Understanding The Philippines' Legislative Process Visualized

The process of how a bill becomes a law in the Philippines involves multiple steps and requires the involvement of both the Senate and the House of Representatives. The bill undergoes three readings in each chamber, where it can be amended or approved, before being sent to the President for approval or veto. This complex procedure is visualised in a diagram, providing an overview of the journey from bill to law.

A bill is drafted by a legislator and filed in the chamber they are a member of

The legislative process to pass a bill into law in the Philippines involves up to 12 steps. The first step is for a bill to be drafted by a legislator and filed in the chamber they are a member of. This can be done with the help of the Senate Legislative Technical Affairs Bureau, which provides technical assistance in research and drafting legislative language.

Once a bill is drafted, it is then filed with the Office of the Secretary, where it is given a corresponding number and calendared for its First Reading. The bill is also reproduced at this stage.

Three days after its 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 the bill to the appropriate committee.

The appropriate committee then evaluates the bill, conducts public hearings, makes recommendations, and transmits the bill to the Plenary Session for appropriate action. The committee will also determine whether public hearings are necessary. If they are, the committee schedules the time, issues public notices, and invites relevant people from the public and private sectors, academia, and experts on the proposed legislation. If public hearings are not deemed necessary, the committee schedules the bill for committee discussions.

Based on the results of the public hearings or committee discussions, the committee may introduce amendments, consolidate bills on the same subject matter, or propose a substitute bill. It then prepares the corresponding committee report, which it approves and formally transmits to the Plenary Affairs Bureau.

The bill is read and referred to an appropriate committee

The legislative process to pass a bill into law in the Philippines involves up to 12 steps. The first step is the introduction of the bill, which must be done by a member of Congress. Once a bill has been introduced, it is read and referred to an appropriate committee.

During the reading of the bill, only the title and the author are read on the floor. The Senate President is responsible for referring bills to the appropriate committees. The jurisdictions of the Standing Committees are outlined in Rule X, Section 13 of the Rules of the Senate. For example, if a bill concerns agriculture, food production, or agri-business, it must be referred to the Committee on Agriculture and Food.

The standing committees of the Senate, operating as "little legislatures," determine the fate of most proposals. Committee members and staff are often experts in the subjects under their jurisdiction, and it is at this committee stage that a bill comes under the sharpest scrutiny. If a bill is to be substantially revised, this usually occurs at the committee level.

A committee may dispose of a bill in several ways: it may approve or reject the legislation with or without amendments, rewrite the bill entirely, or reject it, which essentially kills the bill. A committee may also report a bill favorably or without recommendation, which allows the chamber to consider the bill. Under Section 29, Rule XI of the Rules of the Senate, if the reports submitted are unfavorable, they are archived unless five Senators request their inclusion in the Calendar for Ordinary Business.

A committee report describes the purpose and scope of the bill, explains any committee amendments, and indicates proposed changes to existing laws, along with other relevant information. Committee reports are numbered in the order in which they are filed and printed.

The committee evaluates the bill, conducts hearings and transmits it to a plenary session

The committee stage is a crucial part of the legislative process in the Philippines, where a bill is scrutinised, discussed, and evaluated before being transmitted to a plenary session. The committee evaluates the bill to determine the necessity of conducting public hearings. If the committee finds it necessary, it schedules the hearings, issues public notices, and invites relevant experts and stakeholders from the public and private sectors, as well as the academe. This ensures that the bill receives input from a diverse range of perspectives.

If the committee deems public hearings unnecessary, it schedules the bill for committee discussions instead. These discussions are held among committee members and staff, who are often experts in the subjects under their jurisdiction. This stage is where a bill typically undergoes the sharpest scrutiny and substantial revisions. The committee may introduce amendments, consolidate bills on the same subject matter, or propose a substitute bill. They may also reject the bill, which would effectively kill it.

Once the committee has completed its evaluation and made any necessary amendments, it prepares a committee report. This report describes the purpose and scope of the bill, explains any committee amendments, and indicates proposed changes to existing laws, along with other relevant information. The committee report is then transmitted to the plenary session for further action.

The plenary session, also known as the Committee of the Whole, is a meeting of the entire legislative body. It provides an opportunity for all members to discuss and debate the bill, consider amendments, and make informed decisions. The bill undergoes its second and third readings in the plenary session, with the necessary intervals and distribution of printed copies as outlined in the legislative process.

The committee stage is a collaborative and deliberative process that allows for a detailed examination of the bill. It provides a platform for experts, stakeholders, and legislators to contribute their knowledge and perspectives, shaping the legislation before it advances further in the law-making process.

The bill undergoes three readings in both the House of Representatives and the Senate

The legislative process to pass a bill into law in the Philippines involves up to 12 steps. After a bill is drafted by a legislator, it undergoes three readings in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. This is where the bill can be amended or approved.

During the first reading, the number and title of the bill are read. The bill is then sent to the proper committee for study and recommendation. The bill is then sent back to the floor for the second reading.

In the second reading, the bill is read in full, with any amendments proposed by the committee. The bill is then subject to debates and amendments. After any amendments, the bill is voted upon. If the bill is approved after the second reading, it goes to the third reading. In the third reading, the bill is again voted upon.

After the three readings in the first house, the bill is transmitted to the second house. The same process of three readings is followed. If the second house approves the bill, it is authenticated and transmitted to the President.

The bill is sent to the President, who can sign it into law, veto it, or do nothing

Once a bill has been approved by both houses of Congress, it is sent to the President, who has three options:

Sign it into law

If the President approves of the bill, they will sign it, and it will become a law.

Veto it

If the President does not approve of the bill, they can veto it. The bill will then be returned to the House where it originated, along with the President's objections. The House will then reconsider the bill, and if two-thirds of the Members agree to pass it, it will be sent to the other House, where it will be reconsidered. If two-thirds of the Members of the second House also agree to pass the bill, it will become a law, without needing the President's signature.

Do nothing

If the President does not act on the bill (i.e., neither signs nor vetoes it) within 30 days of receiving it, the bill will automatically become a law, as if the President had signed it.

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