1. How does politics differ from governance?

Cite a specific example in the Philippine

setting.

Politics relates to the way people deal with each other, select others for elected
offices, form political parties, negotiate, contend with other parties, and the entire system
whereby this happens. Politics takes place everywhere people congregate, group together,
form nations and organizations, negotiate with each other and contend against one
another. Politics is everywhere. Running an election campaign, dealing with the media,
making yourself look good and your opponents look bad, drawing up a manifesto, things
like that are all example of politics in the Philippine setting.
Governance is similar, but is the act of governing, the manner, methods and ways
of governing, and what actually happens in the real world. Governance is what political
leaders do when they govern, when they are in charge of the body politic. Leaders can
govern as dictators, elected leaders, parliamentary cabinets, military juntas, governors of
states and provinces, mayors of cities, city councils, and every other form and level of
government. Governance in the Philippine setting includes making and reforming laws,
having diplomatic meetings with foreign leaders, setting taxes and handling the national
budget, addressing war and national security matters.
In the simplest terms possible, politics is what people do to get and retain power.
Governance is how they use that power once they have it.

2. Examine the ways in which the separation of powers and the system of checks and
balances influence the policy-making processes.

The system of separation of powers divides the tasks of the state into three
branches: legislative, executive and judicial. These tasks are assigned to different
institutions in such a way that each of them can check the others. As a result, no one
institution can become so powerful in a democracy as to destroy this system.
Checks and balances (rights of mutual control and influence) make sure that the
three powers interact in an equitable and balanced way. The separation of powers is an
essential element of the Rule of Law, and is enshrined in the Constitution.
The first of the three powers, the Legislative power has the task of passing laws
and supervising their implementation. It is exercised by Parliament – i.e. the National and
Federal Councils – and the Provincial Diets.
The implementation of laws is the task of the executive and judicial branches.
In the Executive power, the executive branch has the task of implementing laws.
It comprises the Federal Government, the Federal President and all federal authorities
including the police and the armed forces.
In the Judicial power, judges administer justice, viz. they decide disputes
independently and impartially. It is their task to ensure that laws are complied with.
Judges cannot be deposed and cannot be assigned other positions against their will.
3. In your own opinion what do you think is the best and ideal form of government?
Why?
The best form of government, in my opinion, is the form of government we
currently have in our country, which is democracy. For me, democracy is the best
because it places faith in humanity. It is a system where the power lies in the hands of
citizens in order to guarantee that government is for the people’s good. The citizenry has
the chance to choose who governs over them and each vote always counts equally, and
majority should be satisfied. Elections are the best way to gauge what the public
wants/needs. This offers both independence and equality to people, which are highly
valued principles. No other form of government offers both these values (dictatorship
(benevolent or not) excludes individual liberty and oligarchic forms of government
ignore equality). This cannot compare to any other form of government: the only way to
ensure majority approval is by hearing from the public, and shaping a government based
on their expressed needs.
Overall, democracy is the best form of government, because it is morally the most
justifiable. Public should bear the responsibility of electing a government, since we have
the right to choose what the ruling body looks like, and deserve to make this decision for
ourselves.