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The Senate of the Philippines is the upper house of Congress. The Senate is composed of 24 senators, each elected to a six-year term, renewable once, under plurality-at-large voting: on each election, the voters vote for up to twelve candidates, with the twelve candidates the highest number of votes being elected in.
Prior to 1916, the Philippine Assembly, from 1935 to 1941 the National Assembly and from 1978 to 1986 the Batasang Pambansa (National Legislature) was the sole house of the legislature. In periods where the legislature was bicameral, the upper house has always been called as the "Senate". From 1972 to 1978 and from 1986 to 1987, the president possessed legislative powers.