THE COMMITTEE SYSTEM

Violeta T. Veloso
Executive Director
Committee Affairs Bureau
House of Representatives
2018

This material is a property of the author and cannot be used or reproduced, in part or as a
whole, without her expressed consent.
The Republic of the Philippines

The Philippines is a democratic and

republican State. Sovereignty resides in
the people and all government authority
emanates from them.
(Article II, Section 1 of the 1987 Constitution)
The Legislative Department

The legislative power shall be vested in the

Congress of the Philippines which shall
consist of a Senate and a House of
Representatives, except to the extent
reserved to the people by the provision on
initiative and referendum.
(Article VI, Section 1 of the 1987 Constitution)
The Senate

The Senate shall be composed of twenty-

four Senators who shall be elected at large
by the qualified voters of the Republic of
the Philippines.
(Article VI, Section 2 of the 1987 Constitution)
The House of Representatives

 The House of Representatives shall be composed of not

more than two hundred and fifty members, unless
otherwise fixed by law, who shall be elected from
legislative districts apportioned among the provinces,
cities and the Metropolitan Manila area in accordance with
the number of their respective inhabitants and on the basis
of a uniform and progressive ratio, and those who, as
provided by the law, shall be elected through a party-list
system of registered national, regional and sectoral parties
or organization.
(Article VI, Section 5 of the 1987 Constitution)
The House of Representatives

 The party-list representatives shall constitute twenty

percentum (20%) of the total number of the members of
the House of Representatives including those under the
party-list.

* 238 Legislative Districts and 59 Party-List Members

The House of Representatives

 All appropriation, revenue or tariff bills, bills authorizing

increase of the public debt, bills of local application, and
private bills shall originate exclusively in the House of
Representatives, but the Senate may propose or concur
with amendments.

(Article VI, Section 24 of the 1987 Constitution)

The House of Representatives

 The Congress may not increase the appropriations recommended

by the President for the operation of the Government as specified
in the budget. The form, content, and manner of preparation of
the budget shall be prescribed by law.
 No provision or enactment shall be embraced in the general
appropriations bill unless it relates specifically to some particular
appropriation therein. Any such provision or enactment shall be
limited in its operation to the appropriations to which it relates.
 The procedure in approving appropriations for the Congress shall
strictly follow the procedure for approving appropriations for
other departments and agencies.
The House of Representatives

 A special appropriations bill shall specify the purpose for which it

is intended, and shall be supported by funds actually available as
certified by the National Treasury, or to be raised by a
corresponding revenue proposal therein.
 No law shall be passed authorizing any transfer of appropriations;
however, the President, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of
the House of Representatives the chief Justice of the Supreme
Court, the heads of Constitutional Commissions may, by law, be
authorized to augment any item in the general appropriations law
for their respective offices from savings in other items of their
respective appropriations.
The House of Representatives

 Discretionary funds appropriated for particular officials shall be

disbursed only for public purposes to be supported by appropriate
vouchers and subject to such guidelines as may be prescribed by
law
 If, by the end of any fiscal year, the Congress shall have failed to
pass the general appropriations bill for the ensuing fiscal year, the
general appropriations law for the preceding shall be deemed
reenacted and shall remain in force and effect until the general
appropriations bill passed by the Congress.
 (Article VI, Section 25 of the 1987 Constitution)
The House of Representatives

 Every bill passed by the Congress shall embrace only one subject
which shall be expressed in the title thereof.
 No bill passed by either House shall become a law unless it has
passed three readings on separate days, and printed copies thereof
in its final form have been distributed to its Members three days
before its passage, except when the President certifies to the
necessity of its immediate enactment to meet a public calamity or
emergency. Upon the last reading of a bill, no amendment thereto
shall be allowed, and the vote thereon shall be taken immediately
thereafter, and the yeas and nays entered in the Journal

(Article VI, Section 26 of the 1987 Constitution)

The House of Representatives

 Every bill passed by the Congress shall, before it becomes a law,

be presented to the President. If he approves the same, he shall
sign it; otherwise, he shall veto and return the same with his
objections at to the House where it originated, which shall enter
the objections at large in its Journal and proceed to reconsider it.
If , after reconsideration, two0thirds of all the Members of such
House shall agree to pass the bill, it shall be sent, together with the
objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise ne
reconsidered, and if approved by two-thirds of all the Members of
that House, it shall become a law.
The House of Representatives

 In all such cases, the votes of each House shall be determined by

yeas and nays, and the names of the Members voting for or against
shall be entered in its Journal . The President shall communicate
his veto of any bill to the House where it originated within thirty
days after the date of receipt thereof; otherwise, it shall become a
law as if he had signed it.

 The President shall have the power to veto any particular item or
items in an appropriation, revenue, or tariff bill, but the veto shall
not affect the item or items to which he does not object.

(Article VI, Section 27of the 1987 Constitution)

XIII. Committees of the House

 Standing - 58
 Special Committees - 14
 “Congress in Session is Congress on
Public Exhibition,
while Congress in its Committee rooms is
Congress at Work.”

- Woodrow Wilson

15
I. Agenda Setting and Tracking
of Priorities

One Term = One Congress = 3 Years

No. of Session Days : 219 (14th Congress)

168 (15th Congress)
192 (16th Congress)
183 (17th Congress,
1st and 2nd RS only)
I. Agenda Setting and Tracking
of Priorities

 Legislative Agenda-Setting
Workshop
 State of the Nation Address
 Legislative-Executive
Development Council Priorities
 Committee Priorities
Legislative Priorities for the 17th Congress

Common Legislative Priorities of Congress

 29 out of 39 priority measures have been enacted into
law, awaiting the approval of the President, for
consideration of the bicameral conference, and
approved by the House on 2nd and 3rd Reading

LEDAC-Execom Approved Common

Legislative Agenda
 20 out of 28 priority measures have been enacted
into law, awaiting the approval of the President, for
consideration of the bicameral conference, and
approved by the House on 2nd and 3rd Reading
II. Managing the Committee’s
Affairs
 Managing the Committee’s Calendar
- Meetings and Public Hearings
- Special Events
- Chairperson’s Activities
- Plenary Work
- Bicameral Conference Committee
Activities
 Preparation and Submission of Reports
 Coordination with Senate Counterpart to
Identify Convergence and Divergence of
Counterpart Measures
 Safekeeping of Records
 Archiving Committee Documents Pertinent
to Each Measure Passed by the House
III. Committee Meetings and
Public Hearings
Synchronized meeting schedules
In-house meetings
Out of town public hearings
Executive sessions
IV. Conduct of Committee Meetings
and Hearings

Pre-Meeting Activities
Meeting Proper
Post Meeting Activities
Pre-Meeting Activities
 Research on Constitutionality,
Legal Bases, Form, Related
Laws, Similar Measures
 Preparation of
- Briefs/Materials,
including Position Papers
- Notice of Meetings
- Food Reservation
Request
- Confirmation of Guests
Meeting Proper

Note-Taking and
Documentation
Assistance to
Members and
Guests
Post Meeting Activities

 Submit Spot Reports

 Prepare Minutes of the
Meeting
 Prepare Transcripts
 Prepare Press Releases
 Prepare Committee
Reports and Bill
Abstracts/Factsheets
Post Meeting Activities

 Prepare Public Information

Materials
 Assist in Plenary
Deliberations
 Ensure accuracy of
Engrossed Copy of Measures
(as approved on Third
Reading)
 Ensure accuracy of Enrolled
Copy of a Measure
V. Conduct of Technical
Working Group Meetings
 May be conducted to ensure that measures and
their corresponding committee reports are
carefully crafted and faithfully express the ideas,
sentiments and consensus of the committee.
 May include:

– Select Members of the Committee

– Committee Secretariat
– Stakeholders
VI. Committee Report

 Approve with or without

amendments
 Substitute bills or resolutions
 Consolidate bills or resolutions
 For inquiries in aid of legislation,
the findings and
recommendations of the
Committee
VII. Conference Committee
Reports
Shall contain a detailed statement of the
changes in or amendments to the subject
measures
If the conference committee fails to
finalize a report within sixty session days
from the date of its organization, the
Members of the House panel shall submit a
report to explain why the conference
committee is unable to prepare a report.
VIII. Special Events

Round Table Discussions

Workshops and seminars
Exhibits
Partnerships with special
sectors deepen their
involvement in the democratic
process
Vets public sentiments on
current issues
IX. The Committee Referral
System

By Committee Jurisdiction

Single or Joint Referral
Responsibility for Disposition
X. Types of Measures

House Bill (and Senate Bill)

House Resolution (and Senate Resolution)
Joint Resolution
Concurrent Resolution
Resolution of Both Houses
XI. Bills That Shall Originate
Exclusively from the House
 Appropriations Bills
 Revenue or Tariff – bills
 Local Bills
 Private Bills
- Franchise Bills
- Citizenship

- the Senate may propose or concur with

amendments
XII. Impeachment

Under the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the

Philippines :

“The House of Representatives shall have the

exclusive power to initiate all cases of impeachment.”
(Sec. 3 (1), Art. XI)
“The Senate shall have the sole power to try and
decide all cases of impeachment. When sitting for that
purpose, the Senators shall be on oath or affirmation.
When the President of the Philippines is on trial, the
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court shall preside, but
shall not vote. No person shall be convicted without
the concurrence of two-thirds of all the Members of
the Senate.” (Section 6, Article XI)
XIV. Committee on Rules

Jurisdiction
- All matters relating to the Rules of the House,
Rules of Procedure Governing Inquiries in Aid
of Legislation, Rules of Procedure in
Impeachment Proceedings, Order of Business,
Calendar of Business, the referral of bills,
resolutions, speeches, committee reports,
messages, memorials and petitions, and the
creation of committees inclusive of
determining their respective jurisdictions.
Committee on Rules

 Members
- Majority Leader
- Deputy Majority Leaders
- Minority Leader
- Deputy Minority Leaders
 COMMITTEE AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT
DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

COMMITTEE ON COMMITTEE ON DEPUTY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ON COMMITTEE ON

ACCOUNTS APPROPRIATIONS DIRECTOR RULES WAYS & MEANS

CLUSTER 1 CLUSTER 2 CLUSTER 3 CLUSTER 4 CLUSTER 5 CLUSTER 6 COMMITTEE ADMIN.

(Economic 1) (Economic 2) (Social Services) (Governance) (Legal /Political 1) (Legal /Political 2) SUPPORT SERVICE

Standing Committees: Standing Committees: Standing Committees: Standing Committees: Standing Committees: Standing Committees: Debate
Stenographers
Ba nks & Financial Agra ri an Reform Ba s ic Education & Ci vi l Servi ce & Cons titutional Da ngerous Drugs Pool
Intermediaries Agri cul ture & Food Cul ture Professional Amendments Huma n Rights
Economic Affairs Hea lth Regulation Ethi cs & Pri vileges Commi ttee Pages
Aqua culture & Inter-Parliamentary
Energy Fi s heries Resources Hi gher & Technical Forei gn Affairs Ga mes & Rel ations & Pool
Govt. Enterprises Educa tion Government Amus ements Di plomacy
Cooperatives Edi torial & Admin.
& Pri va tization Development Hous ing & Urban Reorganization Good Government Mi ndanao Affairs Support Group
Information & Development Loca l Government a nd
Ecol ogy Mus l im Affairs
Communications Publ ic
Na tural Resources La bor & Employment Metro Ma nila Na tional Cultural
Technology Accountability
Overs eas Workers Development Communities
Publ ic Works & Rura l Development Jus tice
Hi ghways Affa irs Na tional Defense & Peopl e’s Pa rticipation
Sci ence & Technology Security Legi slative Franchises
Sma ll Business & Popul ation & Fa mily
Touri sm Rel ations Publ ic Information Revi sion of Laws Special Committees:
Entrep Dev’t.
Tra de & Industry Special Committees: Poverty Al l eviation Publ ic Order & Safety Suffra ge & El ectoral Bi col Recovery &
Soci al Servi ces Vetera ns Affairs & Reforms Economic Dev’t.
Tra ns portation Food Security
Wel fare of Children Wel fare Special Committees: North Luzon Growth
Special Committees: La nd Use Qua drangle
Reforestation Women & Gender Special Committee: Bases Conversion
Gl obalization & WTO Pea ce, Reconciliation
Equa lity Southern Tagalog East ASEAN Growth & Uni ty
Mi l l ennium Youth & Sports Development Area
Development Goals Development
Engaging the Public in the
Democratic Process
- lobby registration: Republic Act
- participating in the meetings and bill drafting
- consultative and investigative public hearings
- engaging sectoral groups and the media
a. attendance in meetings
b. referral of measures/position papers
c. future modes of engagement
- social media
- institutional electronic feedback
- cooperative events
- information outreach projects