|
Batasang Pambansa in Manila is the place where the members of the House of Representative
or the Lower House hold the sessions. This monument in Manila is the symbol of
democracy where the members discuss and argue social, economic and other issues
of national importance. The National Assembly is also known as Batasan.
History reveals that Batasan was the former Parliament of the Philippines that
was established as an interim assembly in 1976 and then in 1981 became an official
body. It was in 1973 that it replaced the former Congress established under
the 1935 Commonwealth Constitution. Today the term Batasan signifies the Batasang
Pambansa Complex where the Lower House holds the sessions.
The Batasang Pambansa has seen tumultuous times during the tenure of President
Marcos that imposed Martial law and curtailed the press and dissolved the bicameral
Congress and formed the barangay/assembly to justify his policies and the 1973
constitution. In 1976 he started to implement the 1973 constitution that included
the organization of the Batasang Pambansa or the National Assembly. In 1984
the Batasang was unsuccessful in its effort to impeach the President and was
later dissolved. In 1987 the constitution made the legislative bicameral.
The House of Representatives retained the hall and the offices of the Batasang
Pambansa and the Senate returned to the Legislative building in Manila. The
strength of the Batasang Pambansa in Manila is 218 who are elected and amongst
them there are 12 presidential appointees. The Batasang Pambansa of Manila is
also used for the joint sessions of the Philippine Parliament.
The construction of Batasang Pambansa complex began in 1950s and due to lack
of funds the complex was not completed until 1970s under the Marcos administration.
The Batasan is located on Batasan Road, Quezon City.
AsiaRooms provides information on Batasang Pambansa and for further information
check the other web links of AsiaRooms
|
