Legislative Powers and Structure of Congress

Article VI
Legislative Department

Legislative Power
Legislative power is essentially the authority of the
government to enact laws, repeal, or amend
them as well.
Legislative power in the Philippines is vested in the
Congress, which consists of bicameral structure,
namely: the Senate and the House of
Representative

Meaning of law
The term laws, as used previously, refers to
the statutes which are the written enactments of
the legislature governing the relations of the
people among themselves or between them
and the government and its agencies.

Functions of laws
Through laws, the legislative defines the rights
and duties of citizens, imposes taxes, appropriates
funds, defines crimes and provides for their
punishment, creates and abolishes government
offices,
determines
their
jurisdiction
and
functions, and in general, regulates human
conduct and the use of property for the
promotion of the common good.

Under the 1987 Constitution, the power to
make, propose or amend laws is also extended to the
people, in whom sovereignty resides, through the
mechanisms of initiative and referendum.

By Initiative, we mean that the authority is reserved to
the people through direct participation of the electorate
in law-making processes, either national or local level.
By Referendum, it means the process in which the
people are referred directly on any question of law
passed by Congress or a local legislative body for their
approval or rejection.

Scope and Classification of
the Powers of Congress

1.General Legislative Power
A general legislative power of Congress is
usually undefined by the Constitution. This power
refers to the overall authority to enact laws for
the people and the State, unless the Constitution
itself limits the subject matter on which it may
legislate.

2. Specific Powers
They are powers which the Constitution
expressly directs or authorizes Congress to
exercise.
Among the specific powers of Congress as
mandated by the Constitution are:
a.Power to declare the existence of the state of
war. (Art. VI, Section 23 {1});
b.Power to delegate emergency powers to the
President. (Art VI, Sec. 23 {2});
c.Power to Appropriation (Art. VI, Sec 24-25);
d.Power to Taxation (Art. VI, Sec 28 {1-2});

e. Power to concur in treaties through the
Senate and the House of Representatives (Art.
VII, Sec 21);
f. Power to concur the grant of Amnesty (Art.
VII, Sec. 19); and
g. Power to act as Board of Canvassers for
Presidential and Vice-Presidential elections (Art
VI, Sec. 4)

3. Implied Powers
From the meaning itself, implied powers are
those authority enjoyed by the legislature to
effectively exercise its constitutionally granted
powers, like the power to conduct investigation
in aid of legislation (Sec 21), or to determine the
rules of its proceedings (Sec. 16 {3})

4. Generally Non-Delegable Powers
These are powers that are essentially
inherent in the Congress, which need no
legislation or constitutional grant to that effect.
These fundamental powers of the State are
taxation, eminent domain, and police power.

The Senate
(1) Composition and election
It is composed of 24 Senators. They are
elected at large (nationwide) by the qualified
voters, as may be provided by law (Sec. 2). Unless
otherwise provided by law, the regular election of
Senators shall be held on the second Monday of
May (Sec. 8)

(2) Term of office
It is six (6) years. It shall commence, unless
otherwise provided by law, at noon on the 30th
day of June next following election (Sec. 4, par.
1). The Constitution has a similar provision with
respect to the President and Vice-President
except
that
the
hour
and
date
of
commencement of their term of office cannot be
changed by law.

(3) Qualifications
A Senator must be:
(a) a natural-born citizen of the Philippines;
(b) at least 35 years of age on the day of
the election (i.e., day of the balloting);
(c) able to read and write;
(d) a registered voter; and
(e) a resident of the Philippines for not less
two (2) years immediately preceding the day of
the election (Sec. 3)

(4) Maximum of terms
In line with the state policy on equal
access to opportunities for public service and
against political dynasties (Art II, Sec. 6), a
Senator is disqualified to serve for more than
two (2) consecutive terms (Sec.4, par. 2)

(1)Composition and election/selection
It is composed of not more than 250 members
popularly known as “Congressmen”. They are elected
from legislative or congressional districts and through a
party-list system. The party-list representatives are filled
by selection or election from the labor, peasant, etc.
and other sectors as may be provided by law, except
religious sector (Sec. 5[1]).

Unless otherwise provided by law, the regular
election of the members of the House of
Representatives shall be held on the second Monday
of May (Sec. 8).

(2) Terms of office
It is three (3) years, to begin also, unless otherwise
provided by the law, at noon on the 30th day next
following election (Sec. 7, par. 1).
(3) Qualifications
A representative must be:
(a) a natural-born citizen of the Philippines;
(b) at least 25 years of age on the day of the election
(c) able to read and write;
(d) except for a party-list representative, a registered
voter in the district in which he shall be elected; and
(e) a resident thereof for a period of not less than one
(1) year preceding the day of the election (Sec. 6)

(4) Maximum terms
The provisions are the same as those for
Senators except that the limit is for not more than
three (3) consecutive terms (Sec. 7, par. 2)

Term of Office and Tenure of Office
A term of office refers to the fixed period of service
when an elected official may validly keep his post.
The term of office is usually specified by the law.

A tenure of office, on the other hand, refers to the
actual period of service when an elected official
holds the office. Say, a congressman has resigned
halfway his term, this is not considered as an
interruption, but the service is still regarded his full
term or his actual tenure. Thus, tenure is the actual
incumbency.

Party List System
The purpose of party list system is to bring
the government closer to people and assure
that the democracy really works in our society.
Party list representative system is a device of
balancing the representation in the election of
the members to the House of Representatives
from marginalized or under represented
national, regional, and sectoral parties
or
organizations duly recognized by the COMELEC.

Only organized and duly registered parties with the
COMELEC may participate instead of individual
candidates. These are:

a. Sectoral Parties
These refer to organized groups of citizens whose
principal advocacy concerns and special interests are
in these sectors, namely: labor, peasant, urban
poor, indigenous communities, veterans, and elderly.
b. Sectoral Organizations
These organizations are groups of qualified voters
bound together by similar physical attributes or
characteristics or by employment, interests, or
concerns.

c. Political Parties
These are organized groups of qualified
voters pursuing the same ideology, political
ideas, and principles for general conduct of the
government.
d. Coalitions
Coalitions refer to aggregations of duly
registered national, regional, sectoral parties, or
organizations for political and/or electoral
purposes.

Qualifications of a Party List Nominee
1. A natural-born citizen of the Philippines;
2. A registered voter;
3. A resident of the Philippines for a period of not less
than one (1) year immediately preceding the election
day;
4. Able to read and write;
5. A bona fide member of the party he seeks to
represent for at least ninety (90) days preceding the
election day;
6. A nominee shall come from a disadvantage group of
citizens which are organized and duly registered to
the COMELEC; and
7. At least twenty-five (25) years of age on the Election
Day.

In case of the youth sector, a nominee must be
at least 25, but not 30 years of age on the date
of election.

Party list representatives are considered elected
members of the lower chamber, and as
such, enjoy the same rights, salaries, and
emoluments as regular members of the House.
They shall serve for three (3) year term with the
maximum of three (3) consecutive or successive
terms.

Vacancy in Congress
RA 6645 provides for “An Act Prescribing the
Manner of Filling A Vacancy in the Congress of the
Philippines”, signed into a law by then President Aquino
on December 1987.
In case of vacancy arising in the Senate at least 18
months or in the House of Representatives at least one
year before the next regular election for members of
Congress, the COMELEC upon receipt of certification of
vacancy, shall call for special election. The Senator or
Member of the House of Representatives thus elected
shall serve only for the unexpired term.
The election shall not be earlier than 45 days nor
later than 90 days from the date of such resolution.

Termination of Members of Congress
1. Voluntary renunciation of the office (Art. VI, Sec. 7
[21]);
2. Forfeiture of seat of a member in Congress during
incumbency, in case when he or she keeps another
office or employment in the government or any
subdivision, agency, or instrumentality thereof, including
government-owned or controlled corporation or
subsidiaries (Sec. 13);
3. A penalty of suspension may serve a member of the
Congress for disciplinary action as determined by each
House’s rules proceeding (Sec. 16{3}). Congress can
punish any of its members for disorderly conduct;

4.
An
Electoral
Tribunal,
through
a
resolution, may disqualify a member of
Congress in election contest (Sec. 17);
5.
By
means
of
resignation, death, incapacity, or conviction
which carries a penalty of disqualification to
hold office.

Compensation of Members of Congress
The salaries of the members of both Houses are
fixed by law; it may be increased, but the effectivity of
such shall only be given to the members after the full
term of their respective offices has elapsed.
However, no decrease of salary of members can be
allowed, as they are entitled to the right to salary.
Art. XVIII, Sec. 17 reads, “The President of the Senate
and the Speaker of the House shall receive an annual
salary of P 240,000, and the Senators and the members
of the House of Representatives shall receive P204,000
each per year…”

Rights and Privileges of Members of Congress
The Constitutional rights and privileges of members
of Congress shall include the following:
1. Right to salary;
2. Freedom of speech and debate without question;
3. Freedom from arrest while the Congress is in
session, except when the offense of which a member is
charged is punishable by more than six years
imprisonment; and
4. Parliamentary immunity. The aim of this privilege is to
facilitate that members of Congress can Effectively
discharge their functions without previous restraints.

1.Over and above, the power to make laws and
to pass resolutions;
2.To approve appointments made by the
President through Commission of Appointments;
3.To decide cases of electoral protest involving its
members through an Electoral Tribunal;
4.To declare the existence of a state of war by 2/3
votes of both Houses, voting independently;
5.To ratify treaties upon 2/3 votes of all members
of Congress, voting separately;

6. To grant the President emergency powers in times of
war and national distress;
7. To provide for the rules of presidential succession
should the speaker of the House fails to qualify;
8. To concur to a grant of amnesty by the President;
9. To exercise the power to override the veto power of
the President;
10. To hear and decide cases of impeachment against
high officials;
11. To exercise the power to amend or revise the
Constitution;
12. To prescribe, define, and apportion the jurisdiction of
lower courts;

13. To determine or apportion seats of Legislative
districts;
14. The power to tax and levy impositions;
15. To determine the disability of the President and the
Vice-President;
16. To break a knot ion case when there is a tie for the
position of President of the Republic;
17. To cancel or extend Martial Law;
18. To investigate in aid of legislation;
19. To approve the annual budget of the government
as prepared by the Executive;
20. To determine the rules of proceedings and more.

Parliamentary Immunities
Art. VI, Sec. 2 provides two immunities, which
a member of Congress may enjoy in the exercise
of his task (while the Congress is in session). These
are:
1.A Senator or a member of the House of
Representatives shall be privileged from arrest
while the Congress is in session; and
2.No member shall be questioned nor be held
liable in any other place for any speech or
debate in the Congress or in any committee
thereof.

The privileges are personal ones and may be
waived. There are, however, exemptions from
parliamentary immunities:
a.Given gravity and seriousness of the offense
committed, any members of the Congress
cannot invoke immunity from arrest, when the
penalty of the charge leveled against him
carries the penalty of more than six (6) years
imprisonment; and
b.When a member is not acting as a member of
Congress, but on his personal capacity.

Disabilities of Members of Congress
While the members of the legislative may be enjoy
some
constitutional
and
statutory
grants
or
privileges, they are likewise constrained by some
technical disqualifications. As provided under Art.
VI, Sec.14, the prohibitions are:
1. No Senator or member of the House of Representatives
may personally appear as counsel before any court of
justice or before the electoral tribunals, or quasi-judicial
and administrative bodies.
2. Any member shall not, either directly or indirectly, show
financial interests in any contract with the government
or any of its agency or instrumentality thereof, including
GOCCs, during his incumbency. This includes
government franchise.

3. Any member shall not intervene in any
matter before any office of the
government for his own benefit.

Incompatible and Forbidden Office
By Incompatible office, we mean that no
member of the Congress may hold any other
office in the government or its subdivisions,
agency, or any instrumentality thereof, including
government-owned or controlled corporation,
during his incumbency. A member of Legislative
cannot be appointed as a department secretary
or a director of any government positions while
holding his position at the same time, not unless
he resigns.

By Forbidden office, we mean that no member
of the Congress can be appointed to any office
created or the emoluments of which have been
increased during the term for which he was
elected. Under art. IX-B, Sec. 8 “no elective
officer or employee shall receive additional,
double, or indirect compensation unless
specifically authorized by law, nor accept
without the consent of the Congress any present
emolument, office or title of any kind from
foreign government.”

Sessions of Congress
Art. VI, Sec. 15 reads:
“The Congress shall convene once every
year on the fourth Monday of July for its regular
session, unless a different date is fixed by
law, and shall continue to be in session for such
number of days as it may determine until 30
days before the opening of its next regular
session, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays and
legal holidays. The President may call a special
session at any time.”

1.Regular Session
The Congress shall meet or convene once in
every year beginning on the fourth Monday of
July for its regular session, unless law fixes a
different date. Once the Congress has
convened, the session continues for such
duration until thirty (30) days before the
opening of the next regular session, exclusive of
Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays.

2. Special Session
The Congress may be called upon by the President
anytime to consider some urgent and national concern.
Some peculiar characteristics include:
a.Special session has no definite or fixed date. It may be
called anytime;
b.Special
session
considers
only
one
subject
matter/agendum when Congress is convened for the
purpose;
c.Special session may also be called or convened by the
Congress; and
d.Special session normally is brief and attends only to the
agenda being called for.

3. Executive Session
In some rare cases, the Congress or
the President may call for a secret or close
door session when matters concerning
national interest are to be discussed.

Quorum and Business
Quorum is the required number of members of
each House to be present in order to legally transact a
business. Each House shall determine its own quorum.
The Constitution requires that the majority of each
Houses may adjourn from day to day, and may compel
the attendance of absent members in such
manner, and other such penalties as each House may
provide.
Both Houses shall elect their political leaders at
the pleasure of their members. The Senate shall
determine its speaker by majority votes of all its
respective members.

Disciplinary Behavior
Under the Constitution, each House of Congress may
determine acts constituting disorderly behavior, and whether
a Member should be suspended or expelled. Each House is
authorized under its Rules to punish its member for disorderly
behavior, and with the concurrence of two-thirds vote of all
kits members, suspend or expel an erring legislator. The
Constitution, however, limits the suspension to sixty days.

Internal Discipline
Internal Discipline is an inherent legislative power.
The Court once said: “If the power did not exist, it would
be utterly impractible to transact the business of the
nation,
either
at
all,
or
at
least
with
decency, deliberation, and order. The humblest assembly
of men to understood to posses this power, and would
absurd to deprive the councils of the nations of a like
authority.”

Journal and Enrolled Bill
A journal is an official report of the legislative. It is
written business, which arises from all the legislative
proceedings.

Art. VI, Sec. 16 (4)
“each House shall keep a journal of its proceedings,
and from time to time publish the same, expecting such
parts as may in its judgment, affect national security, and
the years and nays on any question shall, at the request
of one-fifth of the member present be entered in the
journal. Each house shall also keep a record of its
proceedings.”

An enrolled bill refers to a bill which has been
duly introduced, finally enacted by both House,
signed by the proper officers of each House, and
approved by the President. An enrolled copy bill is
conclusive not only of its provisions, but also of its
due enactment. In case of conflict between the
journal and an enrolled bill, the latter prevails over
the former, save as to matter required by the
Constitution to be enacted in the journal.

Adjournment
Art. VI, Sec. 16 (5) adds, “neither the House
during the session of the Congress shall without the
consent of the other, adjourn for more than three
(3) days, nor to any other place than in which the
two Houses shall be sitting.”

The Organization of Electoral Tribunal
Each House shall have and Electoral Tribunal, in
which shall be the sole judge of all contests relating
to the election, returns, and qualifications of their
respective members. The characteristics and
composition are:

1. Each Electoral Tribunal shall be composed of nine
members, three whom shall be justices of the
Supreme Court to be designated by the Chief
Justice, and the remaining six shall be members of
the Senate or the House of Representatives, as the
case may be;

2. Membership shall be chosen on the basis of the
proportional representation from the political
parties, and the parties or organizations registered
under the party list system represented therein;
3. The Senior Justice in the Electoral Tribunal shall be
its Chairman (Sec. 17);
4. Members enjoy security of tenure. It is co-terminus
with their legislative term of service;

5. The decision arrived at by the Electoral Tribunal
shall be final. It may be appealed though to the
Supreme Court on the cases or instances of
certiorari, grave abuse of discretion;
6. The Electoral Tribunal shall have jurisdiction over
election contests by the members of the Senate
and the House of Representatives as the case may
be. Pre-proclamation concerns or issues are,
however, the jurisdiction under COMELEC.

Organization of the Commission on Appointments
The
Congressional
and
Commission
of
Appointments (CA) shall approve all appointments
made by the Chief Executive to various government
positions. All appointments by the President can only
be pursued upon the consent of the Commission on
Appointments. The characteristics of the Commission
are as follow:

1. The Commission shall consist of the President of
the Senate, as ex-officio chairman, 12
Senators, and 12 members of the House of
Representatives, elected by each House on the
basis of proportional representation;
2. The Chairman of the Commission shall not
vote, except in case of tie;

3. The Commission shall act on all appointments
submitted to it within 30 sessions days of Congress
from their submission; and
4. The Commission shall rule by a majority vote of all
members (Sec. 18)

Inquiries in aid of Legislation
“The Senate or the House of Representatives or any of its
respective Committee, may conduct inquiries in aid of
legislation in accordance with its duly published rules of
procedure. The right of person appearing in or affected by
such inquiries shall be respected” (Sec. 21). The Senate Blue
Ribbon committee is an example.

The power of inquiry and investigation exists not only to
enable Congress to discharge effectively its primarily
legislative and law-making functions.

Limitations of the Investigative Power of Congress:
1. Inquiry shall be conducted only in aid of legislation;
2. The Constitutional right against self-incrimination to the
person being investigated shall not be violated;
3. The right to counsel shall be respected to the persons being
investigated in Congress;
4. Each House conducting the inquiry shall publish the rules of
procedure governing the investigation and shall be made
known to the person concerned; and
5. Such congressional inquiry shall not serve a member’s
personal aggrandizement.

Question Hour
The question hour is a parliamentary feature
adopted under our presidential system. The power
of Congress to call any head of a department, as
its House Rules shall provide, to appear before and
be heard by the requesting.

Declaration of Existence of the State of War
Section 23 writes:
“The Congress by a vote of two thirds of both Houses
in joint session assembled voting separately, shall have the
sole power to declare the existence of a state of war.

In times of war or other national emergency, the
Congress may, by the law, authorize the President, on a
limited period and subject to such restrictions as it may
prescribe, to exercise powers necessary and proper to
carry out a declared national policy. Unless sooner
withdrawn, by resolution of Congress, such powers shall
cease upon the next adjournment thereof”

Appropriation Powers
The Administrative Code of 1987 defined
appropriation as an organized made by law or
other legislative enactment, directing payment
out of government funds under specified
conditions and/or for special programs. Thus, an
appropriation bill aims to authorize the release of
public funds from treasury.

The following bills shall originate exclusively in the
House of Representatives, but the Senate may
propose or concur with amendments:
1.Appropriation bills
2.Revenue or tariff bills
3.Bills authorizing increase of public debt
4.Bill of local application
5.Private bill

A General Appropriation is an annual budget, which the
Congress set aside to appropriate the expenses for the
general operation of the government.
A Special Appropriation is a supplemental appropriation not
contained in the budget.
A Specific Appropriation is an appropriation sets aside a
fixed amount of money for the payment of a certain
program.
A Continuing Appropriation refers to the named amount of
money which, when not appropriated at the end of the
fiscal year, shall automatically be accrued for the next
calendar year.

Other Kinds of Appropriation
1. Tariff bill - is one that imposes revenues or customs
duties for specific purposes. But, a bill imposing high
tariff rates in particular foreign goods with the purpose
to protect local goods on industries against
competition is not a revenue bill.
2. Bill authorizing income of the public debt - essentially, a
bill, which facilitates the government to issue bonds
and other forms of indebtedness, which will be
chargeable from future public funds.
3. Bill of local application - a bill that directly allots to
local or municipal appropriation.

4. Private bill - a bill that affects purely private
interests, like indemnification to a person who
suffered damages from the negligence of the
government or its agency or instrumentality or any
part thereof.

General Rules of Appropriation (See Art. VI, Sec. 25)
1. The Congress may not increase the appropriations
recommended by the President for the operation of the
government as specified in the budget;
2. No provision or enactment shall be embraced in the
general appropriation bill, unless it relates specifically to
some parts/particular of the appropriation therein;
3. The procedures in approving appropriations for the
Congress shall strictly follow the procedure for approving
appropriations for other departments and agencies;

4. A special appropriation bill shall specify the purpose for
which it is intended, and shall be supported by funds actually
available;
5. No law shall be passed authorizing any transfer of
appropriation, except otherwise provided by law (Sec. 25{5})
6. Discretionary funds appropriated for particular offices or
officers shall be disbursed only for public use; and
7. if, at the end of any fiscal year, the Congress shall have
failed to pass the general appropriations bill for the ensuring
fiscal year, the general appropriation laws for the preceding
fiscal year shall be deemed re-enacted.

Budget
-refers to the financial statement or record of
the central government for an incoming fiscal
year, including the statements of the projected
receipts from revenue collections and expenditures
for the year.

Rider
-is prohibited under the Constitution. A rider is a
loose provision or enactment being inserted in the
general appropriations bill, which does not form
integral part of certain appropriation contained
therein.

A bill is essentially a proposed law by the legislative
department. Each house may propose a bill, when
the House of Representatives proposes one, it shall
be called a House Bill, and when the Senate initiates
a proposal, it shall be called a Senate Bill.

The Hodge-podged legislation refers to any
proposed measure consisting of general or more
unrelated subjects, but are integrated in the
proposal in order to guarantee support from
members of the Congress. The avoidance of
logrolling
legislation
is
to
ensure
enough
consideration and support from the members in
regard to the passage of a bill into law.

The passage of a bill into law follows strictly the
procedures:
1.First Reading
2.Second Reading
3.Floor Debates
4.Printing and Distributions
5.Third Reading
6.Transmitted to the Other House
7.Submission to Joint Bicameral Committee
8.Approval of Consolidated Bill by Both Houses
9.Submission to the President
10.Veto Power of the President

10. Veto Power of the President

Particularly:
a.Every bill must be presented and approved by the
President;
b.In case, the President disapproves a bill, he exercises
veto power and returns it, with his objection, to the
House where it originated;
c.In
case
the
House,
after
such
deliberation, considered the bill as proposed, a 2/3
vote may carry its power to override the veto.

Component Parts of a Law
1.Title – refers to the subject matter of the law, or
the
Act
carried
by
the
legislative
department, and the executive as well.
2.Preamble – introduces the objectives for the
enactment of the Act and explains the general
reasons for such legislation.
3.Enacting Clause – refers to the collective and
distinct will of both Houses to enact an act or a
bill. Enacting clause specifically states the reason
for the legislation Act.
4.Body – pertains to the total substance or content
of the proposed bill.

5. Effectively Clause – indicates the time at which
the law shall take effect. Usually, a law will be
enforced next following the next 15-day
publication requirement in a newspaper of
general circulation in the Philippines or in the
Official Gazette, not unless a date is fixed as to its
effectivity.

Taxation is a means of raising funds for the
operation of the government, especially its public
services. The distribution of the tax burden should be
equitable or fair. This means a person has to pay
taxes based on his ability to pay. Taxes should serve
as tools in facilitating economic stability and growth.

Basis of Taxation
Under the Constitution, the rule of taxation (See
Sec. 28) shall include the following:
1.The rule shall be uniform and equitable;
2.The taxation should be based on progressive
income system;
3.The Congress may authorize the President to fix
tariff rates, import and export quotas, tonnage
and wharfage dues, and other duties and
imports, subject to the limitation of the Congress;
and

4. Charitable institutions, churches and
parsonages or convents appurtenant thereto,
mosques, non-profit cemeteries and all lands,
buildings, and improvements actually, directly,
and exclusively used for religious, charitable, or
educational purposes shall be exempt from
taxation.

Who are exempted from paying taxes?
Charitable institutions, churches and parsonages,
or convents appurtenant thereto, mosques, non-profit
cemeteries, and all other facilities used for religious and
educational purposes.

Limitations of the Power of Congress
1.Under Art. III based on the Bill of Rights:
a.That the Congress cannot pass laws impairing
the obligations of contrast (Sec. 10)
b.That no law shall impair the freedom of
speech, of press, and of expression (Sec. 10)
c.That no law shall be made respecting an
establishment of religion or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof (Sec. 5)
d.No person shall be held liable to answer for a
criminal offense without due process of law (Sec.
14)

e. No person shall be imprisoned for
debts or non-payment of a poll tax
(Sec. 20); and
f. No ex-post facto law or bill of
attainder shall be enacted (Sec. 22)

2. Under Art. VI, Sec. 29
a. Money shall be paid out the treasury, except in the
punishment of an appropriation made by law; and
b. No public money or property shall be
appropriated, applied or paid, or employed, directly or
indirectly, for the use, benefit, or support of any sect,
church, denomination, sectarian institution, or system of
religion, or any priest, preacher, minister or other preacher,
minister or dignitary assigned to the armed forces, or to any
penal institution, or government orphanage or leprosarium.

3. Art. VI, Sec. 30 states: “no law shall be passed
increasing the appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme
Court as provided in this Constitution without its
advice and concurrence.”
4. Art. VI, Sec. 31 declares: “no law granting a
royalty or nobility shall be enacted.”
5. The Congress cannot pass law granting tax
exemption in the absence of the concurrence of
the majority of all members of the House.

Legislative Power of the People
The legislative department is no longer the
sole body or institution, which enact laws and pass
resolutions. Under the 1987 Constitution, the people
have the power to participate directly in legislating
laws through initiative and referendum.

Art. VI, Sec. 32 declares: “The Congress shall, as
early as possible, provides for a system of initiative
and referendum, and exemption therefrom,
whereby the people can directly propose and
enact laws or approve or reject any act or part
thereof passed by the Congress or local legislative
body after the registration of a petition thereof
signed by at least ten per centum of the total
number of registered voters, of which every
legislative district must be represented by at least 3
per centum of the registered voters thereof.”

Group 2
Almazon, Ivan Christian
Dimaano, Rogiselle
Guce, Jesiree
Gutierrez, Joan Bernadette
Lazaro, Cassandra
Manabe, Maria Katrina
Reyes, Patricia
Saludo, Alyssa Marie

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