The 1972 Constitution abolished the bicameral legislature and in its stead established a unicameral body under a parliamentary government. The legislative bodies created during the martial law were the Batasang Bayan, the Interim Batasang Bayan and the Batasang Pambansa. When the popular βpeople powerβ or EDSA revolution broke out in February, 1986, Corazon Aquino was installed as the new Presiden
t. She issued a proclamation creating a Constitutional Commission to draft a new Constitution for the Philippines. A plebiscite, held on February 7, 1987, overwhelmingly ratified the present 1987 Constitution. The 1987 Constitution restored the presidential system of government together with the bicameral congress of the Philippines. Section 1, Article VI of the 1987 Constitution provides as follows:
The legislative power shall be vested in the Congress of the Philippines, which shall consist of the Senate and the House of Representatives, except to the extent reserved to the people by the provision on initiative and referendum. The present Congress is actually a reincarnation of the Senate of the Philippines under the 1940 amendment to the 1935 Constitution. As mandated by the new constitution, the upper chamber is composed of 24 members elected at large, who serve a term of six years. Senators cannot serve beyond two consecutive terms. The Senate of the 19th Congress is currently headed by Senate President Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri, Pro Tempore Loren Legarda, Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, and Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" L. Pimentel III. It has forty-one (41) permanent committees and fourteen (14) Oversight committees to fuel the wheels of the legislative mill. The Senate or any of its committees may conduct formal inquiries or investigations in aid of legislation. The committees are classified into: (1) standing or permanent; (2) special or ad hoc; (3) joint; and (4) sub. Subcommittees are created to parcel the work of standing or special committees. The "special" committees are created for a particular purpose and dissolved after accomplishing such purpose. Joint committees are those that include members of both houses. The following Senators have, at one time or another assumed the Senate helm: Manuel L. Quezon, 1916-1935; Manuel A. Roxas, 1945-1946; Jose Avelino, 1946-1949; Mariano Jesus Cuenco, 1949-1951; Eulogio Rodriguez, 1952-1963; Ferdinand Marcos, 1963-1965; Arturo Tolentino, 1966-1967; Gil J. Puyat, 1967-1973; Jovito Salonga, 1987-1992; Edgardo J. Angara, January 1993 - August 1995; Ernesto M. Maceda, October 1996 - January 1998; Neptali A. Gonzales, January 1992 - 1993; August 1995 - October 1996 and January 1998 - June 1998; Marcelo B. Fernan, July 1998 - July 1999; Blas F. Ople, July 1999 - April 2000; Franklin M. Drilon, April - November 2000; Aquilino Q. Pimentel Jr., November 2000 - July 2001; Franklin M. Drilon, July 2001 - July 2006; Manny Villar, July 2006 - November 2008; Juan Ponce Enrile, November 2008 - June 2013; Franklin M. Drilon, July 2013 - July 2016; Aquilino "Koko" L. Pimentel III, July 2016 - May 2018; Vicente C. Sotto III, May 2018 - July 2022; and Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri, July 2022 to present.
