PHILIPPINE

POLITICS AND
GOVERNANCE
What is Politics?

Why do the media

devote much
attention to
political events and
politicians?

How do politics and

governance affect
our daily life?
POLITICS
is commonly defined as the process that
determines the distribution of power and
resources. It also refers to the theory and
practice of how people influence others in
making decisions and carrying out projects
or programs.

Politics, in ist broadest sense, is the activity

through which people make, preserve and
amend the general rules under which they
live. It had its etymology from a Greek word
polis which means city-states. City-states of
ancient Greece were independent political
entities of which Sparta and Athens were the
most prominent, Thus, polis is associated
with the activities related to the
"govermnment" of the state.
The following theorists offer different definitons of what politics is:

Karl Marx - defined politics as "ceaseless struggle for power"

David Easton - viewed politics as "authoritative allocation of values which are binding
in the society."
Harold Lasswell - defined politics as "who gets what, when and how?

Elections for example is a process and the resources allocated during election are
power, prestige, and influence attached to the position, and among others. The result of
an election is a decision said to be authoritative because it is bound to be respected
and can be challenged only with the risk of courting sanctions.

Decisions on the allocation of resources command mandatory compliance of

obedience by concerned individuals or groups. Any disobedience is subjected to
punsihment enforceable through the police power of the state and carried out by the
Armed Forces of the Philippines, the National Police, the Bureau of Jail Management and
Penology, and our court system. 4
POLITICAL SCIENCE
IS A BRANCH OF SOCIAL SCIENCES THAT DEALS WITH THE STUDY OF POLITICS.
IT DEALS WITH SYSTEMS OF GOVERNMENT AND THE ANALYSIS OF POLITICAL
ACTIVITY, POLITICAL BEHAVIOR, AND POLITICAL THEORIES AND PRACTICES.

AS A SOCIAL SCIENCE, IT FOLLOWS SCIENTIFIC METHODOLOGY IN THE

INVESTIGATION AND STUDY OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR IN RELATION TO POLITICAL
ACTIVITIES AND DEVELOPMENTS .
Contemporary Political Science has eveloved form many related fields of study, including history,
philosophy, law and economics. Once a part of these disiciplines it finally reached the point in the US
during the first and second decades of the 20th century where it could properly declare its
independence. As an independent academic discipline, many thinkers have contributed towards its
growth:

The establishement of Johns Hopkins University in 1876 which offered Historical and Political Science
Studies and the establishment of Johns Hopkins Historical and Political Science studies, and the
establishement of Johns Hopkins Historical and Political Science Association in 1877;

John W. Burgess is 1880 initatied the establishment of a school of Political Science at Columbia
University;

Francis Lieber, a professor of History and Political Science at Columbia University in his work "Civil
Liberty and Self Government" has made significant contributions towards the growth of Political Science;
and

The establishment of American Political Science Association in 1903 provided a boost towards the
strengthening of Political Science as an academic discipline.
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DEVELOPMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE
• POLITICS IN GRECO-ROMAN TIMES
THE WRITINGS OF PLATO AND ARISTOTLE DICUSSED VARIOUS POLITICAL CONCEPTS SUCH AS GOV’T., LEADERSHIP,
AND CITIZENSHIP.

• MEDIEVAL AND RENAISSANCE POLITICAL THOUGHT

EMERGENCE OF MONARCHIES AND TYRANNIES

• THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT UP TO THE 19TH CENTURY

ADVOCATED THE NEED FOR A STRONG GOV’T. THAT WILL IMPOSE LAW AND ORDER AND PROTECT THE RIGHTS AND
PRIVILEGES OF PEOPLE.

• MODERN POLITICAL SCIENCE

DEFINED BY BEHAVIORAL REVOLUTION THAT STRESSED THE SYSTEMATIC AND RIGOROUS STUDY OF INDIVIDUAL AND
GROUP BEHAVIOR .
Why Study Political Science?

One cannot avoid politics.

Political Science prepares the
individual to think more clearly
about oneself and about one's
relationship with others, to be
more careful in one's judgement
of the unfamiliar and to be more
tolerant of diverse opinions
thrown in one's path. Political
Science aims to educate and
develop the citizenry, the values
of civic and political
consciousness.
GOVERNANCE according to UNDP is the exercise of political,
economic, and administrative authority in the management of
country’s affairs at all levels
TYPES OF GOVERNANCE:
• POLITICAL GOVERNANCE – refers to
the formulation and implementations of
policies by the government.
• ECONOMIC GOVERNANCE – refers to
the decision-making process that
affects the domestic economic activities
and the relationship between domestic
and international market.
• ADMINISTRATIVE GOVERNANCE –
refers to the implementation of public
policies through an effective,
independent, and accountable
bureaucracy.
• ECOLOGICAL GOVERNANCE – refers to
the use of science and technology in the
management of the environment.
REQUIREMENTS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE:
• TRANSPARENCY – the general public should be
informed about government operations.
• ACCOUNTABILITY – the gov’t. should be held
responsible for their decisions and performance
of their agencies.
• PARTICIAPTORY – refers to the extent that the
general public including key stakeholders and
marginalized sectors are able to participate in
both decision-making process and government
operations.
• LEGITIMACY – the operations of the
government should be acceptable to the people.
• EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS IN THE USE
OF RESOURCES – (1) maintenance of ecological
balance; (2) refers to attaining their goals and
objectives that satisfies the governed; (3)
government performance through established
process and within reasonable cost; (4) Efficient
governance is free from graft and corruption.
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KEY CONCEPTS IN STUDYING POLITICS
POWER - In the study of politics, one cannot discount that power ia 'an abstract commodity
which chnages in response to the dynamic political and social environment.' One thngs is
certain though: "Power is present wherever there is politics." The word "power" comes from
the Latin verb potere which means "to be able."
AUTHORITY - It is the "government power to make binding decisions and issue obligatory
commands. Such power must be perceived by citizens as rightful or acceptable and therefore
be obeyed."
INFLUENCE - Influence is the ability to persuade or convince others to accept ceratin
objectives or behave in certain ways. Another definition of this concept supports the first
definition, which states that influence is "the capacity to produce an effect without the threat
of coercion."
ATTITUDES - Attitudes are tendencies to evaluate an object favourably or unfavourably. An important
feature of attitudes is their ability to sum up several types of psychological information.
PUBLIC OPINION - Refers to the summation of the expressed or verbalized attitudes of
individuals. Once the attitude of person is expressed in a poll or verbalized in any forum, it is
converted into an individual opinion.
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PERCEPTION - Is the way how a political actor views one's environment and the various stimuli
within. It is the expression of all those members of a group who are givinh attention in any way
to a given issue. It is a selection process by which individual choose and organize stimuli that
they think fit for their attention. Interest and values influence what is perceived by an individual
and how it is perceived.

VALUES - These are enduring beliefs that as specific end-state of an existing order or mode of
conduct is preferable to an opposite state. It includes the goals trageted by a political activity
and the behavior employed in achieving said goals.

CONFLICT - This is a disharmony arising from stresses and strains due to some changes in the
political environment. Conflict can also be viewed as an inherent feature of the political system
arising from the continuing competition for available scarce resources.

DECISION MAKING - This is the porcess by which authorized individuals or groups make decisions
to allocate resources in the society through resolutions, laws, policies, programs, decrees, etc.
To be legitimate, decision-making should be conducted within institutions and according to
established and accepted procedures, traditions, and practices.

GROUPS - According to John C. Calhoun, "interests are destined to be varied and diverse in the
society." Because of this diversity, individuals tend to associate themselves in order to pursue
their common interests. The groups that emerge from the association of individuals with 11
common interest serve as the vehicle through which they participate in politics.
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FORMS OF GOVERNMENT
MONARCHY OLIGARCHY DEMOCRACY
A GOVERNMENT IN A GOVERNMENT BY A GOVERNMENT BY THE
WHICH THE THE MINORITY IN PEOPLE. IT CAN BE DIRECT
DEMOCRACY WHERE IN
SUPREME AND FINAL THE SOCIETY OR THE THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE
AUTHORITY IS IN GOVERNMENT OF IS FORMULATED DIRECTLY
THE HANDS OF A THE FEW. IN A MASS MEETING OR
SINGLE PERSON. THIS PRIMARY ASSEMBLY
IS A FORM OF RATHER THAN
GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES. IT CAN
WHERE THE RULER ALSO BE A
IS A MONARCH WHO REPRESENTATIVE
DEMOCRACY IN WHICH
COMES FROM A THE WILL OF THE STATE IS
ROYAL FAMILY. FORMULATED THROUGH A
SMALL BODY OF PERSONS

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LOREM IPSUM DOLOR SIT AMET, CONSECTETUER ADIPISCING ELIT.9

II. HISTORICAL
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sed pulvinar ultricies, purus lectus malesuada libero, sit amet commodo magna eros quis urna.

FOUNDATION OF
• Nunc viverra imperdiet enim. Fusce est. Vivamus a tellus.

PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT
• Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Proin pharetra
nonummy pede.

AND POLITICS
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PHILIPPINE POLITICS IS INFLUENCED BY SEVERAL FACTORS OF INDIGENOUS AND
FOREIGN ORIGINS. IT EVOLVED FROM LONG AND DYNAMIC CONTACTS WITH THE
EAST AND WEST AND FROM THE CONTINUING UNFOLDING OF EVENTS THAT
HELPED TO DEFINE FILIPINO VALUES AND PERCEPTIONS. IT IS NURTURED BY THE
ENVIRONEMENT WHERE IT OPERATES AND ENRICHED BY INDIGENOUS AND
BORROWED IDEAS.

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THE PRE-HISPANIC PERIOD

THE SPANISH PERIOD

THE REVOLUTIONARY ERA

THE AMERICAN REGIME

THE JAPANESE COLONIZATION

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PRE-HISPANIC PERIOD
• BEFORE THE COMING OF THE SPANIARDS, THE COUNTRY WAS
COMPOSED OF VILLAGES, EACH CALLED BARANGAY. THE BARANGAYS
WERE VIRTUALLY STATES POSSESSING ALL THE ELEMENTS OF
STATEHOOD; HENCE THEY WERE INDEPENDENT POLITICAL ENTITIES.
• EACH BARANGAY WAS RULED A CHIEF CALLED DATU. A DATU WAS THE
CHIEF EXECUTIVE, LEGISLATOR, CHIEF JUDGE AND MILITARY HEAD.
DURING THE DUTIES OF THE DATU HE WAS ASSISTED BY THE COUNCIL
OF ELDERS WHICH SERVED AS HIS ADVISERS.
• THE EARLY INHABITIANTS HAD BOTH WRITTEN AND UNWRITTEN LAWS
PROMULGATED BY THE DATUS. THE TWO KNOW WRITTEN CODES ARE
MARAGTAS CODE AND KALANTIAW CODE.
• SULTANATE SYSTEM

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THE SPANISH PERIOD
• THERE WAS NO DEMOCRACY IN THE PHILIPPINES UNDER SPAIN.
• THE SPANIARDS INTRODUCED THE UNION OF CHURCH AND STATE
PRINCIPLE HENCE THE CHURCH COULD DIRECTLY PARTICIPATE IN
GOVERNANCE. THIS SYSTEM GAVE THE FRIARS TREMENDOUS POWERS,
NOT ONLY POLITICAL BUT ECONOMIC AS WELL.
• THE GOVERNMENT WAS UNITARY – THE GOVERNMNET WHICH SPAIN
ESTABLISHED IN THE COUNTRY WAS CENTRALIZED IN STRUCTURE AND
NATIONAL IN SCOPE. AT THE OUTSET OF THE SPANIARDS PARCELLED THE
WHOLE COUNTRY INTO ENCOMIENDA SYSTEM.
• UNDER THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM FOLLOWING A UNITARY
SET-UP, THE COUNTRY WAS DIVIDED INTO PROVINCES EACH HEADED BY A
GOBERNADORCILLOS. AND THE TOWNS WERE ENCOMPASSED BY
BARANGAYS HEADED BY THE CABEZA DE BARANGAY.
• URBANIZED TOWNS WERE CONVERTED INTO CITIES AND WERE GOVERNED
UNDER SPECIAL CHARTERS. EACH CITY HAD A COUNCIL CALLED
AYUNTAMIENTO OR CABILDO, WHICH IS COMPOSED OF 2 ALCADES AND
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12 REGIDORES. CEBU WAS THE FIRST CITY TO BE ESTABLISHED IN 1565
FOLLOWED BY MANILA IN 1571.
THE REVOLUTIONARY ERA
• THE MEMBERS OF THE MIDDLE CLASS WHO STUDIED IN EUROPE CAME IN CONTACT
WITH THE POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT OF EUROPE. INSPIRED BY THE POLITICAL
FERMENT THAT TOOK PLACE THERE, BUT CHALLENGED BY THE ABUSES OF THE
SPANIARD IN THE PHILIPPINES THE ILUSTRADOS STUDIED TO WORK FOR REFORMS.
GOVERNMENTS DURING THE REVOLUTIONARY ERA
1. THE KATIPUNAN GOVERNMENT – KATIPUNAN WAS THE SECRET SOCIETY THAT
PRECIPITATED OUR REVOLUTION ON AUGUST 26. IT WAS ORGANIZED BY ANDRES BONIFACIO,
WHO, TOGETGHER WITH A GROUP OF FILIPINO PATRIOTS, SIGNED THE COVENANT OF THE
KATIPUNAN WITH THEIR OWN BLOOD ON JULY 7, 1892. THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OF THE
KATIPUNAN WAS VESTED IN SUPREME COUNCIL (KATAASTASANG SANGGUNIAN). IN EACH
PROVINCE THERE WAS A PROVINCIAL COUNCIL (SANGGUNIANG BALANGAY). THE JUDICIAL
POWER WAS EXERCISED BY A JUDICIAL COUNCIL (SANGGUNIANG HUKUMAN). HOWEVER, IT
WAS REPLACED BY ANOTHER GOVERNMENT WHOSE OFFICIALS HEADED BY GEN. EMELIO
AGUINALDO AS PRESIDENT, WERE ELECTED IN THE TEJEROS CONVENTION HELD ON
MARCH 22, 1897.
2. THE BIAK-NA-BATO REPUBLIC – NOVEMBER 1, 1897, A REPUBLIC WAS ETABLISHED BY
AGUINALDO IN BIAK-NA-BATO, BULACAN WHICH DECLARED THAT THE AIM OF THE
REVOLUTIONS WAS THE “SEPARATION OF THE PHILIPPINES FROM THE SPANISH MONARCHY 19
AND THEIR FORMATION INTO AN INDEPENDENT STATE”
4. THE REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNMENT – June 29, 1898 Gen. Aguinaldo
established the Revolutionary Government replacing the Dictatorial Government with
himself as President and a Congress whose function was advisory and ministerial. The
decree making such change stated that the aims of the new government were “to
struggle for the independence of the Philippines, until all nations including Spain will
expressly recognize it,” and “to prepare the country for the establishment of a real
Republic.
5. THE FIRST PHILIPPINE REPUBLIC – On September 15, 1898, a revolutionary
congress of Filipino representatives met in Malolos, Bulacan at the call of the
Revolutionary Government. The Malolos Congress ratified on September 29, 1898 and
framed so –called Malolos Constitution. This Constitution was the first democratic
constitution ever promulgated in the whole of Asia.

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THE AMERICAN REGIME
1. THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT – The American military rule in the Philippines began on
August 14, 1898, the day after the capture of Manila. The existence of war gave the President of the
United States the power to establish a Military Government in the Philippines, as a commander-in-
chief of all armed forces of the United States. His authority was delegated to the military governor
who exercised as long as the war lasted, all powers od government – executive, legislative, and
judicial.
2. THE CIVIL GOVERNMENT – Pursuant to the so-called Spooner Amendment ( on the army
appropriation act of passed in the U.S. Congress on March 3, 1901) which ended the military regime
in the Philippines, the Civil Government was inaugurated in Manila on July 4, 1901, headed by a Civil
Governor whose position was created on October 29, 1901. The Civil Governor also exercised
legislative powers. He remained as President of the Philippine Commission, the sole law-making body
of the government from 1901 to 1907.
3. THE COMMONWEALTH GOVERNMENT OF THE PHILIPPINES – Pursuant to the Tydings-
McDuffie Law, signed on March 24, 1934 by the US Congress, the Commonwealth Government was
established in the Philippines. This is officially the Philippine Independence Act, which the United
State federal law established the process for the Philippines to become an independent country after a
ten-year transition period.
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THE JAPANESE COLONIZATION
1. THE JAPANESE MILITARY ADMINISTRATION – It was established in Manila on January 3,
1942, one day after its occupation. Under a proclamation issued by the Japanese High Command,
the sovereignty of the United States over the Philippines was declared terminated.

2. THE PHILIPPINE EXECUTIVE COMMISSION – A civil government known as the Philippine

Executive Commission composed of Filipinos with Jorge B. Vargas as chairman, was organized by
the military forces of occupation. The commission exercised both the executive and legislative
powers. The laws enacted were, however, subject to the approval of the Commander-in-Chief of the
Japanese Forces.

3. THE JAPANESE-SPONSORED REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES – On October 14, 1943,

the so-called Japanese-sponsored republic of the Philippines was inaugurated with Jose P. Laurel as
President. It was of the same character as the Philippine Executive

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