ARTICLE VI 3.

Each legislative district shall

THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT comprise, as far as practicable,
contiguous, compact, and adjacent
Section 1. The legislative power shall be vested territory. Each city with a population
in the Congress of the Philippines which shall of at least two hundred fifty thousand,
consist of a Senate and a House of or each province, shall have at least one
Representatives, except to the extent reserved representative.
to the people by the provision on initiative and
referendum. 4. Within three years following the return
of every census, the Congress shall
Section 2. The Senate shall be composed of make a reapportionment of legislative
twenty-four Senators who shall be elected at districts based on the standards
large by the qualified voters of the Philippines, provided in this section.
as may be provided by law.
Section 6. No person shall be a Member of the
Section 3. No person shall be a Senator unless House of Representatives unless he is a
he is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines natural-born citizen of the Philippines and,
and, on the day of the election, is at least on the day of the election, is at least twenty-
thirty-five years of age, able to read and five years of age, able to read and write, and,
write, a registered voter, and a resident of except the party-list representatives, a
the Philippines for not less than two years registered voter in the district in which he
immediately preceding the day of the shall be elected, and a resident thereof for a
election. period of not less than one year immediately
preceding the day of the election.
Section 4. The term of office of the Senators
shall be six years and shall commence, unless Section 7. The Members of the House of
otherwise provided by law, at noon on the Representatives shall be elected for a term of
thirtieth day of June next following their three years which shall begin, unless
election. No Senator shall serve for more than otherwise provided by law, at noon on the
two consecutive terms. Voluntary renunciation thirtieth day of June next following their
of the office for any length of time shall not be election. No Member of the House of
considered as an interruption in the continuity Representatives shall serve for more than
of his service for the full term of which he was three consecutive terms. Voluntary
elected. renunciation of the office for any length of time
shall not be considered as an interruption in
Section 5. the continuity of his service for the full term for
1. The House of Representatives shall be which he was elected.
composed of not more than two
hundred and fifty members, unless Section 8. Unless otherwise provided by law,
otherwise fixed by law, who shall be the regular election of the Senators and the
elected from legislative districts Members of the House of Representatives shall
apportioned among the provinces, cities, be held on the second Monday of May.
and the Metropolitan Manila area in
accordance with the number of their Section 9. In case of vacancy in the Senate
respective inhabitants, and on the basis or in the House of Representatives, a special
of a uniform and progressive ratio, and election may be called to fill such vacancy in
those who, as provided by law, shall be the manner prescribed by law, but the Senator
elected through a party-list system of or Member of the House of Representatives
registered national, regional, and thus elected shall serve only for the unexpired
sectoral parties or organizations. term.

2. The party-list representatives shall xxx

constitute twenty per centum of the
total number of representatives Section 11. A Senator or Member of the House
including those under the party list. For of Representatives shall, in all offenses
three consecutive terms after the punishable by not more than six years
ratification of this Constitution, one-half imprisonment, be privileged from arrest while
of the seats allocated to party-list the Congress is in session. No Member shall be
representatives shall be filled, as questioned nor be held liable in any other place
provided by law, by selection or election for any speech or debate in the Congress or in
from the labor, peasant, urban poor, any committee thereof. (Privilege speech)
indigenous cultural communities,
women, youth, and such other sectors xxx
as may be provided by law, except the
religious sector.
Section 15. The Congress shall convene once representation from the political
every year on the fourth Monday of July for parties and the parties or
its regular session, unless a different date is organizations registered under the
fixed by law, and shall continue to be in session party-list system represented therein.
for such number of days as it may determine
until thirty days before the opening of its next 3. The senior Justice in the Electoral
regular session, exclusive of Saturdays, Tribunal shall be its Chairman.
Sundays, and legal holidays. The President
may call a special session at any time. Section 18. There shall be a Commission on
Appointments consisting of:
Section 16. 1. President of the Senate, as ex officio
1. The Senate shall elect its (Senate) Chairman;
President and the House of 2. Twelve Senators;
Representatives, its Speaker, by a 3. Twelve Members of the House of
majority vote of all its respective Representatives.
Members. Each House shall choose such
other officers as it may deem necessary. The chairman of the Commission shall not vote,
except in case of a tie.
2. A majority of each House shall
constitute a quorum to do business, The Commission shall act on all
but a smaller number may adjourn appointments submitted to it within thirty
from day to day and may compel the session days of the Congress from their
attendance of absent Members in such submission. The Commission shall rule by a
manner, and under such penalties, as majority vote of all the Members.
such House may provide.
Section 19. The Electoral Tribunals and the
3. Each House may determine the rules of Commission on Appointments shall be
its proceedings, punish its Members for constituted within thirty days after the
disorderly behavior, and, with the Senate and the House of Representatives
concurrence of two-thirds of all its shall have been organized with the election
Members, suspend or expel a Member. of the President and the Speaker.
A penalty of suspension, when imposed,
shall not exceed sixty days. xxx

4. Each House shall keep a Journal of its Section 21. The Senate or the House of
proceedings, and from time to time Representatives or any of its respective
publish the same, excepting such parts committees may conduct inquiries in aid of
as may, in its judgment, affect national legislation in accordance with its duly
security; and the yeas and nays on any published rules of procedure. The rights of
question shall, at the request of one- persons appearing in, or affected by, such
fifth of the Members present, be inquiries shall be respected.
entered in the Journal. Each House
shall also keep a Record of its Section 22. The heads of departments may,
proceedings. upon their own initiative, with the consent
of the President, or upon the request of
5. Neither House during the sessions of the either House, as the rules of each House
Congress shall, without the consent of shall provide, appear before and be heard by
the other, adjourn for more than three such House on any matter pertaining to
days, nor to any other place than that in their departments.
which the two Houses shall be sitting.
Section 23.
Section 17. The Senate and the House of 1. The Congress, by a vote of two-thirds
Representatives shall each have an Electoral of both Houses in joint session
Tribunal which shall be the sole judge of all assembled, voting separately, shall
contests relating to the election, returns, have the sole power to declare the
and qualifications of their respective existence of a state of war.
Members. Each Electoral Tribunal shall be
composed of nine Members: 2. In times of war or other national
emergency, the Congress may, by law,
1. Three Justices of the Supreme Court to authorize the President xxx to
be designated by the Chief Justice; exercise powers necessary and proper
to carry out a declared national
2. Remaining six shall be Members of the policy. Unless sooner withdrawn by
Senate or the House of Representatives, resolution of the Congress, such powers
as the case may be, who shall be chosen shall cease upon the next
on the basis of proportional adjournment thereof.
Section 24. All appropriation, revenue or The President shall communicate his
tariff bills, bills authorizing increase of the veto of any bill to the House where it
public debt, bills of local application, and originated within thirty days after the
private bills, shall originate exclusively in the date of receipt thereof, otherwise, it
House of Representatives, but the Senate shall become a law as if he had signed
may propose or concur with amendments. it.

Section 25. xxx

1. The Congress may not increase the
appropriations recommended by the Section 28.
President for the operation of the 1. The rule of taxation shall be uniform
Government as specified in the budget. and equitable. The Congress shall
The form, content, and manner of evolve a progressive system of taxation.
preparation of the budget shall be xxx
prescribed by law.
2. Charitable institutions, churches and
xxx personages or convents appurtenant
thereto, mosques, non-profit
2. If, by the end of any fiscal year, the cemeteries, and all lands, buildings,
Congress shall have failed to pass the and improvements xxx used for
general appropriations bill for the religious, charitable, or educational
ensuing fiscal year, the general purposes shall be exempt from
appropriations law for the preceding taxation.
fiscal year shall be deemed re-enacted
and shall remain in force and effect until 3. No law granting any tax exemption
the general appropriations bill is passed shall be passed without the
by the Congress. concurrence of a majority of all the
Members of the Congress.
Section 26.
Section 29.
1. Every bill passed by the Congress shall All money collected on any tax levied for
embrace only one subject which shall a special purpose shall be treated as a
be expressed in the title thereof. special fund and paid out for such
purpose only. If the purpose for which a
2. No bill passed by either House shall special fund was created has been
become a law unless it has passed three fulfilled or abandoned, the balance, if
readings on separate days, xxx any, shall be transferred to the general
funds of the Government.
Section 27.
xxx
1. Every bill passed by the Congress shall,
before it becomes a law, be presented to Section 32. The Congress shall, as early as
the President. If he approves the same possible, provide for a system of initiative and
he shall sign it; otherwise, he shall referendum, and the exceptions therefrom,
veto it and return the same with his whereby the people can directly propose and
objections to the House where it enact laws or approve or reject any act or
originated, which shall enter the law or part thereof passed by the Congress
objections at large in its Journal and or local legislative body after the
proceed to reconsider it. registration of a petition therefor signed by
at least ten per centum (10%) of the total
If, after such reconsideration, two- number of registered voters, of which every
thirds of all the Members of such legislative district must be represented by at
House shall agree to pass the bill, it least three per centum of the registered voters
shall be sent, together with the thereof.
objections, to the other House by
which it shall likewise be
reconsidered;

If approved by two-thirds of all the

Members of that House, it shall
become a law. In all such cases, the
votes of each House shall be determined
by yeas or nays, and the names of the
Members voting for or against shall be
entered in its Journal.
shall not be designated to any agency
performing quasi-judicial or administrative
function.
Section 13. The conclusions of the Supreme
Court in any case submitted to it for the
decision en banc or in division shall be reached
in consultation before the case the case
assigned to a Member for the writing of the
opinion of the Court. A certification to this
effect signed by the Chief Justice shall be
issued and a copy thereof attached to the
record of the case and served upon the parties.
Any Member who took no part, or dissented, or
abstained from a decision or resolution must
state the reason therefor. The same
requirements shall be observed by all lower
collegiate court.
Section 14. No decision shall be rendered by
any court without expressing therein clearly
and distinctly the facts and the law on which it
is based.
No petition for review or motion for
reconsideration of a decision of the court shall
be refused due course or denied without stating
the legal basis therefor.
Section 15.
1. All cases or matters filed after the
effectivity of this Constitution must be
decided or resolved within twenty-four
months from date of submission for the
Supreme Court, and, unless reduced by
the Supreme Court, twelve months for
all lower collegiate courts, and three
months for all other lower courts.
2. A case or matter shall be deemed
submitted for decision or resolution
upon the filing of the last pleading, brief,
or memorandum required by the Rules
of Court or by the court itself.
3. Upon the expiration of the
corresponding period, a certification to
this effect signed by the Chief Justice or
the presiding judge shall forthwith be
issued and a copy thereof attached to the
record of the case or matter, and served
upon the parties. The certification shall
state why a decision or resolution has
not been rendered or issued within said
period.
4. Despite the expiration of the applicable
mandatory period, the court, without
prejudice to such responsibility as may
have been incurred in consequence
thereof, shall decide or resolve the case
or matter submitted thereto for
determination, without further delay.
Section 16. The Supreme Court shall, within
thirty days from the opening of each regular
session of the Congress, submit to the
President and the Congress an annual report
on the operations and activities of the
Judiciary.