The Legislative Process: From Bill To Law In Philippines

how does bill become a law philippines

The legislative process for a bill to become a law in the Philippines involves multiple steps. It begins with a member of Congress drafting a bill, which then goes through three readings in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, where it can be amended or approved. If the bill is approved with changes, a conference committee is formed to deliberate and reconcile the different versions. Once a bill is approved by both chambers, it is sent to the President, who can sign it into law, veto it, or do nothing, in which case it will lapse into law. If vetoed, Congress can override the veto with a two-thirds majority vote in both houses. Once signed or lapsed, the bill is published and distributed as a new Republic Act.

Characteristics Values
Number of readings 3
Who can introduce a bill? A member of Congress
Who drafts the bill? A member of Congress or the Bill Drafting Division of the Reference and Research Bureau
Who evaluates the bill? The appropriate Committee
Who approves the bill? The President of the Philippines
Who amends the bill? The Committee
Who reconciles the bill? The Bi-Cameral Conference Committee
Who overrides the veto? The House of Representatives

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A bill must be drafted by a member of Congress

A bill is a law in the making. In the Philippines, only a member of Congress can introduce a legislative proposal. There is no limit to the number of bills a member may introduce.

The bill is drafted by the Member or the Bill Drafting Division of the Reference and Research Bureau upon the Member's request. The bill is then filed with the Bills and Index Service, where it is numbered and reproduced. Three days after its filing, the bill is included in the Order of Business for its First Reading.

On First Reading, the Secretary-General reads the title and number of the bill. The Speaker refers the bill to the appropriate Committee/s. The Committee evaluates the bill, conducts public hearings, makes recommendations, and transmits the same to the Plenary Session for appropriate action.

If the Committee finds it necessary to conduct public hearings, it schedules them and invites resource persons from the public and private sectors, the academe, and experts on the proposed legislation. If the Committee deems that a public hearing is unnecessary, it 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 is approved and formally transmitted to the Plenary Affairs Bureau.

The bill then undergoes its Second Reading. The Committee Report is registered and numbered by the Bills and Index Service, included in the Order of Business, and referred to the Committee on Rules. The Committee on Rules schedules the bill for consideration on Second Reading.

On Second Reading, the Secretary-General reads the number, title, and text of the bill, after which there is a period of sponsorship and debate, a period of amendments, and voting.

The bill then undergoes its Third and final Reading. The amendments, if any, are engrossed, and printed copies of the bill are reproduced for Third Reading. The engrossed bill is included in the Calendar of Bills for Third Reading, and copies are distributed to all Members three days before its Third Reading.

On Third Reading, the Secretary-General reads only the number and title of the bill. A roll call or nominal voting is called, and a Member, if they desire, is given three minutes to explain their vote. No amendment to the bill is allowed at this stage.

The bill is approved by an affirmative vote of the majority of Members present. If approved, the bill is transmitted to the Senate for its concurrence. If disapproved, the same is transmitted to the Archives.

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It then goes through 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 member of Congress drafts a bill, it goes through three readings in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, where it can be amended or approved.

The first reading of the bill involves the following steps:

  • The bill is drafted by a member or the Bill Drafting Division of the Reference and Research Bureau upon the member's request.
  • The bill is then filed with the Bills and Index Service, where it is numbered and reproduced.
  • Three days after its filing, the bill is included in the Order of Business for the first reading.
  • During the first reading, the Secretary-General reads the title and number of the bill, after which 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.
  • The committee determines the necessity of conducting public hearings and schedules the bill for committee discussions if hearings are deemed unnecessary.
  • Based on the results of the hearings or committee discussions, the committee may introduce amendments, consolidate bills on the same subject, or propose a substitute bill.
  • A committee report is then prepared and approved before being formally transmitted to the Plenary Affairs Bureau.

The second reading of the bill involves:

  • Registering and numbering the committee report through the Bills and Index Service.
  • Including the report in the Order of Business and referring it to the Committee on Rules.
  • Scheduling the bill for consideration on the second reading by the Committee on Rules.
  • During the second reading, the Secretary-General reads the number, title, and text of the bill.
  • A period of sponsorship and debate ensues, followed by a period of amendments.
  • Voting takes place, which may be done by viva voce, count by tellers, division of the House, or nominal voting.

The third and final reading of the bill:

  • The amendments, if any, are engrossed, 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 reading.
  • On the third reading, the Secretary-General reads only the number and title of the bill.
  • A roll call or nominal voting is called, and each member is given three minutes to explain their vote if desired.
  • No amendments to the bill are allowed at this stage.
  • The bill is approved by an affirmative vote of the majority of members present. If disapproved, it is transmitted to the Archives. If approved, it is transmitted to the Senate for its concurrence.

The same procedure is repeated in the Senate, after which a Bi-Cameral Conference Committee is formed to deliberate, integrate, and reconcile the changes and amendments made to the bill in both houses of Congress.

The Complex Journey of a Bill to Law

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The President can sign it into law, veto it, or do nothing

Once a bill has been approved by both chambers of Congress, it is sent to the President, who has the power to sign it into law, veto it, or do nothing. If the President approves the bill, they will sign it and it will become law. If the President does not agree with the bill, they can veto it and send it back to the chamber where it originated, along with a message citing their objections. The bill can then be reconsidered, and if two-thirds of the Members of that House agree to pass it, it will be sent to the other House for reconsideration. If two-thirds of the Members of the other House also approve the bill, it will become a law, despite the President's veto.

If the President does nothing and does not take any action on the bill within thirty days of receiving it, it will lapse into law. This means that even without the President's signature, a bill can become a law if the President does not act on it within the given timeframe.

The Journey of a Bill to Law

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If vetoed, Congress can override the veto

In the Philippines, the President has the power to veto a bill. However, this veto can be overridden by Congress if two-thirds of all the members of both houses vote to pass the bill. This process is outlined in Article VI, Section 27(1) of the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines.

When the President vetoes a bill, they must return it to the House where it originated, along with a statement outlining their objections. This is known as the veto message. The House of origin must then reconsider the vetoed bill. If two-thirds of the members of this House vote to pass the bill, despite the President's objections, it is sent to the other House for reconsideration. If two-thirds of the members of the second House also agree to pass the bill, the veto is overridden, and the bill becomes law without the President's signature.

The President has 30 days from the date of receipt of a bill to communicate their veto. If they fail to do so within this timeframe, the bill will become law as if the President had signed it.

The President's veto power is a critical element of the checks and balances system, allowing them to prevent the passage of laws that they consider objectionable, unconstitutional, or not in the best interest of the nation. However, Congress has the power to override this veto if there is sufficient support for the bill. This process ensures that the legislative process is not dominated by a single branch of government and that the laws reflect the broader interests of the nation.

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Once signed or lapsed, the bill is published and distributed as a new Republic Act

Once a bill has been signed by the President of the Philippines, it becomes a Republic Act. Republic Acts are pieces of legislation used to create policy to carry out the principles of the Constitution. They are crafted and passed by the Congress of the Philippines and can only be repealed by a similar act of Congress.

If the President does not sign a bill within 30 days of receiving it, the bill is said to have "lapsed into law". In this case, the bill will still become a Republic Act, and will take effect 15 days after being publicised in the Official Gazette or at least two national newspapers of general circulation.

The Official Gazette is the official journal of the Republic of the Philippines. It is edited at the Office of the President of the Philippines under Commonwealth Act No. 638.

Frequently asked questions

Only a member of Congress can introduce a bill. There is no limit to the number of bills a member may introduce.

The first step is the First Reading of the Bill, where the bill is filed with the Bills and Index Service, numbered, reproduced, and included in the Order of Business for 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/s.

The bill is then evaluated by the appropriate Committee, which may include public hearings, before being sent back to the Plenary Session for the Second Reading.

During the Second Reading, the Secretary General reads the number, title, and text of the bill, followed by a period of sponsorship and debate, a period of amendments, and voting.

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