Mapa Institute of Technology

Visit to the Senate of the Philippines

ZAMUDIO, Daniel Robert

SS10 - AT8

November 15, 2014

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page 1:

1 max

Title Page
Page 2:

Table of contents
Page 3:

1 max

Introduction
Page 4:

1 max

Observation
(Picture 1 and description)
Page 5: Observation

1 max

(Picture 2 and description)

Page 6: Observation

1 max

(Picture 3 and description)

Page 7:

2 max

Learnings from the Activity

Page 8: Appendix A

1 max

Approved Proposal
Page 9: Appendix B

1 max

Permission Letter from the Parent or Guardian

Page 10: Appendix C

1 max

Proof of Visitation
TOTAL

10 points

INTRODUCTION
The Senate of the Philippines, or Senado ng Pilipinas in Filipino, is the upper house of the
legislative department of the Philippine government. The Senate is composed of twenty-four (24)
senators, elected by the people of the Philippines every six (6) years through voting.

The Senate of the Philippines first housed at the Old Spanish Interdencia Building in
Intramuros, Manila in 1916, and is now located at the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS)
Headquarters Building in Pasay City since 1997, inaugurated on May 17, 1997 by former president
Fidel V. Ramos.

This place was chosen to be visited because of three reasons: because the Senate is one of
the two houses in the legislative department in our countrys government, and is heavily related to
the course; because we saw the Senate Museum in their website, where we can know more about
the Senate without traversing the whole building and have an educational tour within the said
building; and because it is easy to go there by commuting, which only involves riding a jeepney from
Mapua Makati to the multicab terminal located nearby LRT Gil Puyat Station, where you can ride a
multicab that can get you to the GSIS building at ease.

OBSERVATION

Here is a photo of our group in front of the Senate of the Philippines, GSIS Building, Pasay City. We
went there around lunchtime last Wednesday, November 12, 2014.

OBSERVATION

Inside the Senate Museum, there was a witness stand on display. Our tour guide let us sit on an
office chair that is placed on it and took photos. The witness stand was actually used during the
impeachment of former Chief Justice Renato Corona.

OBSERVATION

Inside the Senate Museum, there were portraits displayed on the walls of those who became
the Senate Presidents. There were also several items in display that are relevant to the Senate,
from old records to gifts from foreign officials. Even portraits of previous Senators and other
important officials in the past and present are displayed in one of the rooms.

LEARNINGS FROM THE ACTIVITY

Session halls in the Senate have different groups of people segregated in different parts of the
hall to maintain balance and order.
o

From the Senate President to the public audience, all people have their designated seats
within a session hall in the Senate whenever there are hearings and meetings.

Senators are allowed to give gifts to foreign officials as a treaty of peace after meetings.
o

Replicas of the gifts given to foreign officials and gifts from foreign officials are displayed in
the Senate Museum, to indicate that the country keeps the relationships between other
countries intact.

There are three symbols of the Senate: the Gavel, the Senate Mace, and the Senate Seal.
o

The Gavel is used by the Senate President for commanding attention whenever the Senate
is in session, the Senate Mace is an indicator is a session is important or not, and the Senate
Seal is a symbol for authenticating something from the Senate to be official.

The Mace of the Senate is used as an indicator whenever a meeting within the Senate is
recorded or not.
o

When the Mace is placed standing up on its pedestal, it is said that the sessions happened
within the room is important and must be recorded for the public. If it is placed horizontally, it
means the sessions are not for the public and are not recorded.

Some details of the Seal of the Senate reflect the Senates nature and purpose.

In the old Seal, there was an illustration of an eagle at the blue part of the flag and a lion
at the red part of the flag, which symbolizes the Spanish colonization and the American
colonization respectively. The banner below the flag with the Latin inscription: Legis
Servitae Pax Fiat means "Law Serves Peace, Let It Be Done, and it embodies the
ideals and aspirations of the Senate of attaining peace of the country by passing laws.

APPENDIX C
Visitor ID provided at the entrance after surrendering our school IDs to the security

Registration Sheet inside the Senate Museum