Rules of the Senate

Rule I: Elective Officers
Rule II: Election of Officers
Rule III: The President, his Duties and Powers
Rule IV: The President Pro Tempore, his Duties and Powers
Rule V: The Secretary, his Duties and Powers
Rule VI: The Sergeant-At-Arms, his Duties and Powers
Rule VII: The Acting Secretary and the Acting Sergeant-At-Arms
Rule VIII: Term of Office of Elective Officers
Rule IX: Organization of the Senate
Rule X: The Committees
Rule XI: Meetings and Reports of the Committees
Rule XII: Reports of Conference Committees
Rule XIII: Special Orders
Rule XIV: Senate Sessions
Rule XV: Quorum
Rule XVI: Calendars
Rule XVII: Messages
Rule XVIII: Order of Business
Rule XIX: Journal
Rule XX: Record of the Senate
Rule XXI: Requisites of Bills
Rule XXII: Filing and Consideration of Bills and Resolutions
Rule XXIII: Reading of Bills and Joint Resolutions
Rule XXIV: Consideration of the Matters appearing in the Calendar for Special Orders
Rule XXV: Consideration of, and Debates on, Bills
Rule XXVI: Manner of having the Floor
Rule XXVII: Duration of Debates
Rule XXVIII: Bills with Preamble
Rule XXIX: Amendments
Rule XXX: Manner of presenting Motions
Rule XXXI: Precedence of Motions
Rule XXXII: Privileged Motions
Rule XXXIII: Motion to Reconsider and its Requisites
Rule XXXIV: Unparliamentary Acts and Language
Rule XXXV: Suspension and Adjournment of the Session
Rule XXXVI: Concurrence in Treaties
Rule XXXVII: Reading and inclusion of certain documents
Rule XXXVIII: Point of Order
Rule XXXIX: Question of Privilege
Rule XL: Privilege to Speak on Matters of Public Interest
Rule XLI: Voting
Rule XLII: Unanimous Consent
Rule XLIII: Suspension of the Rules
Rule XLIV: Unfinished Business
Rule XLV: Petitions and Memorials of Private Persons or Foreign States
Rule XLVI: Appearance of Cabinet Members
Rule XLVII: Executive Session
Rule XLVIII: Documents Filed with the Senate
Rule XLIX: Procedure on Vetoed Bills
Rule L: Supplementary Rules
Rule LI: Amendments to, or Revision of, the Rules
Rule LII: Date of taking effect

By virtue of Section 16, Subsections (1) and (3), of Article VI of the Constitution, the following Rules are hereby adopted and shall be known as the "Rules of the Senate."

RULE I
ELECTIVE OFFICERS

SECTION 1. The Senate shall elect, in the manner hereinafter provided, a President, a President Pro Tempore, a Secretary, and a Sergeant-at-Arms.

These officers shall take their oath of office before entering into the discharge of their duties.

RULE II
ELECTION OF OFFICERS

SEC. 2. The officers of the Senate shall be elected by the majority vote of all its Members. Should there be more than one candidate for the same office, a nominal vote shall be taken; otherwise, the elections shall be viva voce or by resolution.

RULE III
THE PRESIDENT, HIS DUTIES AND POWERS

SEC. 3. The President is the Chief Executive of the Senate. His duties and powers are as follows:

(a) To preside over the sessions of the Senate on the days and at the hours designated by it; to call the Senate to order and, if there is a quorum, to order the reading of the Journal of the preceding session, and, after the Senate shall have acted upon it, to dispose of the matters appearing in the Order of Business in accordance with the Rules.

(b) To decide all points of order.

(c) To sign all measures, memorials, joint and concurrent resolutions; issue warrants, orders of arrest, subpoena and subpoena duces tecum.

(d) To see to it that all resolutions of the Senate are complied with.

(e) To have general control over the session hall, the antechambers, corridors and offices of the Senate.

(f) To maintain order in the session hall, the antechambers, corridors and in the offices of the Senate and, whenever there is disorder, to take appropriate measures to quell it.

(g) To designate an Acting Sergeant-at-Arms, if the Sergeant-at-Arms resigns, is replaced or becomes incapacitated.

(h) To appoint the subordinate personnel of the Senate in conformity with the provisions of the General Appropriations Act.

(i) To dismiss any employee for cause, which dismissal in the case of permanent and classified employees shall be in conformity with the Civil Service Law.

(j) To diminish or increase the number of authorized personnel by consolidating or separating positions or items whenever the General Appropriations Act so authorizes and the total amount of salaries or allocations does not exceed the amount earmarked therein.

RULE IV
THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, HIS DUTIES AND POWERS

SEC. 4. The President Pro Tempore shall discharge the powers and duties of the President in the following cases:

(a) When the President is absent for one or more days.

(b) When the President is temporarily incapacitated.

(c) In the event of the resignation, removal, death or absolute incapacity of the President.

SEC. 5. In the cases specified in subparagraph (c), Section 4 of this Rule, the President Pro Tempore shall serve as Acting President until the Senate shall have elected a new President.

SEC. 6. In case of the temporary absence of the President or the President Pro Tempore, the Majority Leader or in his absence, the Assistant Majority Leader, or any member designated by the President shall discharge the powers and duties of the President.

RULE V
THE SECRETARY, HIS DUTIES AND POWERS

SEC. 7. The duties and powers of the Secretary are:

(a) For the inaugural session of the Congress, to prepare the Order of Business of the Senate which shall include:

(1) A Resolution informing the President of the Philippines that the Senate has been organized and has elected its President, President Pro Tempore, Secretary and Sergeant-at-Arms.

(2) A Resolution informing the House of Representatives that the Senate has been organized and has elected its President, President Pro Tempore, Secretary and Sergeant-at-Arms.

(3) A Concurrent Resolution of the Senate and House of Representatives providing for a joint session to hear the State of the Nation Address of the President of the Philippines.

(4) A Concurrent Resolution authorizing the appointment of a joint committee of both Houses to inform the President of the Philippines that Congress, in joint session, is ready to receive his State of the Nation Address.

(b) To attend the sessions of the Senate.

(c) To open, whenever there is neither a President nor a President Pro Tempore, the first session in which the Senators elected in the immediately preceding regular elections shall participate, and to announce that the business in order is the designation of the temporary President.

(d) To keep a Record and Journal of the proceedings of the Senate, and to certify them himself.

(e) To prepare and distribute the calendars of the Senate.

(f) To publish and distribute the Journal and Record of the Senate.

(g) To serve as custodian of all the records of the Senate.

(h) To certify all measures, orders and resolutions approved by the Senate and to stamp them with its official seal which shall also be under his custody.

(i) To appoint, whenever expressly authorized by the Senate, the necessary subordinate personnel thereof.

(j) To be responsible for the strict compliance by the Senate personnel with their duties, upon whom he may impose, for just cause, corrective or disciplinary measures including a recommendation to the President for their dismissal.

(k) To administer oath as a Notary ex officio of the Senate.

(l) To perform other duties inherent in his office although not specified in these Rules.

RULE VI
THE SERGEANT-AT-ARMS, HIS DUTIES AND POWERS

SEC. 8. The duties and powers of the Sergeant-at-Arms are:

(a) To keep under his custody the Mace of the Senate.

(b) To attend the session of the Senate.

(c) To be responsible for the security and maintenance of order in the session hall, antechambers, corridors and offices of the Senate, whether in session or not, in accordance with the orders of the President or the Secretary.

(d) To execute or serve, personally or through his delegates, the summons which may be issued by the Senate or by the permanent or special committees or by the President himself.

(e) To be responsible for the strict compliance by his subordinates of their respective duties. He may impose upon them corrective or disciplinary measures for just cause, including a recommendation to the President of the Senate, through the Secretary, for their dismissal.

(f) To recommend to the President, through the Secretary, approval of the uniform to be worn by the personnel assigned to serve under him in the session hall.

RULE VII
THE ACTING SECRETARY AND THE ACTING SERGEANT-AT-ARMS

SEC. 9. In the temporary absence or incapacity of the Secretary, the Deputy Secretary for Legislation shall act as such with all the powers and duties inherent in said office and in the case of the Sergeant-at-Arms, the person designated by the President to take his place shall temporarily serve as such officer.

RULE VIII
TERM OF OFFICE OF ELECTIVE OFFICERS

SEC. 10. The term of office of the President, the President Pro Tempore, the Secretary and the Sergeant-at-Arms shall begin upon their election and end when their successors shall have been elected.

SEC. 11. Any vacancy in the Office of the Secretary or Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms shall be filled in accordance with Section 2 hereof: Provided, That when the vacancy occurs during a recess, the Deputy Secretary for Legislation shall be the Acting Secretary and the President of the Senate may designate an Acting Sergeant-at-Arms.

RULE IX
ORGANIZATION OF THE SENATE

SEC. 12. In the first session following every periodic election of Senators, the Senate shall proceed with its organization. If in such organizational session there be neither President nor President Pro Tempore, the Secretary shall proceed in accordance with the provisions of subparagraph (c), Section 7 of Rule V.

RULE X
THE COMMITTEES

SEC. 13. After the organization of the Senate in the manner provided in Rule IX, the following permanent committees shall be formed, with the duties, powers and general jurisdiction specified hereunder:

(1) Committee on Rules. - Nine (9) members. All matters affecting the Rules of the Senate; the calendar as well as parliamentary rules and the order and manner of transacting business and the creation of committees.

The Chairman of the Committee shall be the Majority Leader of the Senate. The Vice Chairmen shall be the Assistant Majority Leaders.

(2) Committee on Ethics and Privileges. - Seven (7) members. All matters relating to the conduct, rights, privileges, safety, dignity, integrity and reputation of the Senate and its Members.

(3) Committee on Accounts. - Eleven (11) members. All matters relating to the auditing and adjustment of all accounts chargeable against the funds for the expenses and activities of the Senate.

(4) Committee on Finance. - Seventeen (17) members. All matters relating to funds for the expenditures of the National Government and for the payment of public indebtedness; auditing of accounts and expenditures of the National Government; claims against the government; inter-governmental revenue sharing; and, in general, all matters relating to public expenditures.

(5) Committee on Ways and Means. - Fifteen (15) members. All matters relating to revenue generally; taxes and fees; tariffs; loans and other sources and forms of revenue.

(6) Committee on Economic Affairs. - Nine (9) members. All matters relating to economic planning and programming; the planning of domestic and foreign public indebtedness; general economic development; and coordination, regulation and diversification of industry and investments.

(7) Committee on Banks, Financial Institutions and Currencies. - Nine (9) members. All matters relating to banks, financial institutions, government and private currencies, capital markets, mutual funds, securitization, coinage and circulation of money.

(8) Committee on Government Corporations and Public Enterprises. - Nine (9) members. All questions affecting government corporations, including all amendments to their charters; the interests of the government in the different industrial and commercial enterprises; privatization.

(9) Committee on Trade and Commerce. - Nine (9) members. All matters relating to domestic and foreign trade and private corporations; patents, copyrights, trade names and trademarks; standards, weights, measures and designs; quality control; control and stabilization of prices of commodities; consumer protection; handicraft and cottage industries; and marketing of commodities.

(10) Committee on Agriculture and Food. - Eleven (11) members. All matters relating to agriculture, food production and agri-business, including agricultural experimental stations, agricultural economics and research; soil survey and conservation; agricultural education; technical extension services; animal husbandry; livestock quarantine; agricultural support price; and fisheries and aquatic resources.

(11) Committee on Cooperatives. - Nine (9) members. All matters relating to cooperatives, both urban and rural based, including but not limited to farm credit and farm security, cooperative movements, marketing and consumers' organizations; and the implementation of the Cooperative Code of the Philippines.

(12) Committee on Foreign Relations. - Fifteen (15) members. All matters relating to the relations of the Philippines with other nations generally; diplomatic and consular services; the Association of Southeast Asian Nations; the United Nations Organization and its agencies; multi-lateral organizations; all international agreements, obligations and contracts; and overseas Filipinos.

(13) Committee on National Defense and Security. - Nineteen (19) members. All matters relating to national defense and external and internal threats to national security; the Armed Forces of the Philippines; pension plans and fringe benefits of war veterans and military retirees; citizens army selective service; forts; arsenals; military camps and reservations; coast, geodetic and meteorological surveys; civil defense; and military research and development.

(14) Committee on Peace, Unification and Reconciliation. - Seven (7) members. All matters relating to peace, internal armed conflict resolution, political negotiation, cessation of hostilities, amnesty, rebel returnees, integration and development, national unification and reconciliation.

(15) Committee on Justice and Human Rights. - Nine (9) members. All matters relating to the organization and administration of justice, civil courts, penitentiaries and reformatory schools; probation; impeachment proceedings against constitutional officers and other officers legally removable by impeachment; registration of land titles; immigration and naturalization; the implementation of the provisions of the Constitution on human rights; and all matters pertaining to the efficiency and reforms in the prosecution service.

(16) Committee on Public Works. - Thirteen (13) members. All matters relating to planning, construction, maintenance, improvement and repair of public buildings, highways, bridges, roads, ports, airports, harbors and parks; drainage, flood control and protection; and irrigation and water utilities.

(17) Committee on Local Government. - Thirteen (13) members. All matters relating to autonomous regions, provinces, cities, special metropolitan political subdivisions, municipalities and barangays.

(18) Committee on Urban Planning, Housing and Resettlement. - Eleven (11) members. All matters relating to urban land reform, planning, housing, resettlement and urban community development.

(19) Committee on Cultural Communities. - Seven (7) members. All matters relating to cultural communities.

(20) Committee on Agrarian Reform. - Nine (9) members. All matters relating to agrarian reform, landed estates, and implementation of the agrarian land reform provisions of the Constitution.

(21) Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development. - Thirteen (13) members. All matters relating to labor employment and human resource development; maintenance of industrial peace; promotion of employer-employee cooperation; labor education, standards and statistics; organization of the labor market including recruitment, training and placement of workers and exports of human resources; foreign workers in the Philippines; promotion and development of workers' organizations; and promotion and development of employment-intensive technology.

(22) Committee on Education, Arts and Culture. - Fifteen (15) members. All matters relating to education, schools, colleges, universities; implementation of the provisions of the Constitution regarding the establishment of free public elementary and secondary education, scholarships grants, subsidies and incentives to deserving students; non-formal, informal, indigenous learning systems, and adult education; the preservation, enrichment and evolution of Filipino arts and culture; establishment and maintenance of libraries, museums, shrines, monuments, and other historical sites and edifices; training programs and cultural and artistic programs of international institutions and organizations operating in the Philippines, such as the UNESCO; and special commemorative events such as the observance of the centennial of Philippine Independence.

(23) Committee on Health and Demography. - Eleven (11) members. All matters relating to public health in general, medical, hospital and quarantine services; population issues, concerns, policies and programs affecting individuals and their families, their effects on national, social and economic conditions.

(24) Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. - Fifteen (15) members. - All matters relating to the conservation and protection of the environment, the regulation of the impact of human activities on the same, the promotion of environmental awareness of our citizens, the renewal of resources in damaged eco-systems and other environment-related issues; and all matters relating to the administration, management, development, protection, exploration, storage, renewal, regulation and licensing, and wise utilization of the country's national reserves including, but not limited to, forest, mineral, public land, off-shore areas and the development of industries based on these resources.

(25) Committee on Energy. - Fifteen (15) members. All matters relating to the exploration, exploitation, development, extraction, importation, refining, transport, marketing, distribution, conservation, or storage of all forms of energy products and resources such as from fossil fuels like petroleum, coal, natural gas and gas liquids, nuclear fuel resources; geothermal resources and non-conventional, existing and potential forms of energy resources; and generation, transmission and distribution of electric power.

(26) Committee on Science and Technology. - Seven (7) members. All matters relating to science and technology, including scientific and technological research, development and advancement.

(27) Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development. - Seven (7) members. All matters relating to rural development and welfare, and the implementation of the provisions of the Constitution on social justice.

(28) Committee on Public Services. - Eleven (11) members. All matters affecting public services and utilities; communications; land, air, river and sea transportation including railroads, inter-island navigation, and lighthouses; and the grant or amendment of legislative franchises.

(29) Committee on Public Information and Mass Media. - Nine (9) members. All matters relating to public information, mass communication and broadcast services; the implementation of the provisions of the Constitution regarding ownership and management of mass media and the advertising industry; the development and promotion of information technology; and all matters relating to the artistic standards and quality of the motion picture and television industry.

(30) Committee on Constitutional Amendments, Revision of Codes and Laws. - Eleven (11) members. All matters proposing amendments to the Constitution of the Philippines and the compilation and revision of existing codes and laws; election laws and implementation of constitutional provisions on initiative and referendum on legislative acts; recall of elective officials; the role and rights of people's organizations; and sectoral or party-list representation.

(31) Committee on Civil Service and Government Reorganization. - Seven (7) members. All matters relating to the Civil Service and the status of officers and employees of the government including their appointment, discipline, retirement; their compensation privileges, benefits and incentives; implementation of the constitutional provisions on the rights of government workers to form and join labor organizations; public sector labor-management relations and collective negotiation agreements; reorganization of the government or any of its branches or instrumentalities; all human resource development programs pertaining to the Government; and all other matters relating to the bureaucracy.

(32) Committee on Public Order and Illegal Drugs. - Nine (9) members. All matters relating to peace and order; the Philippine National Police; the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology; the Bureau of Fire Protection; private security agencies; the use, sale, acquisition, possession, cultivation, manufacture and distribution of prohibited and regulated drugs and other similar substances as provided for under pertinent laws, and the prosecution of offenders, rehabilitation of drug users and dependents, including the formulation of drug-related policies.

(33) Committee on Youth, Women and Family Relations. - Nine (9) members. All matters relating to the youth, women and family relations.

(34) Committee on Tourism. - Seven (7) members. All matters relating to tourism and the tourist industry

(35) Committee on Games, Amusement and Sports. - Nine (9) members. All matters relating to games and amusement, such as lotteries, jai-alai, horse-racing, dog-racing, wrestling, boxing, basketball and all other sports, as well as matters relating to amateur sports development.

(36) Committee on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations. - Seventeen (17) members. All matters relating to, including investigation of, malfeasance, misfeasance and nonfeasance in office by officers and employees of the government, its branches, agencies, subdivisions and instrumentalities; implementation of the provision of the Constitution on nepotism; and investigation of any matter of public interest on its own initiative or brought to its attention by any member of the Senate.

SEC. 14. Whenever necessary, special committees shall be organized, the membership and jurisdiction of which shall be determined by the Senate President.

SEC. 15. Although a measure covers subject matters falling within the jurisdiction of more than one (1) committee, it shall be referred to not more than two (2) committees: Provided, however, That a motion for referral to a third committee shall be referred to the Committee on Rules: Provided, further, That measures involving the appropriation of funds or embodying tax or revenue proposals shall respectively be referred also to the Committee on Finance for the appropriation aspect or to the Committee on Ways and Means for the tax or revenue aspect. The first committee mentioned in the order of referral shall be the primary committee, mainly responsible to submit a report to the Senate incorporating therein the appropriate recommendations of the secondary committee and the Committee on Finance or the Committee on Ways and Means, as the case may be.

SEC. 16. All appropriations, revenue or tariff bills, bills authorizing increase of public debt, bills of local application, and private bills authored and filed by Members of the Senate shall be initially referred to the Committee on Rules.

SEC. 17. The transmittal of matters to the committees may be done with instructions through a motion by a majority of the Senators present.

SEC. 18. The membership of the permanent committees, including their respective Chairmen, shall be chosen by the Senate. The Chairman of each committee may designate the Vice Chairman or such Vice Chairmen of his committee and create such subcommittees as may be deemed necessary.

SEC. 19. The Chairman and the members of the permanent committees shall commence in the exercise of their duties upon their election. They shall cease when their successors shall have been elected or designated.

SEC. 20. The President Pro Tempore and both the Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate are ex officio members of all the permanent committees.

SEC. 21. Whenever a motion regarding who should be a member of a permanent committee is presented, no objection against the proposed membership of any Senator in particular shall be considered.

The objections, if any, must be formulated against the proposed membership therein as a whole.

RULE XI
MEETINGS AND REPORTS OF THE COMMITTEES

SEC. 22. Every committee shall determine the frequency of its regular meetings. If it so desires, a committee may choose to hold its meetings or hearings on a weekend.

Special meetings may be called by the Chairman of a committee or by one-third (1/3) of its members, but notice, including the agenda, place and time of the meeting, shall be given three (3) days in advance to every member of the committee.

One-third (1/3) of all the regular members of the committee shall constitute a quorum but in no case shall it be less than two (2). The presence of ex officio members may be considered in determining the existence of a quorum. However, the committee may authorize a fewer number of members to conduct public hearings on bills pending before it or to gather facts in aid of legislation.

SEC. 23. Unexplained absences in five (5) successive committee meetings may operate to relinquish regular membership therein.

SEC. 24. The committees shall hold meetings to discuss, decide and submit a report on all matters transmitted to them. The report must be approved by majority of the regular and ex-officio members thereof.

Where a subcommittee is created to conduct hearings on a bill or resolution referred to a committee, the report of the subcommittee shall be submitted to the committee through its Chairman, for its appropriate action before the report is submitted to the Senate.

If the committee fails to act on the report of a subcommittee within thirty (30) session days from its submission, if the Senate is in regular session, or within ten (10) session days in case of special session, the committee shall be deemed to have waived its right to act on the same, in which case, five (5) senators may move in writing for the inclusion of the subcommittee report in the Calendar for Ordinary Business and the President shall so order it.

A regular member of the committee shall be presumed to have concurred in the report and shall be precluded from opposing the same unless he enters his objection thereto or files with the Secretary of the Senate his dissenting vote within two (2) session days after the Committee Report is included in the Order of Business or unless, upon satisfactory explanation made by the member concerned, the President should allow otherwise.

SEC. 25. Should a secondary committee submit its report without the report of the primary committee having been submitted, such report of the secondary committee will be referred to the Committee on Rules for proper disposition.

SEC. 26. In case a bill or joint resolution is reported out by a committee which contains an appropriation, revenue or tax aspect, the report shall be referred by the primary committee to the Committee on Finance or to the Committee on Ways and Means, as the case may be.

SEC. 27. If the secondary committee fails to submit its recommendations within two (2) weeks from request, it shall be deemed to have waived its right to make a recommendation, in which case the primary committee may report out the measure.

SEC. 28. Whenever two (2) committees submit conflicting reports, both reports shall be referred to the Committee on Rules.

SEC. 29. Reports on privileged subjects shall be submitted to the Senate while in session, either by the Chairman of the committee or a duly authorized member thereof, and the same may not be withdrawn on petition of the Chairman or the committee itself without the consent of the Senate.

SEC. 30. If the reports submitted are unfavorable, they shall be transmitted to the Archives of the Senate together with the matters to which they refer, unless five (5) Senators shall in the following session move for their inclusion in the Calendar for Ordinary Business, in which case the President shall so order.

SEC. 31. Should any committee fail to render a report on any bill or resolution referred to it within thirty (30) session days after such reference, if the Senate is in regular session, or within ten (10) session days in case of special sessions, five (5) Senators may move, in writing, for its inclusion in the Calendar for Ordinary Business and the President shall so order it.

SEC. 32. When a report is returned to a committee or is transmitted to another, unless it is returned for purposes of conducting further public hearings on new matters arising after the report, all previous proceedings in connection therewith shall be deemed to be void and that matter in question shall revert to its original status.

SEC. 33. The following committees are authorized to submit at any time their reports on any matter within their jurisdiction: The Committee on Rules; the Committee on Finance; and the Committee on Accounts.

SEC. 34. The motion for the study of any report submitted by the Committee on Rules shall always be in order, and while the report is pending consideration no motion may be entertained unless it is a motion to adjourn; if this latter motion is disapproved, no dilatory motion on the aforesaid report shall be admitted.

RULE XII
REPORTS OF CONFERENCE COMMITTEES

SEC. 35. In the event that the Senate does not agree with the House of Representatives on the provision of any bill or joint resolution, the differences shall be settled by a conference committee of both Houses which shall meet within ten (10) days after their composition.

The President shall designate the members of the Senate panel in the conference committee with the approval of the Senate.

Each Conference Committee Report shall contain a detailed and sufficiently explicit statement of the changes in, or amendments to the subject measure, and shall be signed by a majority of the members of each House panel, voting separately.

A comparative presentation of the conflicting House and Senate provisions and a reconciled version thereof with the explanatory statement of the conference committee shall be attached to the report.

The consideration of such report shall not be in order unless the report has been filed with the Secretary of the Senate and copies thereof have been distributed to the Members.

The presentation of reports of conference committees shall always be in order when available, except when the Journal is being read or a question of order or a motion to adjourn is pending, or while the Senate is voting or ascertaining the presence of a quorum; and when received, the question of proceeding to the consideration of the report shall be determined without debate.

RULE XIII
SPECIAL ORDERS

SEC. 36. By means of a motion approved by a majority of the Senators present, the Chair shall assign for consideration, as a Special Order, any matter which has been reported out by the corresponding committee or which does not require such report.

SEC. 37. Whenever two or more matters shall have been designated for consideration as a Special Order, they shall be considered successively, unless a majority of the Senators present decide otherwise.

SEC. 38. If, after a matter has been assigned for consideration, the Senate is unable to consider it on the appointed day, said matter shall retain its corresponding place in the Calendar for Special Orders, unless a majority of the Senators present decide otherwise.

SEC. 39. Matters which the Senate has already begun to discuss and whose consideration has been suspended without a prior motion expressly requesting their postponement shall occupy a place of preference in the Calendar for Special Orders of the next session, in the order in which they were called.

RULE XIV
SENATE SESSIONS

SEC. 40. The Senate shall meet in session at three o'clock in the afternoon on week days, except when the Senate decides otherwise. When the session is ongoing, no committee meeting or hearing under Rule XI shall be held.

SEC. 41. The President may postpone, after consultation with the Majority Leader and the Minority Leader, respectively, the holding of the session on a day to day adjournment due to force majeure or the occurrence of an emergency which may prevent the convening of the Senate.

SEC. 42. The Senate shall convene once every year for its regular session. It shall continue to be in session for such number of days as it may determine in its legislative calendar, subject only to such limitations as may be provided by the Constitution: Provided, That the President of the Senate, in consultation with the Majority and Minority Leaders and upon agreement with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, may reconvene the Senate in session without need of a call by the President of the Philippines, at any time during a recess as provided in the legislative calendar, to consider urgent legislative matters; or in case of a vacancy in the Office of the Vice President, to confirm the nominee of the President for the position in accordance with Section 9, Article VII of the Constitution, or to determine the inability of the President of the Philippines to discharge the powers and duties of his office upon the written declaration of a majority of all the Members of the Cabinet in accordance with Section 11, Article VII of the Constitution, or convene in joint session during any voluntary or compulsory recess to:

(a) Canvass the votes for President and Vice President not later than thirty (30) days after the day of the elections in accordance with Section 4, Article VII of the Constitution;

(b) Determine the validity of the proclamation of martial law or the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus by the President of the Philippines, or to revoke such proclamation or suspension, or extend the same if the invasion or rebellion shall persist and public safety requires it.

SEC. 43. On the first day of each week, the Senate shall observe a one-minute prayer or invocation to be led by a Member of the Senate, followed by the singing of the National Anthem. On every session day thereafter, the prayer or invocation, as the case may be, shall immediately follow the opening of the session.

RULE XV
QUORUM

SEC. 44. Except during the election of officers as provided in Section 2, a majority of the Senators shall constitute a quorum and, in its absence, a smaller number may adjourn from day to day and may compel the attendance of absent Members in the manner provided in Section 99 hereof.

SEC. 45. Should the question of lack of quorum be raised, the Chair, without debate, shall immediately proceed to a verification thereof by causing the reading of the roll of the Senators and announcing forthwith the result.

RULE XVI
CALENDARS

SEC. 46. The Senate shall have three calendars, to wit:

A "Calendar for Ordinary Business", in which shall be included the bills reported out by the committees in the order in which they were received by the Office of the Secretary, the bills whose consideration has been agreed upon by the Senate without setting the dates on which to effect it; and, also the bills whose consideration has been postponed indefinitely;

A "Calendar for Special Orders", in which the bills and resolutions shall be arranged successively and chronologically, according to the order in which they were assigned for consideration; and

A "Calendar for Third Reading", in which shall be included all bills and joint resolutions approved on second reading.

RULE XVII
MESSAGES

SEC. 47. Messages of the President of the Philippines and those from the House of Representatives may be read at any time by the Senate, except during voting or the reading of the Journal or when a point of order or a motion to adjourn is pending resolution.

SEC. 48. The Secretary shall duly inform the House of Representatives of the action taken by the Senate on any bill or resolution originating in the House of Representatives or request the latter's approval of the bills or resolutions approved by the Senate. The Secretary shall likewise transmit either by himself or by any of his duly authorized representatives any message or communication of the Senate.

RULE XVIII
ORDER OF BUSINESS

SEC. 49. The Secretary shall prepare for each session an Order of Business in which shall be listed:

(a) Prayer.

(b) National Anthem (every Monday only).

(c) Roll call.

(d) Reading and Approval of the Journal of the previous session.

(e) Reference of Business:

(1) Messages of the President of the Philippines.

(2) Messages from the House of Representatives.

(3) First reading and reference to committees of bills or proposed resolutions.

(4) Communications, petitions and memorials.

(5) Committee reports.

(f) Unfinished business.

(g) Business for the day.

(h) Business for a certain date.

(i) Unassigned business.

(j) Bills and joint resolutions on third reading.

SEC. 50. The matters mentioned in the preceding section which have to be acted upon by the Senate shall be referred to the proper committee; otherwise, they shall be transmitted to the Archives of the Senate.

RULE XIX
JOURNAL

SEC. 51. The Senate shall keep a Journal of its proceedings which shall contain a succinct and accurate account of what has taken place in every session.

SEC. 52. The following shall be inserted in full in the Journal:

(a) The proclamation issued by the President of the Philippines to convene Congress.

(b) The titles of the bills and resolutions presented by any Member of the Senate.

(c) The objections to the legislative measures vetoed by the President of the Philippines, together with the ayes and nays of the Senators on each vetoed measure.

(d) All nominal votings.

And in condensed form:

(a) Messages of the President of the Philippines.

(b) Messages from the House of Representatives.

(c) Petitions.

(d) Communications.

(e) Memorials.

It shall also include a list of Members who responded to the roll call, those who arrived at the session hall after the roll call, and those who are on official business/mission authorized by the Senate President. Those who are absent shall be so recorded.

SEC. 53. The reading of the Journal shall not be interrupted or suspended except by unanimous consent of the Senate, and no motion to amend it shall be entertained once it has been read and approved.

SEC. 54. The reading of the Journal may be dispensed with by unanimous consent, in which case the Journal shall be deemed to have been approved.

SEC. 55. If a Senator finds any error in the Journal, the reading of which was dispensed with, he shall, verbally in open session, call the attention of the Senate to this fact and move for its correction not later than three (3) session days subsequent to that in which the reading of said Journal was dispensed with.

SEC. 56. The Journal of the Senate shall from time to time be printed and published under the direction of the Secretary, and its distribution and the number of copies to be printed shall be determined by the Senate in a resolution to that effect.

RULE XX
RECORD OF THE SENATE

SEC. 57. The Senate shall keep and preserve a Record of its sessions which shall be printed and published.

The said Record shall reflect in detail everything that has been said, done and read in the sessions of the Senate, in such a manner as to express faithfully everything that takes place therein.

In all cases, the messages of the President of the Philippines and those from the House of Representatives shall be inserted in toto in the said Record.

SEC. 58. Notwithstanding the provisions of the preceding section, the speeches of the Senators shall be revised in style and form prior to their publication.

To this end, the Debate Reporters Service shall transmit to their respective authors a copy of their speeches for correction within a period of seven (7) days counted from the date of receipt thereof by such authors.

If the author of the aforementioned speeches fails to make the correction or revision within the period stated above, it shall be understood that he delegates the said revision or correction to the Debate Reporters Service.

Persons soliciting copies of these speeches shall be furnished only after such revision has been accomplished.

RULE XXI
REQUISITES OF BILLS

SEC. 59. Every bill or resolution must be signed by one or more Senators.

If its author is the committee called to study it and recommendations relative thereto are made in accordance with Rule XI, the measure should be signed by the chairman of the committee or by the member who takes his place and should be submitted with the corresponding report attached thereto.

SEC. 60. Consolidated and Substitute Bills - A consolidated or substitute bill made by a committee shall have as authors every member who has signed any of the original bills or resolutions consolidated or substituted for, in the order their names appear in the latter and according to the date of the filing thereof. In case the Chairman or any member of the committee desires to be an author of the consolidated or substitute bill, his name shall be added after the name of the last author listed in accordance with the order provided herein.

RULE XXII
FILING AND CONSIDERATION OF BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS

SEC. 61. All bills and resolutions shall be filed with the Office of the Secretary whether the Senate is in session or not.

SEC. 62. No bill or joint resolution reported out by a committee within ten (10) days prior to the closing of the ordinary session shall be considered unless it be with the express consent of a majority of the Senators present. This Rule may not be suspended impliedly.

SEC. 63. Simple and concurrent resolutions shall be presented at least one (1) day before their consideration, unless a majority of the Senators present decide otherwise.

RULE XXIII
READING OF BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

SEC. 64. Prior to their final approval, bills and joint resolutions shall be read at least three times.

SEC. 65. For the purpose of this Rule, bills shall be considered as read:

On First Reading, when they are read for transmittal to the corresponding committee.

This provision to the contrary notwithstanding, when a committee bill is presented with a report, the reading of the same, together with the title of the bill, shall be considered as First Reading.

On Second Reading, when they are sponsored and submitted for the consideration of, and amendment by, the Senate.

On Third Reading, when after having been approved on Second Reading, they are submitted with or without amendments for the approval of the Senate.

SEC. 66. The First Reading shall be confined to its title; the Second shall consist in the reading of the bill in the form recommended by the corresponding committee; and the Third, in the form it will be after approval on Second Reading.

SEC. 67. Notwithstanding the preceding section, the Second and Third Readings may be limited only to the title of the bill or resolution, if a motion to that effect is approved by a majority of the Senators present.

SEC. 68. No bill shall be passed by the Senate unless it has passed three (3) readings on separate days, and printed copies thereof in its final form have been distributed to the members before its passage, except when the President of the Philippines certifies to the necessity of its immediate enactment to meet a public calamity or emergency pursuant to Section 26, Subsection 2, Article VI of the Constitution.

A bill or joint resolution filed as a substitute or a consolidated version of a bill or joint resolution previously certified by the President pursuant to Section 26, Subsection 2, Article VI of the Constitution shall likewise be certified for it to be considered for immediate enactment by the Senate.

RULE XXIV
CONSIDERATION OF THE MATTERS APPEARING IN THE CALENDAR FOR SPECIAL ORDERS

SEC. 69. After the opening of the session and the dispatch and assignment of the various matters appearing in the Order of Business, the President shall declare in order, in the arrangement in which they appear, the consideration of the matters contained in the Calendar for Special Orders.

SEC. 70. Notwithstanding the provisions of the preceding section regarding the order of succession, the Senate may, through a motion and with the support of a majority of the Senators present, forthwith consider any other measure.

RULE XXV
CONSIDERATION OF, AND DEBATES ON, BILLS

SEC. 71. The Senate shall adopt the following procedure in the consideration of bills and joint resolutions:

(a) Second reading of the bill.

(b) Sponsorship by the committee chairman, or by any member designated by the committee.

(c) If a debate ensues, turns for and against the bill shall be taken alternately: Provided, however, That any committee member who fails to enter his objection or to make of record his dissenting vote after it shall have been included in the Order of Business and read to the Senate in accordance with the second paragraph of Section 24 hereof, shall not be allowed to speak against the bill during the period of general debate although he may propose and speak or vote on amendments thereto.

(d) The sponsor of the bill or author of the motion shall have the right to close the debate.

(e) With the debate closed, the consideration of amendments, if any, shall be in order.

(f) After the period of amendments, the voting of the bill on Second Reading.

(g) Bills shall be submitted to final vote by yeas and nays after printed copies thereof in final form have been distributed to the Members at least three (3) days prior to their passage, except when the President of the Philippines certifies to the necessity of their immediate enactment to meet a public calamity or emergency, in which case the voting on Third Reading may take place immediately after Second Reading.

SEC. 72. Simple or concurrent resolutions shall not be subject to the procedure for Second and Third Readings prescribed in Section 71.

RULE XXVI
MANNER OF HAVING THE FLOOR

SEC. 73. Whenever a Senator wishes to speak, he shall rise and request the President or the Presiding Officer to allow him to have the floor, which consent shall be necessary before he may proceed.

If various Senators wish to have the floor, the President or Presiding Officer shall recognize the one who first made the request.

SEC. 74. No Senator shall interrupt another without the latter's consent, which may not be obtained except through the President or Presiding Officer.

RULE XXVII
DURATION OF DEBATES

SEC. 75. The sponsor may consume as much time as he deems necessary to express the contents and purposes of the bill. Subsequent speakers for or against a bill may consume two (2) hours each for debates on bills or other matters, provided they are not on amendments.

SEC. 76. On amendments, not more than thirty (30) minutes may be consumed by each speaker.

SEC. 77. The time spent in parliamentary interpellations shall be discounted from the period allowed for debates.

SEC. 78. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Rule regarding the time that each speaker may consume, the Senate may reduce or extend it with the consent of a majority of the Senators present when by reason of the nature or urgency of the bill the public interest so requires.

RULE XXVIII
BILLS WITH PREAMBLE

SEC. 79. When a bill or resolution with a preamble is submitted to a vote, the body of the measure shall first be voted on, and, afterwards, the preamble. Its author or the committee which reported the said bill or resolution may withdraw the preamble at any time before nominal voting thereon. Thereafter, upon motion duly made, the preamble may be placed on the table and such act shall not affect the status of the bill itself.

RULE XXIX
AMENDMENTS

SEC. 80. All bills and resolutions shall be subject to amendments; but in order that the amendments may be considered, they should be presented concretely and specifically in the course of the debate, indicating therein the page and the line in which the amendments are proposed to be made, and in writing if a majority of the Senators present so decide.

SEC. 81. Whenever a Senator wishes to retain in a measure some words or phrases which have been substituted or deleted by the committee that reported it, an amendment to that effect must be presented as if such words or phrases have never appeared on the bill.

SEC. 82. Not more than one (1) amendment to the original amendment shall be considered.

No amendment by substitution shall be entertained unless the text thereof is submitted in writing.

Any of said amendments may be withdrawn before a vote is taken thereon.

SEC. 83. No amendment which seeks the inclusion of a legislative provision foreign to the subject matter of a bill (rider) shall be entertained.

SEC. 84. No amendment setting aside sums of money for the payment of a claim shall be entertained in an appropriation bill, unless it be to comply with the provisions of a certain law, or with the terms of an agreement duly entered into by the Government, and all these shall be set forth in the proposed amendment.

SEC. 85. A bill or resolution shall not be amended by substituting it with another which covers a subject distinct from that proposed in the original bill or resolution.

SEC. 86. Amendments to the title of a bill or resolution shall be in order after the text thereof has been perfected.

RULE XXX
MANNER OF PRESENTING MOTIONS

SEC. 87. Motions other than those subject of Section 80 in the preceding Rule may be presented orally, but a majority of the Senators present may require that they be done in writing and read by the Secretary before proceeding to their consideration.

SEC. 88. The sponsor of any motion or measure may withdraw or modify it before its amendments or resolution or before a nominal vote is ordered on the same; but a motion to reconsider duly seconded may not be withdrawn without the consent of the one who seconded the said motion.

RULE XXXI
PRECEDENCE OF MOTIONS

SEC. 89. While a motion or bill or resolution is being discussed, no other motion shall be entertained except the following and in the order in which they appear below:

(a) Motion to adjourn.

(b) Motion to set the date for the resumption of the session.

(c) Motion to suspend the session.

(d) Motion to call an executive session.

(e) Motion to lay on the table any business.

(f) Motion to postpone indefinitely the consideration of any business.

(g) Motion to postpone the consideration of any business to another date.

(h) Motion to refer a principal motion to the corresponding committee.

(i) Motion to amend.

All motions to adjourn or suspend a session or to hold executive sessions shall be resolved without debate.

RULE XXXII
PRIVILEGED MOTIONS

SEC. 90. The following shall be considered privileged motions:

(a) Motion to adjourn.

(b) Motion to consider appropriation or revenue bills.

(c) Motion to consider a bill appearing on the Calendar, which motion may not be amended.

(d) Motion to postpone the consideration of a pending measure, without prejudice to the status of the bill or to its place in the Calendar.

(e) Motion to transpose any matter appearing on the Calendar.

All the foregoing motions shall not be debatable, and shall have precedence in their consideration according to the order abovementioned.

RULE XXXIII
MOTION TO RECONSIDER AND ITS REQUISITES

SEC. 91. Any Senator who voted with the majority may move for the reconsideration of a measure on the same day it was decided by the Senate or within the next two (2) session days. If the Senate disapproves the motion, no other motion to reconsider shall be entertained unless it be by unanimous consent.

SEC. 92. If a motion for reconsideration, approved by the Senate, refers to a measure already with the House of Representatives, an advice shall be sent to the latter with a request for the return of the measure and to render ineffective any action taken thereon.

RULE XXXIV
UNPARLIAMENTARY ACTS AND LANGUAGE

SEC. 93. Acts and language which offend a Senator or any public institution shall be deemed unparliamentary.

SEC. 94. No Senator, under any circumstances, shall use offensive or improper language against another Senator or against any public institution.

SEC. 95. When a Senator, by word or deed, violates any Rule of the Senate, the President, motu proprio or at the instance of another Senator, may call him to order. The Senator concerned shall immediately take his seat if he happens to have the floor; and, in case the point of order raised has been sustained by the President or Presiding Officer, said Senator shall not continue speaking without the consent of the Senate. The motion permitting the Senator concerned to continue speaking shall be resolved without debate.

SEC. 96. When a Senator is called to order for using unparliamentary language, any other Senator may ask that the objectionable words be read for the information and decision of the Senate.

SEC. 97. Upon the recommendation of the Committee on Ethics and Privileges, the Senate may punish any Member for disorderly behavior and, with the concurrence of two-thirds (2/3) of the entire membership, suspend or expel a Member. A penalty of suspension shall not exceed sixty (60) calendar days.

RULE XXXV
SUSPENSION AND ADJOURNMENT OF THE SESSION

SEC. 98. Except as provided in Section 41, Rule XIV, hereof, the President of the Senate cannot suspend or adjourn a session of the Senate without a previous motion or resolution to that effect, which should be approved by a majority vote of the Senators present.

SEC. 99. Notwithstanding the provision of the preceding section, the lack of quorum shall compel the President to adjourn the session, unless, by means of motion, which shall not be subject to debate, a majority of the Senators present agree to its suspension and ask the President or Presiding Officer to order the Sergeant-at-Arms to require the appearance of the absent Members or, if it is deemed necessary, to order their arrest so as to form the necessary quorum.

SEC. 100. The Senate adjourns for a congressional recess:

(a) In compliance with its legislative calendar.

(b) At the end of the regular session thirty (30) days before the next regular session, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays.

(c) At the end of a special session of Congress.

(d) Upon the termination of the term of a Congress.

Recess includes:

(a) The period of time between the adjournment of the regular session and the convening of the next regular session of the same Congress.

(b) The intervening period of time between the adjournment of a regular session, and the convening of the special session of the same Congress.

(c) The intervening period of time between the adjournment of a special session, and the convening of the next regular session of the same Congress.

(d) The intervening period of time between the end of a session and its resumption on a fixed date as provided in the legislative calendar other than the adjournment of the annual regular session.

RULE XXXVI
CONCURRENCE IN TREATIES

SEC. 101. When a treaty is received in the Senate for its concurrence, the same shall be referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. After the Committee has reported the treaty to the Senate, the Second Reading of the treaty shall take place and during this period it shall be opened to general debate and to amendments. After the close of the debate, the treaty shall be voted upon and once approved shall pass to its Third Reading.

Any action taken by the Senate on the treaty shall be set forth in a resolution prepared by the Committee on Foreign Relations. This resolution shall be printed and distributed to the Senators as a bill on Third Reading.

Three (3) days after the distribution of the resolution of the Senate with printed copies of the treaty attached thereto, the resolution shall be submitted for nominal voting and, if two-thirds (2/3) of all the Senators approve it, the treaty shall be deemed approved, and in the contrary case, disapproved.

Consideration of the treaty shall be resumed from session to session until final approval or non-approval.

All proceedings on treaties shall terminate upon the expiration of the term of the Senators elected in the preceding elections and the same shall be taken up in the succeeding sessions of the Senate, as if presented for the first time.

RULE XXXVII
READING AND INCLUSION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS

SEC. 102. The reading and inclusion of any document in the Record of the Senate as well as in the Journal may be ordered upon request of a Senator after his brief explanation of the object of his request; but if objected to, the motion shall be submitted to a vote without debate.

SEC. 103. The reading and inclusion of documents that are not of public interest shall not be allowed.

SEC. 104. No written explanation of vote, speech or any other document shall be included in the Record as well as in the Journal if the member manifesting his interest to have the same included fails to submit such document within seven (7) days from the time he made the manifestation.

RULE XXXVIII
POINT OF ORDER

SEC. 105. All points of order may be raised at any time during the session and the President shall resolve them. The decisions of the President may be appealed to the Senate upon motion of any Senator.

The motion to lay on the table an appeal shall always be in order, and if the Senate resolves the motion in the affirmative, the decision of the President or Presiding Officer shall be deemed to have been sustained.

SEC. 106. It shall be discretionary for the President to submit to the Senate for resolution any point of order which may be raised.

RULE XXXIX
QUESTION OF PRIVILEGE

SEC. 107. Questions of privilege are those affecting the rights, privileges, reputation, conduct, decorum and dignity of the Senate or of its Members as well as the integrity of its proceedings.

SEC. 108. When there is no quorum or when the roll is being called, no question of privilege may be raised unless it relates to the procedure of ascertaining the existence of said quorum.

SEC. 109. Only the motion to adjourn shall have precedence over questions of privilege and privileged motions.

RULE XL
PRIVILEGE TO SPEAK ON MATTERS OF PUBLIC INTEREST

SEC. 110. After the consideration of the matters contained in the Calendar for Special Orders, a Senator may forthwith request for and avail of the privilege to speak for one (1) hour on any matter of public interest.

If more than one (1) Senator wish to avail of the same privilege, the Senator who first announced his intention shall be given priority.

The period of time allowed in this section may, upon motion of the Senator on the floor, be extended for such time as may be necessary for him to finish his speech unless a majority of all Senators vote against such extension.

RULE XLI
VOTING

SEC. 111. Voting shall be:

(a) By viva voce.

(b) Nominal.

SEC. 112. In votings by viva voce the affirmative vote shall be taken first, and then the negative vote.

SEC. 113. If there is any doubt as to the result, the President, on his own initiative or upon petition of any Senator, shall proceed to the counting of the affirmative and the negative votes.

In this case, the President shall request the Senators who voted in the affirmative to raise their hands and, after taking note of their number, he shall request those who voted in the negative to do the same.

After counting the votes, he shall announce the final result.

SEC. 114. In nominal votings, the Secretary shall call alphabetically the names of the Senators present and each Senator shall answer "yes" or "no" upon being called.

Immediately thereafter, the Secretary shall inform the President about the result of the voting, and the latter forthwith shall in turn announce it to the Senate.

SEC. 115. The voting shall always be nominal whenever it concerns:

(a) Bills or joint resolutions.

(b) Bills or joint resolutions vetoed by the President of the Philippines.

(c) Resolutions relative to treaties.

(d) Any other matter, if one-fifth (1/5) of the Senators present request it.

SEC. 116. The President shall not be obliged to vote except when his vote is decisive.

SEC. 117. The vote of a Senator absent from the session at the moment he is called to vote shall not be counted.

SEC. 118. No Senator shall be permitted to vote on any measure after the President has announced the result of the voting.

SEC. 119. Voting shall not be interrupted except on a question of quorum.

RULE XLII
UNANIMOUS CONSENT

SEC. 120. The unanimous consent to any action or proceeding may be given expressly or impliedly.

RULE XLIII
SUSPENSION OF THE RULES

SEC. 121. The Rules shall be suspended only when a motion presented by the Committee on Rules to that effect is approved by a majority of the Senators present, there being a quorum.

SEC. 122. When a motion to suspend the Rules is pending, one motion to adjourn may be entertained. If the latter is lost, no similar motion shall be entertained until the vote is taken on the motion to suspend.

If the Senate votes to suspend the Rules, it shall forthwith proceed to consider the measure.

RULE XLIV
UNFINISHED BUSINESS

SEC. 123. Unfinished business at the end of the session shall be taken up at the next session in the same status.

All pending matters and proceedings shall terminate upon the expiration of one (1) Congress, but may be taken by the succeeding Congress as if present for the first time.

RULE XLV
PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS OF PRIVATE PERSONS OR FOREIGN STATES

SEC. 124. The petitions and memorials of private persons shall be considered by the Senate only when clearly and duly signed by their authors. Those coming from a foreign national or State should furthermore be transmitted through the Office of the President of the Republic of the Philippines.

RULE XLVI
APPEARANCE OF CABINET MEMBERS

SEC. 125. Any Department Secretary, Cabinet Member, the Governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas or head of a government financial institution may be summoned by the Senate, through a resolution adopted by it, or upon his own initiative with the consent of the President of the Philippines, appear before the Senate, for information on any matter pertaining to his department.

The resolution adopted by the Senate shall state specifically and clearly the questions to be answered and the date and hour when the Department Secretary, Cabinet Member, Governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas or head of a government financial institution shall appear and give the information desired. No question shall contain arguments, include offensive or unparliamentary language or expressions; pertain to sub-judice matters; refer to the internal affairs of a foreign country or contain unwarranted discourtesy to it.

Within three (3) days from receipt of said resolutions, the Department Secretary, Cabinet Member, Governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas or head of a government financial institution shall appear and answer the questions therein, unless the Senate requires him to comply therewith at a specified date and time.

Interpellations shall not be limited to written questions, but may cover matters related thereto.

The appearance of a Department Secretary, Cabinet Member, the Governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas or head of a government financial institution shall be conducted in executive session when the security of the State or the public interest so requires and the President of the Philippines so states in writing.

The appearance of a Department Secretary, Cabinet Member, Governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas or head of a government financial institution shall be scheduled on Tuesdays at five o'clock in the afternoon, unless the Senate decides otherwise.

When a Member of the Cabinet desires to be heard by the Senate on any matter pertaining to his department which is pending consideration in the Senate, a request to that effect shall be sent to the President of the Senate for his approval.

RULE XLVII
EXECUTIVE SESSION

SEC. 126. The executive sessions of the Senate shall be held always behind closed doors. In such sessions, only the Secretary, the Sergeant-at-Arms, and/or such other persons as may be authorized by the Senate may be admitted to the session hall.

SEC. 127. Executive sessions shall be held whenever a Senator so requests it and his petition has been duly seconded, or when the security of the State or public interest so requires. Thereupon, the President shall order that the public be excluded from the gallery and the doors of the session hall be closed.

The Senator who presented the motion shall then explain the reasons which he had for submitting the same.

The minutes of the executive sessions shall be recorded in a separate book.

SEC. 128. The President as well as the Senators and the officials and employees of the Senate shall absolutely refrain from divulging any of the confidential matters taken up by the Senate, and all proceedings which might have taken place in the Senate in connection with the said matters shall be likewise considered as strictly confidential until the Senate, by two-thirds (2/3) vote of all its Members, decides to lift the ban of secrecy.

SEC. 129. Any Senator who violates the provisions contained in the preceding section may, by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of all the Senators, be expelled from the Senate, and if the violator is an official or employee of the Senate, he shall be dismissed.

SEC. 130. Whenever upon the request of the Senate or of any of its committees, the President of the Philippines or a Department Secretary sends to the Senate or to any of its committees certain confidential documents in connection with any matter pending therein, all proceedings relative to said documents shall be held behind closed doors and shall not be published without the consent of a majority of the Senators present in the session.

RULE XLVIII
DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SENATE

SEC. 131. All documents filed with the Senate after consideration shall be kept and preserved in the Archives of the Senate. No memorial, petition or any other document confidential in nature may be copied, withdrawn or taken away from the Archives or the Office of the Secretary or of any committee without the permission of the Secretary.

SEC. 132. When the documents sought to be copied or withdrawn are in the opinion of the Senate not confidential in nature, the Secretary may issue certified copies thereof.

SEC. 133. Legislative committee secretaries of the Senate Secretariat shall deliver to the Archives within seven (7) days after final adjournment of the Congress, all papers and documents in their possession which are related to legislative measures referred to their respective committees.

RULE XLIX
PROCEDURE ON VETOED BILLS

SEC. 134. If the President of the Philippines vetoes a bill or any part thereof, he shall return the bill with his objections to the House where it originated. If the Senate is the House of origin, it shall enter the objections at large in the Journal, and proceed to reconsider the bill or item or items vetoed.

During reconsideration, the Senate shall proceed to vote by yeas and nays on the bill or vetoed item or items thereof. The yeas and nays with the names of the Members voting shall be recorded in the Journal. If the bill or vetoed item or items thereof is passed by a vote of two-thirds (2/3) of all the Senators, it shall be sent together with the objections to the House of Representatives, which shall likewise reconsider the same.

RULE L
SUPPLEMENTARY RULES

SEC. 135. If there is no Rule applicable to a specific case, the precedents of the Legislative Department of the Philippines shall be resorted to, and as supplement to these, the Rules contained in Jefferson's Manual, Riddick's Precedents and Practices, and Hind's Precedents.

RULE LI
AMENDMENTS TO, OR REVISION OF, THE RULES

SEC. 136. At the start of each session in which the Senators elected in the preceding elections shall begin their term of office, the President may endorse the Rules to the appropriate committee for amendment or revision.

The Rules may also be amended by means of a motion which should be presented at least one (1) day before its consideration, and the vote of the majority of the Senators present in the session shall be required for its approval.

RULE LII
DATE OF TAKING EFFECT

SEC. 137. These Rules shall take effect on the date of their adoption and shall remain in force until they are amended or repealed.

Rules of the Senate

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