NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 921
feninti
72 JUL27 P6 '43
RECEIVED iY:
Introduced by Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE MANNER OF SELECTING AN 
ACTING PRESIDENT, AS REQUIRED UNDER ARTICLE VII, 
SECTION 7 OF THE CONSTITUTION
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Article VII, Section 7 of the Constitution provides that where no 
President and Vice-President shall have been chosen or shall have 
qualified, or where both shall have died or become permanently 
disabled, the President of the Senate shall act as President until a 
President or a Vice- President shall have been chosen and qualified. If 
the President of the Senate is unable to act as President, the Speaker 
of the House of Representatives shall do so. Congress is mandated to 
provide for the manner in which one who is to act as President shall 
be selected in the event that both the President of the Senate and the 
Speaker of the House of Representatives are unable to act as President 
until a President or a Vice-President shall have qualified.


For thirty-five (35) years, Congress has not acted on this 
mandate.
It is in line with the foregoing mandate that this bill is filed. 
Apart from the fact that Congress is obligated to provide for this 
contingency, it is important to prepare for all possible scenarios that 
may arise relating to vacancies in the leadership of our government.
For these reasons, passage of this m.easure is earnestly sought.
QUILINO >‘KOKO” PIMENT
III


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 921
^rnafi'
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■22 JUL27 P6 '43
, CD S'/:
Introduced by Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE MANNER OF SELECTING AN 
ACTING PRESIDENT, AS REQUIRED UNDER ARTICLE VII, 
SECTION 7 OF THE CONSTITUTION
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled:
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SECTION 1. Policy. - It is the policy of the State, in accordance
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with the Constitution, to provide the manner of selecting who shall act
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as President until a President or Vice-President shall have qualified, in
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case of death, permanent disability, or inability of the President of the
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Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to act as
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President.
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SEC. 2. Manner of Selection. - In the event that the President of
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the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives are both
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unable to act as President as provided in Article VII, Section 7,
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paragraph 6 of the Constitution, then the government official who is
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highest on the following list, whose nomination or appointment has
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been confirmed or approved by the Commission on Appointments, and
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who is not under any disability to discharge the powers and duties of
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the office of President shall act as President until a President or Vice-
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President shall have been qualified:


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(1) The Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs;
(2) The Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local 
Government; or
(3) The Secretaiy of the Department of National Defense.
SEC. 3. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, issuances, 
rules and regulations or parts thereof which are inconsistent with this 
Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
SEC. 4. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
after its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) 
newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,