State-Society Interactions

Overarching Questions:
 What are the formal and non-formal means by which the Filipino citizens
can participate and get represented in the various decision-making
processes of the government?
 Do these avenues for people’s participation and representation empower
citizens?

Learning Outcomes
At the end of the chapter, the students are expected to:
1. Define elections, political parties, civil society, and social movements;
2. Identify the different types of electoral systems;
3. Explain the contributions of civil society organizations and social
movements to Philippine democracy.
4. Analyze the nature of elections and political parties in the Philippines

Introduction
Civil society is state or situation of people living in particular community or
nation having shared interest, values and purpose getting benefit to have right of
individuals, enjoying liberty,and to have resources to develop personal potential.

Civil Society
Civil society refers to the arena of uncoerced collective action around
shared interests, purposes and values. In theory, its institutional forms are distinct
from those of the state, family and market, though in practice, the boundaries
between state, civil society, family and market are often complex, blurred and
negotiated. Civil society commonly embraces a diversity of spaces, actors and
institutional forms, varying in their degree of formality, autonomy and power. Civil
societies are often populated by organisations such as registered charities,
development non-governmental organisations, community groups, women's
organisations, faith-based organisations, professional associations, trade unions,
self-help groups, social movements, business associations, coalitions and
advocacy groups.

Government alone do not make democracy work. Private initiative is also

essential, including a vital role for those institutions which are collectively
described as “Civil Society”.
 Taking the above definition we derived three major element of civil society:
1. Diversity
It means understanding that each individual is unique, and recognizing our
individual differences. These can be along the dimensions of race, ethnicity,
gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious
beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies. It is the exploration of these
differences in a safe, positive, and nurturing environment. It is about
understanding each other and moving beyond simple tolerance to embracing
and celebrating the rich dimensions of diversity contained within each individual.

2. Non-Government Organization
A non-governmental organization (NGO) is a legally constituted organization
created by private organizations or people with no participation or
representation of any government. In the cases in which NGOs are funded totally
or partially by governments, the NGO maintains its non-governmental status in so
far as it excludes government representatives from membership in the
organization.

 NGOs: Emergence
- Fill a gap in the function of the government
- Stimulating agent for community development
- Creates opportunities for the politically marginalized to become active
participants in the socio-political processes of society

 NGOs: Roles
- Playing as an intermediary mechanism between those who have power &
those who have none:
1. Plays as an alternative institutional setting to political parties, articulating &
aggregating socially relevant interests
2. Supplements government’s social delivery mechanisms
3. Privatizes policy implementation

 Typology of Philippine NGOs

1. DJANGOs (Development, Justice and Advocacy NGOs) - commonly called
development NGOs - perform direct and indirect support service functions
with POs
2. FUNDANGOs (Funding agency NGOs or Philanthropic Foundations) - grant-
giving organizations linked to grassroots organizations through providing
financial and other forms of support
3. MUNGOs (Mutant NGOs) - largely composed of government-run NGOs that
are essentially extensions of the state or personal interests of state actors
4. COME N’GOs (Fly-by-Night or paper NGOs) - fly-by-night organizations that
package proposals to attract outside funding and promptly disappear with
the funds
5. Democracy
A. Individual Right
 Right To Say
 Liberty
B. Structure of Democracy:
 There is need to setup the structure of democracy.
 How a particular structure formed under a particular civilization is
applicable to another nation having different civilization.
C. Educating People:
 People should be aware of the power of democracy
D. Media:
 Terrorist activities are too often related with Islam
 Media Should be educated
 Authority versus responsibility