2. The House of Representatives

Composition

Not more than 250 members, unless otherwise fixed by law, consisting of:

• District Representatives: elected from legislative districts apportioned among the provinces, cities and the Metropolitan Manila area
• Party-list Representatives: shall constitute 20% of the total number of the members of the House of Representatives including those under the party-list.

Transfer of Funds / Re-alignment

General Rule: No law shall be passed authorizing any transfer of appropriations;

Exception (Exclusive List): The following may, by law, be authorized to augment any item in the general appropriations law for their respective offices from savings in other items of their respective appropriations:

• The President
• Senate President
• Speaker of the House of Representatives,
• the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
• the heads of Constitutional Commissions (PHIL. CONST. § 25 (5))

Individual members of Congress may only determine the necessity of the realignment of savings in the allotments for their operating expenses because they are in the best position to know whether there are savings available in some items and whether there are deficiencies in other items of their operating expenses that need augmentation. However, it is the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives who shall approve the realignment. (Philippine Constitution Association v. Enriquez, G.R. No. 113105, 19 August 1994.)