PRESIDENTIAL DECREES

Presidential Decrees were an innovation made by President Ferdinand E.

Marcos with the proclamation of Martial Law. They served to arrogate unto
the Chief Executive the lawmaking powers of Congress. Only President
Marcos issued Presidential Decrees. In the Freedom Constitution of 1986, President
Corazon C. Aquino recognized the validity of existing Presidential Decrees unless
otherwise repealed.
A REPUBLIC ACT is a piece of legislation used to create policy in order to carry
out the principles of the Constitution. It is crafted and passed by the Congress
of the Philippines and approved by the President of Philippines. It can only be
repealed by a similar act of Congress.
ADMINISTRATIVE ORDERS
Acts of the President which relate to particular aspects of governmental
operations in pursuance of his duties as administrative head shall be
promulgated in administrative orders.
EXECUTIVE ORDERS
Acts of the President providing for rules of a general or permanent character
in implementation or execution of constitutional or statutory powers shall
be promulgated in executive orders.
Administrative Code of 1987, Book III, Chapter 2, Section 2
PROCLAMATIONS
Acts of the President fixing a date or declaring a status or condition of
public moment or interest, upon the existence of which the operation of a
specific law or regulation is made to depend, shall be promulgated in
proclamations which shall have the force of an executive order.
Administrative Code of 1987, Book III, Chapter 2, Section 4
GENERAL ORDERS / SPECIAL ORDERS
Acts and commands of the President in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief of
the Armed Forces of the Philippines shall be issued as general or special
orders.
Administrative Code of 1987, Book III, Chapter 2, Section 7
1. To initiate the law-making process, the proposed bill is signed by its author and
filed with the Secretary of the either the Lower House (for congressmen) or the
Senate (for senators).
2. The bill will go through three readings. On the First Reading, the number and
title of the bill is read, followed by its referral to the appropriate committee for
study.
3. On the Second Reading, the bill is read in full along with amendments
proposed by the committee who studied it. The bill is then subjected to debates
and discussion by the members of the House where it was filed. After extensive
discussion, the bill will be voted on. If approved, it would go through a third reading.
4. On Third Reading, the bill in final form will be submitted for a final vote. If
approved again, it shall be transmitted to the other House for concurrence. The
other House will go through the same process of having three readings.
5. If the other House introduces amendments and the House from which the bill
originated does not approve of the amendments, the differences will be settled by a
meeting of the Conference Committees of both Houses (Bicameral Conference
Committee), whose recommendations will have to be approved by both Houses.
6. Once approved, the bill in engrossed from will be enrolled and will be transmitted
to the President of the Philippines for signature. The President may then either sign
the bill to indicate approval, or veto the bill to indicate disapproval. If approved, the
bill officially becomes a law.
7. If the President decides to exercise his veto powers, the Congress may re-pass
the vetoed bill if two-thirds of both Houses, voting separately, approve its
enactment. In this case, the bill also officially becomes a law.