Article VI: The Legislative DepartmentIn all proposals, Congress would remain bicameral. In RBH 8, both houses would still be known by their current names, with almost the same roles.
But in PDP-Laban's draft charter and as proposed in the House, Congress would be called the Parliament, composed of the Senate and the Federal Assembly. The Prime Minister, head of the Federal Assembly, would have considerably bigger powers as head of government.
The SenateIn RBH 8, up to 6 senators may represent each of the 18 regions, based on their population. Their terms will remain to be for 6 years, but the lowest vote-getter in each region in the first election under a new Constitution would only serve for 3 years.
In PDP-Laban's draft charter and as proposed by a House subcommittee, 3 senators would represent each region, with a term of 5 years each.
In their executive summary, PDP-Laban said the Senate's powers "shall be limited to the review of bills passed by the Federal Assembly."
RBH 8
Section 1.
Except for powers reserved to each Region and to the people by the provision on initiative and referendum, the legislative power shall be vested in the
Congress of the Federal Republic of the Philippines which shall consist of a Senate and a House of Representatives.
Section 2. The Senate shall be composed of
at least two up to a maximum of six Senators from each Region who shall be elected at large by the qualified voters
of each Region. A region with more than 5 million, 6 million, 7 million and 8 million inhabitants shall have an additional of one, two, three, and four Senators, respectively. Each Senator shall have one vote. Section 3. No person shall be a Senator unless he is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, and, on the day of the election, is at least thirty-five years of age, able to read and write, a registered voter
in the Region in which he shall be elected, and a resident
thereof for a period of not less than two years immediately preceding the day of the election.
Section 4. The term of office of the Senators shall be six years and shall commence, unless otherwise provided by law, at noon on the thirtieth day of June next following their election. No Senator shall serve for more than two consecutive terms. Voluntary renunciation of the office for any length of time shall not be considered as an interruption in the continuity of his service for the full term for which he was elected.
In the first elections after the ratification of this Constitution, the Senators who obtained the lowest number of votes in their respective regions shall serve for three years only and the rest for the full term of six years. In the succeeding elections, Senators elected at large by the qualified voters of each Region shall serve for six years.PDP-Laban
Section 1. The legislative power shall be vested in the
Parliament of the Federal Republic of the Philippines which shall consist of
two houses: the Federal Assembly, as the national legislative department, and the Senate, as the legislative body representative of the regions, except to the extent reserved to the people by the provision on initiative and referendum.
[...]
Section 5. Each region shall have three (3) seats in the Senate. The Senators receiving the three highest number of direct votes by registered voters in a region shall represent their region in the Senate. Section 6. No person shall be a Senator unless he is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, and, on the day of the election, is at least thirty-five years of age, able to read and write, and a registered voter and a resident
of the region in which he was elected as Senator for not less than two years immediately preceding the day of the election.
Section 7. The term of office of the Senators shall be
five (5) years and shall commence, unless otherwise provided by law, at noon on the thirtieth day of June next following their election. No Senator shall serve for more than two consecutive terms. Voluntary renunciation of the office for any length of time shall not be considered as an interruption in the continuity of his service for the full term for which he was elected.
A person who has served as a Senator without interruption for a period of more than three (3) years within the five (5) year term shall be considered to have served a term as a Senator. No person who has served one term as a Senator who has served a second consecutive term as such without interruption for more than three (3) years shall be qualified for election for a third consecutive term. [...]
Section 27. [...]
(4) Every bill passed by the Federal Assembly shall be submitted for the concurrence of the Senate unless otherwise provided in this paragraph. [...]
(5) The Senate shall primarily represent the regions in the federal government and in the Parliament. The Senate shall not initiate legislation. [...]House subcommittee
Each State shall have a minimum of 3 seats in the Senate. The senators receiving the three highest number of direct votes by registered voters in a region shall represent their region in the Senate.
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