Batasang Pambansa

The Batasang Pambansa, or National Assembly, was the legislative body of the Philippines from 1978 to 1986. It was created by the 1973 Constitution and replaced the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Batasang Pambansa was a unicameral body, meaning that it had only one chamber. It was composed of 200 members, who were elected for six-year terms. The Batasang Pambansa was led by a Speaker, who was elected by the members of the Assembly.

The Batasang Pambansa was created as part of President Ferdinand Marcos's plan to establish a new political system in the Philippines. Marcos believed that the old system, which was based on the American model, was no longer effective. He argued that the Philippines needed a new system that was more responsive to the needs of the Filipino people.

The Batasang Pambansa was a controversial body. Many people criticized it for being too close to the Marcos regime. Critics argued that the Assembly was not truly representative of the Filipino people and that it was simply a rubber stamp for Marcos's policies.

Despite the criticism, the Batasang Pambansa did pass some important laws. These included the 1981 Land Reform Code, which aimed to redistribute land to poor farmers, and the 1982 Local Government Code, which gave local governments more autonomy.

The Batasang Pambansa was dissolved in 1986 after Marcos was overthrown in the People Power Revolution. The new government that was established after the revolution created a new legislative body, the Congress of the Philippines. The Congress is a bicameral body, meaning that it has two chambers, the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The Batasang Pambansa was a unique and controversial body in the history of the Philippines. It was a product of President Marcos's desire to create a new political system in the country. The Assembly was criticized for being too close to the Marcos regime, but it did pass some important laws. The Batasang Pambansa was dissolved after Marcos was overthrown in the People Power Revolution, and a new legislative body was created.