PHILIPPINES

PRESIDENCY OF THE PARLIAMENT
 
Chamber:
  Kapulungan Mga Kinatawan


APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE

Title:
  Speaker of the House of Representatives
 
Term:
  - duration: 3 years (term of House)
- reasons for interruption of the term: resignation, removal, loss of parliamentary mandate, death, dissolution of the House
 
Appointment:
  - elected by all Members of the House
- the election is held on the fourth Monday in July every 3 years
- after the swearing-in ceremony
 
Eligibility:
  - any Member of the House may be a candidate
 
Voting system:
  - formal public vote by roll call
- a simple majority is required
 
Procedures / results:
  - the Secretary General presides over the House during the voting
- the Secretary General supervises the voting
- the Secretary General announces the results without delay
- the results may be challenged
 

STATUS
 
Status:
  - ranks fourth in the hierarchy of the State
- follows the President of the Senate in the order of precedence
- represents the House with the authorities
- represents the House in international bodies
- the Presidents of the two Chambers preside over joint sittings
- in the absence of the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker can assume his/her role and functions
 
Board:
 
 
Material facilities:
  - allowance: 240,000 pesos/yr
+ expense allowance
- official car
- secretariat
- bodyguards

FUNCTIONS
 
Organization of parliamentary business:
  - convenes sessions after consulting with the presidents of majority and minority groups
- organizes the debates and sets speaking time
- refers texts to a committee for study
- examines the admissibility of requests for setting up committees and/or committees of enquiry, proposes or decides on the setting-up of such committees
 
Chairing of public sittings:
  - can open, adjourn and close sittings
- ensures respect for provisions of the Constitution and Standing Orders
- makes announcements concerning the House
- takes disciplinary measures in the event of disturbance, and lifts such measures
- establishes the list of speakers, gives and withdraws permission to speak
- calls for a vote
- checks the quorum
- authenticates the texts adopted and the records of debates
- interprets the rules or other regulations governing the life of the House, based on precedents
- has discretionary power to give the floor outside the agenda and thus organizes impromptu debates
 
Special powers:
  - is responsible for establishing the budget
- recruits, assigns and promotes staff
- organizes the services of Parliament
- is responsible for relations with foreign Parliaments
- is responsible for safety, and in this capacity, can call the police in the event of disturbance in the Chamber
 
Speaking and voting rights, other functions:
  - takes the floor in legislative debates as a Member of the House
- takes part in voting in case of a tie
- proposes bills or amendments
- intervenes in the parliamentary oversight procedure
- signs laws before transmitting them to the Head of State for promulgation
- checks the constitutionality of laws


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General Information | Electoral System  | Specialized Bodies
Last Elections | Parliamentary Mandate | Full text  | Parliamentary Oversight
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