We have so many congressmen and congresswomen in the Philippines (316 in total as of writing), but who are they? What exactly do they do? Officially styled as representatives (kinatawan), but often informally called congressmen/women (kongresista), they are elected from legislative districts in the cities and provinces across the country and make up what is known as the House of Representatives, or the lower house of the bicameral legislative arm of the Philippine government. And here’s what congressmen or representatives actually do.

Most represent their local districts …

Representatives, well, represent their constituents. They speak on behalf of the specific geographical areas called districts across different cities and provinces; hence, the title “district representative.”

They act as the bridge between their district’s residents and the government, advocating for their needs and concerns and pushing for laws to enact change at the national level that will then (supposedly) trickle down to the individual Filipino.

They are usually made up of not more than 250 members (unless otherwise fixed by law). As of writing, there are 253 district representatives in the current congress.

… while some represent their sectors

The remaining 60 or so congressmen are the so-called party-list representatives, who are elected to give voice to community sectors and groups, often underrepresented and marginalized ones such as labor, urban poor, women, youth, indigenous cultural, and more.

We’ll be discussing this more in another article, but like district representatives, party-list representatives are part of the House of Representatives and are also often called congressman/woman.

At their core, they’re lawmakers

This is the responsibility that most people know about. As representatives of their districts and sectors, congressmen and congresswomen craft and propose bills to address both national and local issues, which can eventually become laws if they’re approved in the House, and then the Senate.

They budget

The congressmen are the ones responsible for checking the budget proposed by the executive branch of the government and for tackling all sorts of money bills. That includes “all appropriation, revenue or tariff bills, bills authorizing increase of the public debt, bills of local application, and private bills.” While the Senate can propose amendments, these kinds of bills must originate exclusively from the House.

They implement projects in their district

As district representatives, congressmen also propose, initiate, and implement development projects for the betterment of the community they represent. That includes anything from infrastructure developments and livelihood programs to educational support and healthcare initiatives.

They investigate

Whenever a situation requires it, congressmen can also conduct probes, hearings, and investigations if it aids in drafting legislation or if it’s in the national interest. They can start a probe on both citizens and officials alike, which leads us to the fact that…

They’re the only ones who can start an impeachment process

The House of Representatives has the sole power to initiate impeachment proceedings. This means that your district representative can jumpstart the process of unseating, say, the president if they find enough grounds to do so. Of course, the House still has to vote on it, and at least a third of its members are needed to come to a decision, whether it’s in favor of the impeachment or not.

One of them may succeed the president

While highly improbable, the congressmen voted as Speaker by fellow House members can succeed the president in case the latter is unseated. The Speaker of the House is third in the presidential line of succession, after the Vice President and the Senate President.

The bottom line

So why should you care? Congressmen have the power to make tangible change happen in your residence, whether that be a new road in the district or a change in education policies. They’re the ones you can reach out to if you want changes to happen in your area. So it’s best to take your time in studying the candidates’ platforms, choose the representative who has the Filipinos’ best interest at heart, and vote wisely.

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