Historical Background of

Philippine Democratic Politics

 Historical Background of Philippine Democratic Politics
1. Pre-colonial Philippines
2. Spanish colonial government
3. Revolutionary government
4. American occupation: Military and Civil government
5. Commonwealth Period
6. Japanese Government
7. Philippine republic
8. Martial Law government
9. Fifth republic
1. Politics and Governance in the
Pre-colonial Philippines
Barangay was the Filipino's earliest form of
government. It was an independent settlement
consisting of thirty to one hundred families
usually situated along a river bank or at the
mouth of a river spilling out to the sea. The term
barangay was derived from the Malay
word barangay or balangay, which means
sailboat. The barangays were used to transport
the early Filipinos and their cargoes to the various
sections of the Philippine archipelago.
Was the power of Datu absolute?
• According to Renato Constantino (1975), the datu was not an
absolute ruler. The scope of his authority was given limits by
a traditional body of customs and procedures. His usefulness
to the community earned him respect so that services were
willingly rendered to him. He could be replaced if, for some
reasons, he was found incapable of leading the community
and his position was weakened. The subjects, on their part,
served the datu during wars and voyages. Moreover, they
paid tributes or buwis to their datu in the form of farm
products.
umalohokan
2. Spanish Colonial Government
2. Spanish Colonial Government
National government
• maintained peace and order
• collected taxes
• built infrastructures
Local government
• administered provinces, cities, towns,municipalties
• collected taxes
The Rise of National Sentiment
The Rise of National Sentiment
The Rise of National Sentiment
Propaganda
movement -
aimed to seek
annexation and
liberation from
the Spanish rule
The Rise of National Sentiment
La Liga Filipina
encouraged reforms
in the country, called
the government to
address injustices
and abuses, and
asked for unification
of the Filipinos
3. Revolutionary Government
(De Facto Government)
•A de jure government is the legal,
legitimate government of a state
and is so recognized by other states.
In contrast, a de facto government
is in actual possession of authority
and control of the state.
De facto government that were established in
the Philippines during the Spanish period
•Katipunan
•Biak-na-Bato Republic
•Dictatorial Government
•Revolutionary Government
•First Philippine Republic
Towards the Revolutionary Government

Kataas-taasang
Kagalang-galangang
Katipunan ng mga
anak ng Bayan (KKK)
asked for a complete
independence from
Spain through a
revolution
Towards the Revolutionary Government

Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo

immediately
established a
Revolutionary
Government
“Pamahalaan ng
Sangkatagalugan”.
Biak-na-Bato Republic was
founded by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo
on the 1st of November in the year
1897. The republic only takes effect
for two years. However, the Republic
of Biak-na-Bato declared the
separation of the Philippine Islands
from the mother country Spain.
Dictatorial Government was also
founded by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo on 24th of
May 1898; after the outbreak of the Spanish-
American War on the 25th of April in the
year 1898. With the Dictatorial government,
the Philippine independence was
proclaimed on the 12th day of June in the
year 1898 in Kawit, Cavite.
Revolutionary Government was another
government established by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo
on the 23rd day of June in the year 1898;
replacing the dictatorial government. This
government aims to struggle for the Philippine
independence until the foreign countries
including Spain will recognized the Philippines. It
also aims for the future establishment of the real
republic.
The First Philippine Republic was formed by the
revolutionary congress of the Filipino
Representatives through the Malolos Constitution.
The free and Independent Philippine republic was
inaugurated on the 23rd day of January in the year
1899, making Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo as the
president. However, the new established republic
was not recognized by the family of nations.
In the month of February year 1899, the United
States of America annexed the Philippine
Archipelago as a result of the Spanish American War
Government
during the
American
Occupation
The Three Types of Government Established by
the Americans in the Philippines
• Military Government
• Civil Government
• Commonwealth Government
Military Government

- led by a military governor

who exercised all powers of
the government: executive,
legislative, and judiciary
Civil Government
• Spooner Act of 1901

• civilian governor replaced the military governor.

The civil governor was the chief of the executive branch and
had legislative powers as the head of the Philippine
Commission, a lawmaking body, whose members were all
appointed. The title was latter replaced by Governor
General.
Cooper Act or the Philippines Organic Act of
1902

- basis for a bi-cameral Philippine

legislature

• Commission (upper house) – appointed

• Philippine Assembly (lower house) - elected

The first national election was held on 1907 to select the

members of the lower house.
Jones Act of 1916 or Philippine Autonomy Act

- abolished the Philippine Commission

• Senate - 24 Senators
• House of Representatives with elected
congressmen from the electoral districts all over
the country
• all-Filipino cabinet members
Jones Act of 1916 or Philippine Autonomy Act

- Philippine Commonwealth

10-year transition period that would

prepare the Filipinos for self-governance
Philippine Independence Act of 1934 or
the Tydings-McDuffie Act

• Commonwealth Constitution was adopted

• bicameral legislature was restored
• judicial power was assigned to the supreme court and
other affiliate courts

President Manuel Quezon and Vice President Sergio Osmeña

headed the first Commonwealth government
Japanese Occupation

Greater East Asia

Co-prosperity Sphere

• a nation of Asians under the

government of Japan
Japanese Occupation

- established a civil
government known
as Philippine
Executive
Commission (PEC)
chaired by Jorge B.
Vargas
Japanese Occupation

- proclaimed a new
constitution in 1943
that established the
Second Republic with
Jose P. Laurel as the
president
Evolution of Philippine
Democratic Government
Third Republic - present
 Third
Republic
July 4, 1946

Filipino-American
Friendship Day
Source: https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/featured/republic-day/about/
Third Republic
Manuel Roxas Administration
(May 28, 1946 – April 15, 1948)
 Third
Republic

Roxas
Administration
 Third
Republic

Roxas
Administration
Third Republic: Roxas Administration

Philippine War Damage Commission

$620 million war damage compensation

Third Republic: Roxas Administration
Third Republic
Elpidio Quirino Administration
(April 17, 1948 – December 30, 1953)
 Third
Republic

Quirino
Administration • Action Committee on Social Amelioration
• Labor Management Board
• Agricultural Credit and Cooperative
Financing Administration
Third Republic: Quirino Administration

Proclamation No. 76

- granted amnesty to the

insurgents who
surrendered their arms
Third Republic
Ramon Magsaysay Administration
(December 30, 1953 – March 17, 1957)
 Third
Republic

Magsaysay
Administration
• Presidential Complaint and Action Commission
Third Republic: Magsaysay Administration

• Agricultural Tenancy Act

• Land Reform Act of 1955 of the
Philippines
• Court of Agrarian Relations through the
Social Security Law of 1954
Third Republic: Magsaysay Administration
Third Republic
Carlos P. Garcia Administration
(March 18, 1957 – December 30, 1961)
 Third
Republic

Garcia
Administration • obtain major and dominant participation in their
economy
• patronizing Filipino products and services
• implemented import and currency controls
Third Republic: Garcia Administration

Austerity Program
more work
more thrift
more productive investment
more efficiency

Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act

Third Republic
Diosdado Macapagal Administration
(December 30, 1961- December 30, 1965)
 Third President Diosdado Macapagal emphasized the
responsibilities and goals to be attained in the “new

Republic era” that was the Macapagal administration. He

reiterated his resolve to eradicate corruption and
assured the public that honesty would prevail in his
presidency. President Macapagal, too, aimed at self-
sufficiency and the promotion of every citizen’s
Garcia welfare, through the partnership of the government
and private sector, and to alleviate poverty by
Administration providing solutions for unemployment.
Third Republic: Macapagal Administration

• Agricultural Land Reform Code

- Land Bank of the Philippines
• Emergency Employment Administration
• Philippine Veterans Bank
• National Cottage Industries Development
Authority (NACIDA)
• Philippine National Railways (PNR)
Third Republic
Ferdinand Marcos Administration
(December 30, 1965 – February 25, 1986)
 Third
Republic • Armed Forces of the Philippines
• Philippine Constabulary
• Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR)
Marcos
Administration
Bagong Lipunan
(New Society)

- cultural and moral

transformation
New
oral
h a
Bagong Lipunan
was
ting (New Society)
m of
e to
ould
med - cultural and moral
ould
ster transformation
onal
an
was
was
Marcos formally ended Martial Law
through Proclamation No. 2045
on January 17, 1981.
People Power Revolution of 1986
Epifanio de los Santos Avenue
( 54 kilometers)
“People Power Revolution” is also tagged
as the “EDSA Revolution,” “Yellow
Revolution,” “Bloodless Revolution”
and “1986 Philippine Revolution.”
• The official tally of the votes did not come together
during the snap elections. To be exact, the official
election canvasser, the Commission on Elections
(COMELEC), declared Marcos the winner with
10,807,197 votes against Aquino's 9,291,761 votes
while National Movement for Free Elections’s
(NAMFREL) had Aquino winning with 7,835,070 votes
against Marcos' 7,053,068 points.

• There were two inaugurations held on Feb. 25, 1986.

Marcos held his in Malacañang while Aquino held hers
in Club Filipino.