ARTICLE VI

THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT

Section 1. 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.

Legislative power: to propose, enact, amend, and repeal laws.

Unicameralism: is the practice of having only one parliamentary or legislative chamber. (Batasang Pambansa)
 Less expensive, makes legislation faster, avoid duplication
Bicameralism: is the practice of having two parliamentary chambers. (House of Senate and House of Representatives)
 Provides check and balances, incorporates both local and national viewpoints in legislation, offers a training ground
for future national leaders.
 1935: Unicameralism
 1940: amended to Bicameralism
 1973: Unicameralism
 1987: Bicameralism

Republic Act No. 6735: The Initiative and Referendum Act

Section 3. Definition of Terms
(a) "Initiative" is the power of the people to propose amendments to the Constitution or to propose and enact legislations
through an election called for the purpose.
There are three (3) systems of initiative, namely:
a.1. Initiative on the Constitution which refers to a petition proposing amendments to the Constitution;
a.2. Initiative on statutes which refers to a petition proposing to enact a national legislation; and
a.3. Initiative on local legislation which refers to a petition proposing to enact a regional, provincial, city, municipal, or
barangay law, resolution or ordinance.
(b) "Indirect initiative" is exercise of initiative by the people through a proposition sent to Congress or the local legislative
body for action.
(c) "Referendum" is the power of the electorate to approve or reject a legislation through an election called for the
purpose. It may be of two classes, namely:
c.1. Referendum on statutes which refers to a petition to approve or reject an act or law, or part thereof, passed by
Congress; and
c.2. Referendum on local law which refers to a petition to approve or reject a law, resolution or ordinance enacted by
regional assemblies and local legislative bodies.
(d) "Proposition" is the measure proposed by the voters.
(e) "Plebiscite" is the electoral process by which an initiative on the Constitution is approved or rejected by the people.
(f) "Petition" is the written instrument containing the proposition and the required number of signatories. It shall be in a
form to be determined by and submitted to the Commission on Elections, hereinafter referred to as the Commission.
(g) "Local government units" refers to provinces, cities, municipalities and barangays.
(h) "Local legislative bodies" refers to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, Sangguniang Panlungsod, Sangguniang Bayan, and
Sangguniang Nayon.
(i) "Local executives" refers to the Provincial Governors, City or Municipal Mayors and Punong Barangay, as the case may
be.

Petition for an initiative on the CONSTITUTION

ARTICLE XVII: AMENDMENTS OR REVISIONS, Section 2. Amendments to this Constitution may likewise be directly proposed
by the people through initiative upon a petition of at least twelve (12%) per centum of the total number of registered
voters, of which every legislative district must be represented by at least three (3%) per centum of the registered voters
therein. No amendment under this section shall be authorized within five years following the ratification of this
Constitution nor oftener than once every five years thereafter.
Petition for an initiative and referendum on the NATIONAL LEGISLATION
R.A. 6735, Sec. 5 (a) signed by at least ten per centum (10%) of the total number of the registered voters, of which every
legislative district is represented by at least three per centum (3%) of the registered voters.

Petition for an initiative and referendum on a law, resolution, or ordinance passed by the legislative assembly of an
AUTONOMOUS REGION, PROVINCE OR CITY
R.A. 6735, Sec. 5 (d) signed by at least ten per centum (10%) of the registered voters in the province or city, of which
every legislative district must be represented by at least three per centum (3%) of the registered voters therein; Provided,
however, That if the province or city is composed only of one (1) legislative district, then at least each municipality in a
province or each barangay in a city should be represented by at least three per centum (3%) of the registered voters
therein.

Petition for an initiative and referendum on an ORDINANCE passed in a MUNICIPALITY

R.A. 6735, Sec. 5 (e) signed by at least ten per centum (10%) of the registered voters in the municipality, of which every
barangay is represented by at least three per centum (3%) of the registered voters therein.

Petition for an initiative and referendum on a RESOLUTION in a BARANGAY

R.A. 6735, Sec. 5 (f) signed by at least ten per centum (10%) of the registered voters in said barangay.

Section 2. The Senate shall be composed of twenty-four Senators who shall be elected at large by the qualified voters of
the Philippines, as may be provided by law.
Elected at large: training ground for national leaders and possibly a springboard to presidency; They must have a broader
outlook of the problems of the country.
Qualified Voters: ARTICLE V: SUFFRAGE, Section 1. Suffrage may be exercised by all citizens of the Philippines, not
otherwise disqualified by law, who are at least eighteen years of age, and who shall have resided in the Philippines for at
least one year and in the place wherein they propose to vote, for at least six months immediately preceding the election. No
literacy, property, or other substantive requirement shall be imposed on the exercise of suffrage.
Disqualified by law: Filipinos could only be disqualified from voting if they have been sentenced with “final judgment” by a
court to imprisonment of not less than a year, found to be insane or incompetent, or have lost or renounced their
citizenship.

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, and a resident of the Philippines for not less
than two years immediately preceding the day of the election.
Basis of Citizenship: Voluntary method: Natural Born and Involuntary: Naturalized
Natural Born Citizen: Article IV: CITIZENSHIP, Section 2. Natural-born citizens are those who are citizens of the Philippines
from birth without having to perform any act to acquire or perfect their Philippine citizenship.
The Philippine law on citizenship adheres to the principle of jus sanguinis. A child follows the nationality or citizenship of
the parents regardless of the place of his/her birth (WHO), blood relationship is the basis for the acquisition of citizenship
as opposed to the doctrine of jus soli/loci which determines nationality or citizenship on the basis of place of birth, soil
(WHERE). (Vallez vs COMELEC)
When a person is naturalized, he already renunciated his former citizenship, therefore, his allegiance is now on the State
where he was naturalized.

Ang natural born Filipino na naging citizen sa ibang bansa ay pwedeng ibalik ang kanyang Filipino citizenship o kumuha ng
dual citizenship under Republic Act no. 9225.
Ang Dual Citizenship ay ang pagkakaroon ng dalawang citizenship o pagiging citizen ng dalawang bansa. Ang isang natural
born na Filipino na kumuha ng foreign citizenship sa pamamagitan ng naturalization sa ibang bansa ay pwede nang makuha
muli ang Filipino citizenship (dual citizenship) at ang mga anak nito na hindi kasal na below 18 years old ay considered na
rin na citizens of the Philippines under Republic Act No. 9225 otherwise known as Citizenship Retention and Reacquisition
Act of 2003. (Derivative Citizenship)
Ang pagkakaroon ng dual citizenship ay mag-eenjoy ng full civil and political rights such as right to vote and voted upon , 5
(2) “Those seeking elective public in the Philippines shall meet the qualification for holding such public office as required by
the Constitution and existing laws and, at the time of the filing of the certificate of candidacy, make a personal and sworn
renunciation of any and all foreign citizenship before any public officer authorized to administer an oath”; and practice their
profession in the Philippines. Ang pagkakaroon din ng dual citizenship ay pagkawala na rin ng obligasyon na magreport sa
immigration at magkaroon ng karapatan na mag stay ng matagal sa Pilipinas na walang binabayaran na fee sa immigration.
Ganun din ang mga anak na hindi pa kasal, whether legitimate, illegitimate or adopted, below eighteen (18) years of age, of
those who re-acquire Philippine citizenship upon effectivity of RA 9225 shall be deemed citizens of the Philippines.
Ang pagkuha ng dual citizenship ng dating Filipino ay kailangan na magfile ng oath of allegiance sa Bureau of Immigration or
nearest consul at magsubmit ng mga required na documents tulad ng birth certificate upang patunayan din na siya ay
natural born Filipino. Kailangan mo rin isubmit ang copy ng foreign passport at certificate of naturalization.
Except: 5 (5) That right to vote or be elected or appointed to any public office in the Philippines cannot be exercised by, or
extended to, those who:
(a) are candidates for or are occupying any public office in the country of which they are naturalized citizens.

Republic Act No. 9189, otherwise known as "The Overseas Absentee Voting Act of 2003" Pwedeng bumoto ang mga
Filipino na nasa ibang bansa. (with intention na bumalik sa Pilipinas)