HOW A BILL BECOMES LAW?
Congress of the Philippines which is consist of a Senate and a House of Representatives is
vested with legislative power to make, amend, or repeal laws except to the extent reserved to the
people by the provision on initiative and referendum.
The legislative procedures for passing a bill into a law are similar in both the House of
Representatives and the Senate.
The Legislative process begins with the introduction of a bill by a member of Congress. A
member may introduce a number of bills. A bill may have joint sponsorship and carry several
members’ name; but it shall embrace only one subject which should be expressed in the title
thereof.
THE PROCESS IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:
1. Numbering/Calendaring for First Reading
-A bill is given a corresponding number and calendared for the First Reading.
2. First Reading
-The Secretary General reads only the title and number of the bill, and the Speaker refers
the bill to the appropriate committee/s.
3. Committee Consideration/Action
-The committee then evaluates the referred bill to determine whether a public hearing is
necessary or not.
-When there is necessity for public hearing, it then schedules the time and invites the
stakeholders concerning the proposed bill.
-If the committee finds that no public hearing is needed , it schedules the bill for
committee discussion/s
-Based on the result 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 the prepares the corresponding Committee Report and approves it.
4. Calendaring for Second Reading
The committee report with its approved bill version is submitted to the committee on
rules for calendaring for second reading.
5. Second Reading
The Secretary General reads the number, title and text of the bill, and the following takes
place:
a. Period of Sponsorship and Debate
b. Period of Amendments
c. Voting by:
i. viva voce
ii. count by tellers
iii. division of the house
iv. nominal voting
6. Printing and Distribution of Copies of the Bill’s Final Version
- Printed copies of the bill’s final version are distributed to the Members three days
before the scheduled 3rd Reading. The three-day period can be dispensed with when the
President certifies to the necessity of the bill’s immediate enactment to meet a public
calamity or emergency.
7. Third Reading
- The Secretary General reads only the number and title of the bill.
- A roll call or nominal voting is held.
- No amendment on the bill is allowed at this stage.
- The bill is approved by an Affirmative vote of a majority of the Members present, and
the yeas and the nays are entered in the Journal.
8. Senate Action on the Bill
- A similar bill should also be introduced in the Senate, and it should also follow the same
procedures(First Reading, Second Reading, and Third Reading)
9. Bicameral Conference Committee
- If the house approved-version is compatible with that of the Senate’s, the final
Version’s enrolled form is printed.
-If there are certain differences , a Bicameral committee is called to reconcile conflicting
Provisions of both versions of the Senate and House of Representatives. Conference
Committee submits report on the reconciled version of the bill, duly approved by both
chambers. The reconciled version in its enrolled form is printed.
10. Presentation of the Bill to the President
- Copies of the bill, signed by the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of
Representatives and certified by the Secretary of the Senate and the Secretary General of
the House , are presented to the President. The final copy of the bill that is being
presented to the president is known as the enrolled bill.
11. Approval of the Bill
There are three ways by which a bill may be approved. These are:
1. The President signs the bill
2. If the bill is vetoed, the same, together with a message citing the reason fort the
veto, is transmitted to the House where the bill originated. If the Congress decides
to override the veto, the House and the Senate shall proceed separately to
reconsider the bill or the vetoed items of the bill. If the bill or its vetoed items are
passed by a vote of two-thirds of the Members of each House, such bill or items
shall become a law.
3. If the President neither communicates his veto of the bill to the House where it
originate, nor signs it within thirty days after the date of receipt thereof; the bill
becomes a law as if he had signed it.
12. Assignment of Republic Act Number
-The approved bill becomes a Republic Act and is assigned a number.
A joint resolution having the force and effect of a law goes through the same
process.
