The Malolos Congress The pre-martial law Senate The Philippines has been governed by legislatures since 1898. The country has had different setups, with legislatures under the presidential system and the parliamentary system , and with legislatures having one or two chambers.
The first national legislature in the Philippines was the Malolos Congress that convened in the Barasoain Church at Malolos , Bulacan . Convened after the declaration of independence from Spain at the height of the Philippine Revolution , the Congress ratified the declaration, and drafted a constitution . With the capture of President Emilio Aguinaldo during the ensuing Philippine–American War , the unrecognized First Philippine Republic fell.
The Americans then sent several commissions to assess the situation; these eventually became the Philippine Commission . With the passage of the Philippine Bill of 1902 , the Philippine Commission eventually became an appointive upper house of the new Philippine Legislature , of which the wholly elected Philippine Assembly was the lower house . The passage of the Philippine Autonomy Act instituted a mostly elective Senate as the upper house, with the House of Representatives as the lower house. This set up continued until the 1935 Constitution of the Philippines was set into force, creating a unicameral National Assembly under the Commonwealth of the Philippines . Amendments that took effect in 1941 restored the bicameral setup, creating the Commonwealth Congress . However, World War II intervened, and legislators elected in 1941 were not able to serve. The invading Japanese set up the Second Philippine Republic that convened its own National Assembly .
The Allies reconquered the Philippines and the legislators elected in 1941 who are either still alive or are not arrested for collaboration convened in 1945. The Americans granted independence on July 4, 1946, and the Commonwealth Congress was renamed as Congress of the Republic of the Philippines. This will continue until the declaration of martial law by President Ferdinand Marcos on September 23, 1972, which effectively dissolved Congress. Marcos then exercised legislative power; his 1973 Constitution created the unicameral Batasang Pambansa , a parliament . The Batasang Pambansa first convened in 1978, and will continue to exist until the 1986 People Power Revolution that overthrew Marcos from power. President Corazon Aquino appointed a constitutional commission that drafted the 1987 Constitution which restored the bicameral Congress with the presidential system of government.
Per legislative term [ edit ] # Legislature Upper house Lower (or sole) house First convened Era Name # Name Election date Election results Total seats Name Election Results Total seats 1 Malolos Congress Unicameral assembly Revolutionary Congress June 23 to September 10, 1898 68 nonpartisan 136 September 15, 1898 Revolutionary government Assembly of Representatives First Republic 2 Taft Commission 2nd Unicameral assembly Philippine Commission Unelected 5–8 March 16, 1900 U.S. military government U.S. Insular Government 3 Philippine Legislature 1st Philippine Commission Unelected 8–9 Philippine Assembly July 30, 1907 59 Nacionalista 16 Progresista 5 others 80 October 16, 1907 4 2nd 9–10 November 2, 1909 62 Nacionalista 17 Progresista 2 independent 81 March 28, 1910 5 3rd 7–8 June 4, 1912 62 Nacionalista 16 Progresista 3 independent 81 October 16, 1912 6 4th Senate October 3, 1916 20 Nacionalista 1 Progresista 24 House of Representatives June 6, 1916 75 Nacionalista 7 Progresista 2 Democrata 6 independent 90 October 16, 1916 7 5th June 3, 1919 10 Nacionalista 1 Democrata 24 June 3, 1919 83 Nacionalista 4 Democrata 3 independent 90 October 16, 1919 8 6th June 6, 1922 4 Colectivista 4 Democrata 3 Unipersonalista 24 June 6, 1922 35 Colectivista 29 Unipersonalista 26 Democrata 3 independent 93 July 21, 1922 9 7th June 2, 1925 7 Nacionalista 4 Democrata 24 June 2, 1925 64 Nacionalista 22 Democrata 6 independent 92 July 16, 1925 10 8th June 5, 1928 9 Nacionalista 2 Democrata 24 June 5, 1928 71 Nacionalista 16 Democrata 7 independent 94 July 16, 1928 11 9th June 2, 1931 7 Nacionalista 4 Democrata 24 June 2, 1931 68 Nacionalista 13 Democrata 5 independent 86 July 16, 1931 12 10th June 5, 1934 8 Nacionalista 3 Pro Independencia 24 June 5, 1934 70 Pro Independencia 19 Consolidado 3 Sakdalista 92 July 16, 1934 13 Constitutional Convention 1st Unicameral assembly Constitutional Convention July 10, 1934 202 nonpartisan 202 July 30, 1934 14 National Assembly of the Commonwealth 1st Unicameral assembly National Assembly September 16, 1935 64 Democratico 19 Pro Independencia 6 independent 89 November 25, 1935 Commonwealth 15 2nd November 8, 1938 98 Nacionalista 98 January 24, 1939 16 National Assembly of the Republic Unicameral assembly September 20, 1943 108 KALIBAPI 108 September 25, 1943 Second Republic 17 Commonwealth Congress 1st Senate November 11, 1941 24 Nacionalista 24 House of Representatives November 11, 1941 95 Nacionalista 3 independent 98 June 9, 1945 Commonwealth 18 2nd April 23, 1946 8 Liberal 7 Nacionalista 1 Popular Front 24 April 23, 1946 49 Liberal 35 Nacionalista 6 Democratic Alliance 8 others 98 May 25, 1946 Congress 1st July 5, 1946 Third Republic November 11, 1947 7 Liberal 1 Nacionalista 24 19 2nd November 8, 1949 8 Liberal 24 November 8, 1949 60 Liberal 33 Nacionalista 6 Liberal (Avelino wing) 1 independent 100 December 30, 1949 November 13, 1951 8 Nacionalista 24 20 3rd November 10, 1953 5 Nacionalista 2 Democratic 1 Citizens' 24 November 10, 1953 59 Nacionalista 31 Liberal 11 Democratic 1 independent 102 January 25, 1954 November 8, 1955 8 Nacionalista 24 21 4th November 12, 1957 6 Nacionalista 2 Liberal 24 November 12, 1957 82 Nacionalista 19 Liberal 1 NCP 102 January 27, 1958 November 10, 1959 5 Nacionalista 2 Liberal 1 NCP 24 22 5th November 14, 1961 4 Liberal 2 Nacionalista 2 Progressive 24 November 14, 1961 74 Nacionalista 29 Liberal 1 independent 104 January 22, 1962 November 12, 1963 4 Liberal 4 Nacionalista 24 23 6th November 9, 1965 5 Liberal 2 Nacionalista 1 NCP 24 November 9, 1965 61 Liberal 38 Nacionalista 5 others 104 January 17, 1966 November 14, 1967 6 Nacionalista 1 Liberal 1 independent 24 24 7th November 11, 1969 6 Nacionalista 2 Liberal 24 November 11, 1969 88 Nacionalista 18 Liberal 4 others 110 January 26, 1970 November 8, 1971 5 Liberal 3 Nacionalista 24 25 Constitutional Convention 2nd Unicameral assembly Constitutional Convention November 10, 1970 320 nonpartisan 320 June 1, 1971 President had legislative powers. Marcos dictatorship New Society 26 Batasang Pambansa Interim Unicameral assembly Batasang Pambansa April 7 and 27, 1978 150 KBL 13 Pusyon Bisaya 2 others 190 June 12, 1978 Fourth Republic 27 Regular May 14, 1984 114 KBL 61 UNIDO 8 others 200 July 23, 1984 28 Constitutional Commission 3rd Unicameral assembly Constitutional Commission Unelected 48 June 2, 1986 Provisional Government President had legislative powers. 29 Congress 8th Senate May 11, 1987 22 LABAN 2 GAD 24 House of Representatives May 11, 1987 103 LABAN 17 GAD 25 others 214 July 24, 1987 Fifth Republic 30 9th May 11, 1992 16 LDP 5 NPC 2 Lakas 1 Liberal /PDP–Laban 24 May 11, 1992 86 LDP 41 Lakas 30 NPC 11 Liberal /PDP–Laban 32 others 216 July 27, 1992 31 10th May 8, 1995 9 Lakas-Laban 3 NPC 24 May 8, 1995 157 Lakas-Laban 25 NPC 22 others 220 June 26, 1995 32 11th May 11, 1998 7 LAMMP 5 Lakas 24 May 11, 1998 111 Lakas 64 LAMMP 15 Liberal 16 others 14 party-lists 257 July 27, 1998 33 12th May 14, 2001 8 PPC 4 Puwersa ng Masa 1 independent 24 May 14, 2001 79 Lakas 42 NPC 21 LDP 19 Liberal 48 others 16 party-lists 256 July 23, 2001 34 13th May 10, 2004 7 K4 5 KNP 24 May 10, 2004 92 Lakas 53 NPC 29 Liberal 15 LDP 20 others 28 party-lists 261 July 26, 2004 35 14th May 14, 2007 8 GO 2 TEAM Unity 2 others 24 May 14, 2007 89 Lakas 44 KAMPI 28 NPC 23 Liberal 11 Nacionalista 23 others 53 party-lists 271 July 23, 2007 36 15th May 10, 2010 3 Liberal 2 Nacionalista 2 PMP 2 Lakas 3 others 24 May 10, 2010 107 Lakas 47 Liberal 29 NPC 26 Nacionalista 20 others 57 party-lists 286 July 26, 2010 37 16th May 13, 2013 9 Team PNoy 3 UNA 24 May 13, 2013 112 Liberal 42 NPC 24 NUP 18 Nacionalista 14 Lakas 10 UNA 15 others 57 party-lists 293 July 22, 2013 38 17th May 9, 2016 7 KDM 4 PGP 1 UNA 24 May 9, 2016 115 Liberal 42 NPC 24 Nacionalista 23 NUP 11 UNA 23 others 59 party-lists 297 July 25, 2016 39 18th May 13, 2019 9 HNP 1 NPC 1 UNA 1 independent 24 May 13, 2019 82 PDP–Laban 42 Nacionalista 37 NPC 25 NUP 18 Liberal 12 Lakas 27 others 61 party-lists 304 July 22, 2019 40 19th May 9, 2022 4 NPC 1 Akbayan 1 Nacionalista 1 PDP–Laban 1 PMP 4 independent
24 May 9, 2022 66 PDP–Laban 36 Nacionalista 35 NPC 33 NUP 26 Lakas 10 Liberal 47 others 63 party-lists
316 July 25, 2022
These are at the start of every legislature. A politician may switch parties mid-term. Appointed members appear after the plus sign (+).
House of Representatives [ edit ] 1949–1984 Year LP NP KBL Others Ind Sec Total 1949 60 33 6 Liberal-Avelino wing 1 100 1953 31 59 11 Democratic 1 102 1957 19 82 1 NCP 102 1961 29 74 1 104 1965 61 38 1 independent Nacionalista, 1 independent Liberal 3 104 1969 18 88 2 independent Nacionalista 2 110 1978 150 13 Pusyon Bisaya, 2 minor parties 0+14 165 1984 2 114 61 UNIDO 6 0+9 183
1987–present Year KBL LP NP PDP Lakas [ b] LDP NPC PMP Reporma Aksyon NUP UNA Others Party-list Ind Total 1987 11 16 4 43 49 coalitions, 24 Lakas ng Bansa, 19 UNIDO , 2 GAD , 2 PnB , 1 LABAN , 6 minor parties 0+14 23 214 1992 3 7 41 86 30 14 coalitions, 11 Koalisyong Pambansa , 2 minor parties 0+15 6 216 1995 1 5 1 1 100 17 22 1 25 Lakas-Laban , 14 hybrid coalitions, 9 administration coalitions, 1 opposition coalition, 1 PRP 0+24 7 226 1998 15 111 9 55 4 1 4 PROMDI , 5 minor parties 14 2 258 2001 19 2 79 21 42 4 2 2 3 PROMDI , 1 PDSP , 1 KAMPI , 1 PPC , 1 NPC/LDP, 17 minor parties, 5 others 16 8 261 2004 1 29 2 2 92 15 53 5 1 2 2 KAMPI , 1 PDSP 28 4 261 2007 1 23 11 5 89 5 28 4 44 KAMPI , 3 PDSP , 1 Lingkod Taguig 53 4 271 2010 1 47 26 2 107 2 29 6 1 LM , 1 PDSP 57 7 286 2013 1 112 18 14 2 42 24 10 1 CDP , 4 minor parties 59 6 293 2016 115 24 3 4 2 42 1 23 11 8 minor parties 59 4 297 2019 18 42 82 12 2 37 1 1 25 5 PFP , 1 CDP , 1 PRP , 14 minor parties 61 2 304 2022 10 36 66 26 1 35 2 33 1 3 PRP , 2 PFP , 2 PDDS , 1 CDP , 35 minor parties 63 6 316
Party-list elections [ edit ] This includes all parties that have won at least 2 seats in any election.
Legend Gaps refer to instances when the legislature was unicameral. House of Representatives [ edit ] Gaps from 1946 to 1971 refer to instances when there was no lower house election for it was a midterm election (senators have 6-year terms with staggered elections every two years, while representatives have 4-year terms). Starting in 1995, a midterm election includes both upper and lower house elections (senators have 6-year terms with staggered elections every three years, while representatives have 3-year terms). Chronological timeline [ edit ] ^ Also formerly known as Nacionalista–Colectivista and Nacionalista–Consolidado. ^ a b Known as Lakas–CMD from 1991 to 2009, Lakas–Kampi–CMD from 2009 to 2012, and Lakas–CMD again from 2012 to the present.