The Philippines: How A Bill Becomes A Law
The
President implements the law whether effectively or otherwise. But have you
ever wondered where these laws came from?
The discussion below will explain step by step how a bill becomes a law
here in the Philippines as mandated in the 1987 Constitution.
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 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, whose
recommendations will have to be approved by both Houses.
6.
Once the bill is approved, it is 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.
Source: http://manilarules.com/2013/06/25/how-a-bill-becomes-law-in-the-philippines/