House of Representatives of the Philippines
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House of Representatives of the Philippines
Type Lower house
Houses House of Representatives
House Speaker Prospero C. Nograles, Lakas-CMD
since February 5, 2008
Deputy Speakers Arnulfo T. Fuentebella Luzon
Raul V. del Mar Visayas
Simeon A. Datumanong Mindanao
Eric D. Singson Central Luzon
Ma. Amelita C. Villarosa Women
Members Not more than 250 Representatives
currently, only 240 Representatives
Political groups Lakas-CMD
KAMPI
Liberal
LDP
GO
Independent
PMP
Nacionalista
NPC
Others
Last elections May 14, 2007
Meeting place Batasang Pambansa, Quezon City
Web site http://www.congress.gov.ph

The House of Representatives of the Philippines (Filipino: Kapulungan ng mga Kinatawan ng Pilipinas) is the lower chamber of the Congress of the Philippines. The Senate is the upper chamber. The House is often informally called the Congress. Members of the house are called Congressmen (mga kinatawan or mga konggresista) and their title is Representative. Congressmen are elected to a three-year term and can be reelected, but cannot serve more than three consecutive terms. Most congressmen are district representatives, representing a particular geographical area. There are 212 legislative districts in the country, each composed of about 250,000 people. There are also Sectoral Representatives elected through the party-list system who constitute not more than twenty percent of the total number of Representatives.

The official headquarters of the House of Representatives is at the Batasang Pambansa (literally, national legislature) located at the Constitution Hill in Quezon City in Metro Manila. The building is often simply called Batasan.

Contents

History

When the Philippines was under American colonial rule, the legislative body was the Philippine Commission which existed from September 1900 to October 1907. The President of the United States appointed the members of the Philippine Commission.

The Philippine Bill of 1902 mandated the creation of a bicameral or a two-chamber Philippine Legislature with the Philippine Commission as the Upper House and the Philippine Assembly as the Lower House. This bicameral legislature was inaugurated in October 1907. Through the leadership of Speaker Sergio Osmeña and Floor Leader Manuel L. Quezon, the Rules of the 59th Congress of the United States was substantially adopted as the Rules of the Philippine Legislature.

In 1916, the Jones Law or the Philippine Autonomy Act changed the legislative system. The Philippine Commission was abolished and a new bicameral Philippine Legislature consisting of a House of Representatives and a Senate was established. The legislative system was changed again in 1935. The 1935 Constitution established a unicameral National Assembly. But in 1940, through an amendment to the 1935 Constitution, a bicameral Congress of the Philippines consisting of a House of Representatives and a Senate was adopted.

Upon the inauguration of the Republic of the Philippines in 1946, Republic Act No. 6 was enacted providing that on the date of the proclamation of the Republic of the Philippines, the existing Congress would be known as the First Congress of the Republic. The 1973 Constitution abolished the bicameral Congress and created a unicameral Batasang Pambansa parliamentary system of government.

The 1987 Constitution restored the presidential system of government together with a bicameral Congress of the Philippines.

The presiding officer is the Speaker.

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Exclusive powers

The House of Representatives has the exclusive power to propose legislation relating to appropriations, revenues, tariffs and increase of public debt. It is in this regard that the House is often referred to as having the "power of the purse." With the Senate membership having a national constituency, bills of local application and private bills are left to the House of Representatives to initiate. In all these instances, the Senate may just concur or propose amendments to such legislation.[1]

Impeachment

Another exclusive power of the House is to initiate all cases of impeachment against, the President, Vice President, members of the Supreme Court, members of the Constitutional Commissions (Commission on Elections, Commission on Audit), and the Ombudsman. When a third of its membership has endorsed the impeachment articles, it is then transmitted to the Senate which tries and decide on the impeachment case.[2]

Commission on Appointments

Main article: Commission on Appointments

On the basis of proportional representation of the political parties and the party-list organizations, the House elects twelve members or half of the membership of the Commission on Appointments, which is responsible for confirming the appointments of the President.[1]

House Electoral Tribunal

Similar to the Senate, the House of Representatives also constitutes its own electoral tribunal to judge all contests relating to the election, returns and qualification of its members. The House Electoral Tribunal is composed of nine members, of which three are justices of the Supreme Court and the remainder are elected by the House on the basis of proportional representation of the political parties and the party-list organizations. The most senior justice presides as its Chairman.[1]

Officers

Speakers of the House

Latest election

discuss –
Summary of the 14 May 2007 House of Representatives of the Philippines election results
Parties Seats
This is the division of seats as published on the website of the House of Representatives.
The first party affiliation mentioned is counted. This is not the result of the elections.
Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Includes SARRO, BO-PK, PROMDI, KDT and UNA) 70
Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Includes Padajon Surigao, 1-CEBU, UNA and PTM) 47
Nationalist People's Coalition (Includes Achievers with Integrity Movement) 26
Liberal Party 16
Nacionalista Party (Includes Abante Viscaya) 6
Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan 4
Partido Demokratiko Sosyalista ng Pilipinas 3
Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino 3
United Opposition 3
Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino 3
Koalisyon ng mga Pulitikong na Maka-Administrasyon 3
Independents (Caucuses with the Genuine Opposition) 5
Buhay Hayaan Yumabong 3
Bayan Muna 2
Citizen's Battle Against Corruption 2
Gabriela Women's Party 2
Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives 2
Kilusang Bagong Lipunan 1
Abono 1
Advocacy for Teacher Empowerment Through Action, Cooperation and Harmony Towards Educational Reforms, Inc. 1
Agricultural Sector Alliance of the Philippines, Inc. 1
Akbayan ! Citizens' Action Party 1
Alliance of Rural Concerns 1
Anak Mindanao 1
Anak Pawis 1
An Waray 1
Cooperative NATCCO Network Party 1
Luzon Farmers Party 1
You Against Corruption And Poverty 1
Total 241
Source: Congress Web site
discuss –
Summary of the 14 May 2007 House of Representatives of the Philippines Party-List election result
Party-list Votes % Seats
Below is the result of the party-list vote. Most seats in the Congress are not elected through the party list system.
Buhay Hayaan Yumabong 1,169,248 7.42 3
Bayan Muna 976,699 6.20 2
Citizen's Battle Against Corruption 755,605 4.79
Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives 621,211 3.94 1
Gabriela Women's Party 621,086 3.94
Advocacy for Teacher Empowerment Through Action, Cooperation and Harmony Towards Educational Reforms, Inc. 487,354 3.09
Akbayan ! Citizens' Action Party 466,019 2.96
Alagad 423,090 2.68
Cooperative NATCCO Network Party 409,812 2.60
Luzon Farmers Party 409,133 2.60
Bagong Alyansang Tagapagtaguyod ng Adhikaing Sambayanan 385,654 2.45
Alliance of Rural Concerns 373,840 2.37
Anak Pawis 369,366 2.34
Abono 339,897 2.16
Anak Mindanao 338,125 2.15
Agricultural Sector Alliance of the Philippines, Inc. 328,649 2.09
Total 30,049,524 21
Source: COMELEC

District representation

Main article: Legislative districts of the Philippines

All provinces and several cities have at least one congressional/legislative district, whose residents vote for their own congressman. Each district covers a population of approximately 250,000 to 500,000 people. Provinces that have only one congressional/legislative district are divided into two provincial districts for the purpose of electing Sangguniang Panlalawigan (Provincial Council) members. For provinces that have more than one congressional/legislative district, the provincial districts are identical to the corresponding congressional/legislative district.

Legislative districts in provinces

Legislative districts in cities

Sectoral representation

The party-list system is the name designated for the sectoral representation. Under the 1987 Constitution, the electorate can vote for certain party-list organizations in order to give voice to significant minorities of society that would otherwise not be adequately represented through geographical district. From 1987-1998, sectoral representatives were appointed by the President.

Since 1998, each voter votes for a single party-list organization. Organizations that garner at least 2% of the total number of votes are awarded one representative for every 2% up to a maximum of three representatives. Thus, there can be at most 50 sectoral representatives in Congress, though usually no more than 20 are elected because many organizations do not reach the required 2% minimum number of votes.

After the 2007 election, in a controversial decision, COMELEC changed how it allocates the party-list seats. Under the new formula only one party will have the maximum 3 seats. It based its decision on a formula contained in a Supreme Court decision.

Redistricting

Congress is mandated to reapportion the legislative districts within three years following the return of every census.[1] Since its restoration in 1987, no general apportionment law has been passed, despite the publication of four censuses in 1990, 1995, 2000 and 2007.[3] The increase in the number of representative districts since 1987, were mostly due to the creation of new provinces, cities and piecemeal redistricting of certain provinces and cities.

Most populous legislative districts

Rank Legislative district[a] Population[b]
1 2nd District of Quezon City 1,559,641
2 2nd District of Cavite 1,494,595
3 1st District of Caloocan City 984,530
4 1st District of Rizal 899,538
5 Lone District of Shariff Kabunsuan with Cotabato City[c] 822,039
6 1st District of Laguna 811,486
7 2nd District of Rizal 761,617
8 1st District of Cavite 755,705
9 1st District of South Cotabato 753,002
10 6th District of Cebu 743,715
a. ^  Based on the Ordinance appended to the 1987 Constitution apportioning the seats of the House of Representatives.[4]
b. ^  Based on the 2007 Census figures.[5]
c. ^  Reverted back as the 1st District of Maguindanao as of July 16, 2008.[6]


See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Chan-Robles Virtual Law Library. "The 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines - Article VI". Retrieved on 2008-07-25.
  2. ^ Chan-Robles Virtual Law Library. "The 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines - Article XI". Retrieved on 2008-07-25.
  3. ^ National Statistical Coordination Board. "NSCB - Statistics - Population and Housing". Retrieved on 2008-07-25.
  4. ^ Chan-Robles Virtual Law Library. "The 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines - Ordinance". Retrieved on 2008-07-25.
  5. ^ National Statistics Office. "Final Results - 2007 Census of Population". Retrieved on 2008-07-25.
  6. ^ Supreme Court of the Philippines. "G.R. No. 177597". Retrieved on 2008-07-25.

External links

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