Representatives plays a vital role in shaping the legislation that will impact the lives of Filipinos. Through its members' efforts in drafting, reviewing, amending, and voting on bills, the House ensures that laws are carefully considered and reflect the needs and interests of the people they represent.

The role of the Senate

The Senate plays a crucial role in the legislative process of the Philippines, which involves up to 12 steps in total. The Senate is one of two chambers that form the legislative branch of the Philippines' government, also known as Congress. The other chamber is the House of Representatives.

A bill may originate in either the Senate or the House of Representatives. However, under the Constitution, certain types of bills must originate from the House of Representatives. These include appropriation, revenue or tariff bills, bills authorising an increase of the public debt, bills of local application, and private bills. In these cases, the Senate may propose or concur with amendments.

Once a bill is drafted by a legislator and filed in their respective chamber, it goes through three readings and committee consideration. During the first reading, the title, bill number, and author's name are read on the floor, and the bill is referred to the appropriate committee. The committee then conducts hearings and consultation meetings, after which they may approve the bill without amendment, approve it with changes, or recommend a substitute bill.

Following the committee stage, the bill proceeds to the second reading, where the author delivers a sponsorship speech. This is followed by a period of debate, interpellation, and rebuttal, where members of the Senate discuss the pros and cons of the bill. Amendments may be incorporated into the bill during this stage. The bill is then voted on, and if approved, it proceeds to the third reading.

In the third reading, only the title of the bill is read on the floor, and nominal voting is held. If the bill is passed, it is referred to the other chamber (in this case, the House of Representatives) for concurrence. The House of Representatives will then follow the same procedure of three readings and committee consideration.

If differences arise between the versions of the bill passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives, a bicameral conference committee, composed of members from both chambers, is formed to reconcile the discrepancies. The committee may also introduce new provisions relevant to the subject matter or propose an entirely new bill. The committee's report is then submitted for consideration and approval by both chambers.

After passing both chambers, the bill is authenticated, which involves signing by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Senate President. The bill is then transmitted to the President, who has the power to approve, veto, or take no action on the bill. If the President signs the bill or takes no action for 30 days, it becomes a law. If vetoed, Congress can override the veto with a two-thirds majority vote in both chambers.

The process of amendments

In the Philippines, a bill may be amended during the second reading in the first house, where the bill is read in full with any amendments proposed by the committee. The bill is then subject to debates, interpellation, and rebuttal, and further amendments may be incorporated. After the second reading, the bill is voted on, and if approved, it goes to the third reading.

If the second house approves the bill, it is authenticated and transmitted to the President. However, if the second house introduces amendments, the bill is sent back to the first house. If the first house agrees to the amendments, the bill is then sent to the President. If the first house does not agree to the amendments, the differences are settled by a conference committee, which can introduce new provisions and report out an entirely new bill. The committee's report is then submitted for consideration and approval of both houses.

Presidential approval

Once a bill has been approved by both the Senate and the House of Representatives, it is sent to the President for approval. The President has three options: they can sign the bill, making it a law; they can veto the bill, sending it back to Congress with a message citing their reasons for the veto; or they can choose not to act on the bill, neither signing nor vetoing it, within 30 days of receiving it, in which case it becomes a law as if they had signed it. If the President vetoes a bill, it is not the end of the process. If two-thirds of the members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate agree to pass the bill, it becomes a law without requiring the President's approval.

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