ANALYZE THE ROLES AND POWERS

OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF

THE GOVERNMENT AND
DIFFERENTIATE THE ROLES AND
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE
PHILIPPINE SENATE AND HOUSE
OF THE REPRESENTATIVES
3 BRANCHES OF THE
GOVERNMENT
1. Legislative Branch (Congress):
Main Role: The legislative branch's
primary function is to create and
pass laws. This process starts when
a law is proposed as a bill, which is
then debated and voted on by
Congress.
Structure:
The Senate has 100 members, with each
state electing two senators. Senators serve
for 6 years.
The House of Representatives has 435
members, with each state having a number
of representatives based on its population.
Representatives serve for 2 years.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Lawmaking: The legislative branch creates
laws by introducing bills, debating them, and
voting on them. If both the Senate and House
approve a bill, it goes to the President for
approval.
Checks on the Executive: Congress can
override a presidential veto with a 2/3
majority vote in both chambers. Congress
also has the power to approve or reject
presidential appointments, such as judges
and cabinet members.
Power of the Purse: Congress has the
authority to raise and spend money.
This means they decide the federal
budget and control how tax dollars are
spent.
Impeachment: The House can charge
the President or other federal officials
with misconduct (impeachment), and
the Senate holds a trial to determine
whether they should be removed from
office.
2. Executive Branch (The President and
Agencies):
Main Role: The executive branch is
responsible for enforcing and carrying
out the laws that Congress passes. It also
has a crucial role in foreign policy and
national security.
Structure:
The President is the head of the
executive branch and is responsible for
making sure laws are implemented and
enforced.
The Vice President supports the
President and takes over if the President
cannot perform their duties.
The Cabinet consists of the heads of
major executive departments, such as
Defense, State, Treasury, and Justice.
These officials advise the President and
oversee government agencies.
There are also numerous federal
agencies (like the FBI, EPA, or CDC) that
carry out specific functions.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Enforcing Laws: The President ensures that
laws passed by Congress are enforced. For
example, if a new environmental law is
passed, agencies like the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) will be tasked with
implementing and monitoring it.
Commander-in-Chief: The President has
control over the U.S. military and can make
military decisions, though Congress has the
power to declare war.
Diplomacy: The President handles foreign
relations, negotiates treaties, and meets with
foreign leaders.
Appointments: The President appoints federal
judges (including Supreme Court justices) and
other key officials, such as cabinet members.
Executive Orders: The President can issue
executive orders, which are direct instructions
to government agencies on how to implement
certain laws or policies.
3. Judicial Branch (The Courts):
Main Role: The judicial branch’s primary
function is to interpret laws and ensure
they align with the Constitution. Courts
resolve disputes and uphold individual
rights.
Structure:
The Supreme Court is the highest court
in the land, with nine justices. Their
decisions are final and can have a lasting
impact on the law and society.
Below the Supreme Court are lower
federal courts, including courts of
appeals (which review decisions made by
lower courts) and district courts (where
trials are held).
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Judicial Review: One of the most
important powers of the judicial branch
is the ability to interpret laws and strike
down laws that violate the Constitution.
This is known as judicial review, which
was established in the landmark case
Marbury v. Madison (1803). For
example, if Congress passes a law that
infringes on free speech, the courts can
declare it unconstitutional.
Interpretation of Laws: Courts interpret and
apply laws to specific cases. They decide
whether laws are constitutional and how they
should be applied in real-life situations. This
can involve everything from criminal cases to
civil disputes to constitutional questions.
Protecting Rights: The judicial branch ensures
that individual rights are protected, including
those guaranteed in the Bill of Rights (e.g.,
freedom of speech, the right to a fair trial).
The System of Checks and
Balances:
Each branch of government has
some measure of influence over
the other branches. This prevents
any one branch from becoming
too powerful.
Congress (Legislative) Checks the President
(Executive):
Congress can override a presidential veto
(with a 2/3 majority vote).
Congress controls the budget and can refuse
to fund certain executive actions.
Senate confirms presidential appointments
(like judges and cabinet members).
Congress can impeach the President or other
officials.
President (Executive) Checks Congress
(Legislative):
The President can veto bills passed by
Congress.
The President can issue executive orders
that direct the actions of federal
agencies (within their legal powers).
The President can appoint judges,
including Supreme Court justices, who
can shape the future of U.S. law.
Courts (Judicial) Check Both the
President and Congress:
The judicial branch can declare laws
passed by Congress or actions taken by
the President to be unconstitutional
(judicial review).
Courts interpret laws and ensure they
are applied fairly and in accordance
with the Constitution.
An Example of How They Work Together:
Imagine Congress passes a new law that
affects how companies can dispose of
hazardous waste. The President signs the law,
and now the relevant federal agencies (like the
EPA) are tasked with enforcing it. However, if
someone believes the law violates their
constitutional rights, they could challenge it in
court. A judge could rule that parts of the law
are unconstitutional, and Congress and the
President would need to revisit it.
In this example:
Congress created the law.
The President signed and implemented it.
The Courts made sure it followed the
Constitution.
The President can veto bills passed by
Congress.
The President can issue executive orders that
direct the actions of federal agencies (within
their legal powers).
GENERAL LEGISLATIVE POWERS OF
CONGRESS
-The general legislative powers of
Congress refer to its law-making
powers.
-Specifically, it refers the authority of
Congress to enact, this power carries
with it the right to amend and repeal
them.
COMPOSITION OF
THE CONGRESS OF
THE PHILIPPINES
-The congress of the Philippines is a
bicameral Congress consisting of two
bodies/houses, the sanate is the upper house
while the house of representatives is the
lower house. The members of the senate are
called senators,but members the house of
representatives are called representatives or
congressman and sometimes even "Members
of Congress".
SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES
-The senate is the upper chamber of
Congress . We actually looked upon the
senate as the second level to that of the
President and Vice- President. The
Senate consist of 24 members elected at
large by qualified voters,which mean
that they are national elected officials.
QUALIFICATIONS OF SENATORS
1.Natural-born citizen of the
Philippines.
2.At least 35 years of age.
3.Able to read and write.
4.A registered Voter.
5.A resident of the Philippine for
not less than (2) years.
TERM OF OFFICE
-The term of office of senators is six (6)
years which shall begin unless otherwise
provided by law at noon on the 30th day
of June after their election.
-No senator can serve for more than 2
consecutive term, and since the term of
office is 6 year then what is prohibited
under the constitution is more than 12
successive years.
LEADERSHIP IN THE
SENATE
- Senate President
- President Pro Tempore
- Majority Leader
- Minority Leader
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE
-The House of Representatives
consists of men and women who are
the elected representatives pf the
Filipino people.
COMPOSITION OF CONGRESS
- The house of representatives is
composed of 10 times larger than the
membership in the Senate. It is
composed of not more than 250
members unless otherwise fixed by
law.
DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE
-Elected from the legislative districts
apportioned among the
provinces,cities and the Metropolitan
Manila area. They constitute the
majority (eight percent) of members
of the house of representatives.
QUALIFICATIONS FOR DISTRICT
REPRESENTATIVE
1.Natural-born citizen of the Philippines
2.At least twenty-five (25) years of age
3.Able to read and write
4.A registered voter in the district in
which he shall be elected
5. A registered of the district in which
he shall be elected for not less than one
year
PARTY LIST REPRESENTATIVES
-They are elected through the party-
system of registered national,regional
and sectoral parties or
organization.They shall constitute
twenty percent of the total number of
representatives.
QUALIFICATIONS FOR PARTY
LIST REPRESENTATIVES
-The qualification for party list
representatives are the same as that of
the district representative except a
registered voter and resident of the
district.
-For party list representatives, the place
of registration to vote and residence
can be anywhere in the Philippines.
TERM OF OFFICE
-Under the present of constitution,
the term of office of congressman is
reduced to three years and like a
senator,shall commence at noon on
the thirtieth of june unless
otherwise fixed by law next
following their election.
-They can only be elected for three (3)
consecutive years or a continuous
service of 9 years however,like the
senators there is no limit as to the
number of years a person can hold office
as congressman.
-They can still be elected for the same
office,provided there is an interruption
after serving for 3 consecutive forms.
LEADERSHIP IN THE HOUSE
OF REPRESENTATIVES
-The Speaker,who presides over the
house,is the most important person in
that body.He is elected by majority votes
of the all members of the house, but in
practice is chosen by the majority party.
-The house also elects Deputy Speakers
for Luzon,Visayas and Mindanao who
assume the duties and powers of the
speaker of the speaker when he is
absent.
LEADERSHIP IN THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES
-The Speaker,who presides over the
house,is the most important person in
that body.He is elected by majority
votes of the all members of the house,
but in practice is chosen by the
majority party
-The house also elects Deputy
Speakers for Luzon,Visayas and
Mindanao who assume the
duties and powers of the
speaker of the speaker when
he is absent.
THANKYOU!