House of Representatives of the Philippines

House of Representatives of the Philippines. It is the lower chamber of the bicameral Congress of the Philippines, with the Senate of the Philippines serving as the upper house. The House is charged with the primary responsibility of originating all bills for raising revenue and appropriating funds, a power derived from the Constitution of the Philippines. Its members, known as Representatives or Congressmen, convene at the Batasang Pambansa Complex in Quezon City.

History

The institution traces its origins to the Philippine Assembly established under American rule in 1907, which later evolved into the National Assembly of the Philippines under the 1935 Constitution. The modern House was formally established upon the inauguration of the Commonwealth of the Philippines and the subsequent restoration of a bicameral legislature. Significant periods in its development include its suspension during the Second World War and the martial law era under President Ferdinand Marcos, when it was replaced by the Batasang Pambansa. Its current form and powers were reinstated following the 1986 People Power Revolution and the ratification of the 1987 Constitution.

Composition and election

The House is composed of a maximum of 316 members elected through a parallel voting system. The majority are District Representatives, each elected via first-past-the-post voting from legislative districts apportioned among provinces, cities, and Metro Manila. Additionally, the Constitution mandates the election of Party-list Representatives through a party-list proportional representation system to represent marginalized sectors. Members serve three-year terms and are subject to a term limit of three consecutive terms, as stipulated in the Local Government Code of the Philippines.

Powers and functions

The House holds the exclusive power to initiate all appropriation bills and those for raising revenue, a key check derived from the Jones Law tradition. It shares legislative power with the Senate of the Philippines, including the declaration of a state of war. The chamber also possesses non-legislative powers such as conducting inquiries in aid of legislation, confirming certain presidential appointments via the Commission on Appointments, and initiating the process of impeachment in the Philippines against officials like the President, Chief Justice, and Ombudsman.

Leadership and organization

The presiding officer is the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, elected from among its members, with Martin Romualdez currently holding the position. Other key leaders include the House Majority Floor Leader and the House Minority Floor Leader. The work of the chamber is organized through a system of standing committees and special committees, each specializing in areas such as appropriations, justice, and ways and means. The administration of the House is managed by the Secretary General of the House of Representatives of the Philippines.

Current membership

The 19th Congress of the Philippines is dominated by a supermajority coalition led by the Lakas–CMD party of Speaker Romualdez, including allies from the Nationalist People's Coalition, the National Unity Party, and the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas. The official minority is led by Marcelino Libanan. Notable members include former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who serves as a Senior Deputy Speaker, and several scions of prominent political families such as the Marcos, Duterte, and Arroyo clans.

Notable legislation

Historically significant laws originated in the House include the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Law, the Sin Tax Reform Law, the Philippine Competition Act, and the Bangsamoro Organic Law. More recent landmark measures passed include the Universal Health Care Act, the Rice Tariffication Law, and the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act. The House also played a pivotal role in the legislative creation of key agencies like the Department of Information and Communications Technology. Category:National lower houses Category:Legislatures of the Philippines