Nature of Politics and

Governance of the
Philippines
Ian Rave J. Caliwan
Science Research and Policy Analyst - DOST
De La Salle University
Masters of Arts in Political Science
Politics
- denotes a social activity
- is the creation, maintenance and amendment of social
norms or rules.
- Is an art and science of the government.
- Is the realm of public affairs or the state.
Governance
- Is the exercise of power/ authority by political leader
for the well being at their country’s citizens or subject.
- Refers to the manner of steering/ governing and or
directing and controlling a group of people/ the state.
 BASIC CONCEPTS OF POLITICS
1. ORDER - Is the central to the study of politics because it
shows different components of human society.

STRUCTURES of ORDER
A. COMMUNITY – is one kind of social order which refers to
the association of individual who shares a common identity.
B. GOVERNMENT – is a higher level of social order that
exist primarily for the maintenance and perpetuation of the
community.
C. STATE - is the largest social order today and in which the
term politics originally derived.
 BASIC CONCEPTS OF POLITICS
2. POWER - The main source of reign of the
government.The possession to govern or rule the state.
3. JUSTICE - The process of legalizing and penalizing
the abuse of political power and power to rule.

“ If the government gives what people need, protect

and respect their rights, and put the common good
over and above the personal interest of the leaders
then there is said to be justice.”
TWO APPROACHES to the STUDY of POLITICS

POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY - It is the traditional

approach in which the primary goal is to
understand the essence or the truth about
politics.
POLITICAL SCIENCE - It is the empirical/ objective
approach in which it places little emphasis on
abstract and normative question, and
concentrates on a dispassionate and objective of
the realities of politics.
IMPORTANCE OF STUDYING GOVERNANCE

• Governance, the people, most especially the

citizens, will be aware of the need for good
governance. Consequently, such awareness
should move them to action.
• For their continued empowerment and
sustainable development, they have to know
how to fight for their rights by knowing what
to expect from Philippine governance.
PROCESSES AND ACTORS IN GOVERNANCE

Decision-Making and Implementation –

Decision-Making refers the process by which a
person or group of persons, guided by socio-
political structures, arrive at a decision involving
their individual and communal needs and wants.
Implementation is the process that logically
follows the decision.
PROCESSES AND ACTORS IN GOVERNANCE

Actors and Structures

- An actor is a sector or group or institution that
participates in the process of decision-making
and implementation.
- A structure refers to an organization or
mechanism that formally or informally guides
the decision-making process and sets into
motion the different actors and apparatuses in
the implementation process.
 INDICATORS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE
1.Participation
- Active involvement of all affected and interested parties
in the decision-making process. Participation is one of
the strengths of Philippine governance.
- The 1987 Philippine Constitution is replete of provisions
dealing with relational and inter-sectoral governance.
- The Local Government Act of 1989 was borne out of the
need for decentralization in Philippine governance.
- As such, these and other related legislations may be
considered as normative standards for good governance.
 INDICATORS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE
2. Rule of Law
- Democracy is essentially the rule of law.
- Rule of law demands that the people and the civil society render habitual obedience
to the law.
- It also demands that the government acts within the limits of the powers and
functions prescribed by the law.
- The Philippines does not fare well in this aspect of good governance.
- In spite of being one of the oldest democracies in the region, the Philippines ranked as
last among seven indexed Asian countries according to the World Justice Project Rule
of Law Index.
- Generally, the reasons for ranking last are “lack of respect for law,” “pervasive and
systemic corruption in the government,” and “circumvention of the law.” Lack of
respect for law is generally caused by distrust on the integrity of law enforcement
agencies.
- Order and security are compromised and criminal justice is rendered ineffectual.
 INDICATORS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE
3. Effectiveness and Efficiency
- Actors meet the needs of the society means that there is effective
governance.
- That the valuable resources are utilized, without wasting or underutilizing
any of them, means that there is efficient governance.
- - Enhancement and standardization of the quality of public service delivery
consistent with international standards, professionalization of bureaucracy.
- Efforts were made to attain effectiveness and efficiency in Philippine
governance.
- The Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007 (ARTA), for instance,was passed to require
the setting up of Citizen’s Charter for a simplified procedure and to
facilitate governmental transactions.
- Also, many government departments and agencies pursued a
rationalization program to check excessive and redundant staffing.
 INDICATORS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE
4. Transparency
- As an indicator of good governance, means that people are open to information
regarding decision-making process and the implementation of the same.
- In legal terms, it means that information on matters of public concern are made
available to the citizens or those who will be directly affected. –
- It also means that transactions involving public interests must be fully disclosed
and made accessible to the people.
- Efforts were made in pursuit of transparency in Philippine governance.
- As far as the government sector is concerned, the current administration,
consistent with its drive of curbing corruption, promotes honesty and integrity in
public service.
- It is currently pursuing the passage of the Freedom of Information Bill and other
related legislations, as well as intensifying people’s engagement in local
governance.
- Transparency in budget and disbursements are, however, still far from being
substantially implemented.
 INDICATORS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE
5. Responsiveness
- Means that institutions and processes serve all stakeholders in a timely and appropriate manner. It
also means that actors and structures of governance easily give genuine expression to the will or
desire of the people.
- Some of the important efforts made to attain responsive governance in the Philippines are
decentralization, creation of citizen’s charter in all frontline agencies (as required by ARTA), and
gender sensitivity programs.
- First, through decentralization, local governments, which are more proximate to their constituents,
serve more promptly the people, who in turn become more involved in decision-making.
- Second, every government agency now has it Citizen’s Charter, which provides timeframes for every
step in attaining frontline services. Agencies now must also respond to written queries sent by the
stakeholders or interested parties within a period of ten days, otherwise there will be delayed
service.
- However, this aspect of governance still remains to be one of the causes for the decline of public’s
confidence in the public sector. Although the ARTA has been passed, there is still so much delay in
public service delivery.
- The failure of the government agencies to explain the charters to the stakeholders is one of the
main reasons why there is still delay.
 INDICATORS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE
6. Equity and Inclusiveness
-Equity and inclusiveness means that all the members of the society, especially the most
vulnerable ones or the grassroots level, must be taken into consideration in policy-
making.
-- Social equity refers to a kind of justice that gives more opportunity to the less
fortunate members of the society. The Philippine Government has done extensive
efforts in promoting equity and inclusiveness.
-The Constitution makes it as one of its state policies the promotion of social justice.
Pursuant to this, the Congress has enacted social legislations like the Comprehensive
Agrarian Reform Law which aims at freeing the farmer tenants from the bondage of the
soil.
-Also, representation in the Congress, under the party list system, is constitutionally
mandated to have sectoral representation of the underprivileged.
-Gender and Development programs are in the process of being integrated with the
various structures and institutions in the country. But legislation is one thing;
implementation is another.
-It is in the faithful implementation of these laws that the country failed. Inequality is
especially felt in the justice system, electoral system, and even in the bureaucracy itself.
 INDICATORS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE
7. Consensus Oriented
- Governance is consensus oriented when decisions are
made after taking into consideration the different
viewpoints of the actors of the society.
- Among the things done by the Philippines in promoting a
consensus oriented governance are:
(1) creation of a wide-based of representation in the Congress;
(2) a two-tiered legislature or bicameralism which subjects
legislation to the evaluation of national and district legislators; and
(3) necessity of public hearings or consultations of various
governmental policies and actions.
 INDICATORS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE
8. Accountability
- means answerability or responsibility for one’s action. It is based on the
principle that every person or group is responsible for their actions most
especially when their acts affect public interest.
- Accountability comes in various forms: (1)political,(2) hierarchical, and
(3)managerial accountability.
1. Political accountability refers to the accountability of public officials to
the people they represent.

2. Hierarchical accountability refers to the ordered accountability of the

various agencies and their respective officers and personnel in relation to
their program objectives.

3. Managerial accountability refers to employee accountability based on

organization and individual performance.
 INDICATORS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE
The Philippines in the recent years had endeavored to comply
with the requirements of accountability. It had put in action
the concept of political accountability as it held answerable
erring public officials involved in graft and corruption and for
acts contrary to the mandate of the constitution. It had also
strengthened parliamentary scrutiny through legislative
investigations and creation of special committees exercising
oversight functions. The Office of the Ombudsman, considered
as the public watchdog, has become ever so active in
investigating and prosecuting graft and plunders cases.
Citizen’s Charter, as required by ARTA, was also an important
tool in promoting professional public service values. In this
area, Philippine governance has done relatively well.