Initiative and Referendum Act

Initiative: People's power to propose any constitutional amendment, national, or local legislation through elections.
- Three systems: constitutional initiatives, statutory initiatives (national laws), and local legislation initiatives.
Indirect initiative: Proposal sent to Congress or local legislative bodies instead of direct election.
Referendum: People's power to approve or reject laws via election; classified into referenda on statutes and local laws.
Other definitions include proposition (measure), plebiscite (approval process for constitutional initiatives), petition (document with signatures), local government units, local legislative bodies, and local executives.

At least 10% of registered voters must sign petitions for initiatives or referenda; with minimum 3% representation from each legislative district.
For constitutional initiatives, 12% of total registered voters with 3% from each district; can only be exercised five years after the Constitution's ratification and then once every five years.
Petition contents must include:
- The full text of the proposed law or amendment.
- The proposition itself.
- Reasons for the proposition.
- Statement excluding exceptions.
- Signatories' names.
- An abstract or summary of not more than 100 words.
Additional specific signature distribution requirements for autonomous regions, provinces, cities, municipalities, and barangays.

A special registration day must be set 3 weeks before elections for initiatives or referenda.
Election Registrar verifies signatures against official voter registries and identification.

The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) supervises the process.
Upon petition sufficiency confirmation, the petition is published twice in newspapers, and voting is scheduled between 45 and 90 days afterward.

National initiatives or referenda require majority approval by registered voters.
When approved, enacted or repealed laws become effective 15 days after official publication.
Constitutional initiatives approved through plebiscite take effect immediately on plebiscite day.
Local initiatives effective 15 days after certification.

Petitions must be single-subject only.
Emergency statutes vested exclusively in Congress cannot be subject to referendum for 90 days post-effectivity.

Accredited people’s organizations may file petitions with legislative bodies for direct consideration.
Initiative bills have procedural precedence in committee deliberations.

Decisions by COMELEC on petition sufficiency can be appealed to the Supreme Court within 30 days.

Minimum number of registered voters required to initiate:
- Autonomous regions: 2,000
- Provinces/cities: 1,000
- Municipalities: 100
- Barangays: 50
Local legislative body has 30 days to act on petitions.
If no action, proponents may proceed with initiative, collecting signatures within specified timeframes.
Signatures must be secured publicly under supervision.
COMELEC certifies sufficiency and sets election dates accordingly.

Local initiatives allowed only once per year.
Limited to subjects within local legislative powers.
If local legislative body adopts the proposition in full before initiative, the initiative is canceled.
Amending or repealing a measure passed via initiative is restricted: no changes for 6 months, thereafter requires 3/4 vote within 3 years (1-year period for barangays).

Local legislative bodies may submit ordinances or resolutions for approval or rejection by registered voters.
COMELEC supervises and certifies results within specified time limits depending on local government unit.

Courts can declare null and void any initiative or referendum proposition violating the Constitution or beyond local legislative power.

The Omnibus Election Code and other election laws apply unless inconsistent with this Act.

COMELEC empowered to promulgate necessary rules and regulations.
Initial cost charged to Contingent Fund; subsequent costs included in General Appropriations.

Invalidity of any provision does not affect the remaining provisions.
The Act takes effect 15 days after publication in a general circulation newspaper.