Political History and Government Structure

Colonial Era: Influence of Spanish colonization (1565-1898) and later American rule (1898-1946).
Post-Independence: Establishment of the Commonwealth in 1935; Japanese occupation during WWII (1942-1945).
Martial Law: Declared by Ferdinand Marcos in 1972; resulted in widespread human rights abuses.
People Power Revolution: Overthrew Marcos in 1986, leading to the restoration of democracy.
Recent Developments: Continued challenges with corruption, political dynasties, and governance issues.

Unitary Presidential Republic: Centralized government with a President as both head of state and government.
Three Branches:
- Executive: Led by the President; includes the Cabinet and various agencies.
- Legislative: Bicameral Congress composed of the Senate (24 members) and House of Representatives.
- Judicial: Supreme Court and lower courts; responsible for interpreting laws and the constitution.
Local Government: Divided into provinces, cities, municipalities, and barangays, each with elected officials.

Social Policies: Focus on poverty alleviation, education, and health care (e.g., Universal Health Care Law).
Economic Policies: Aimed at attracting foreign investments, increasing infrastructure development, and promoting trade.
Environmental Policies: Addressing issues like deforestation, pollution, and disaster risk reduction.
Foreign Policies: Tied to relations with the U.S., China, and ASEAN member states; focus on trade, security, and human rights.

Regular Elections: Held every 3 years for local and national positions; synchronized elections for consistency.
Voting System: Uses an automated voting system; secret ballot for increased security and privacy.
Electoral Commission: Commission on Elections (COMELEC) oversees the conduct of elections and regulates political parties.
Voter Registration: Citizens aged 18 and above must register to vote; often includes outreach to increase participation.

Multiparty System: Several parties compete; dominance of a few major parties.
Major Parties:
- Liberal Party: Center-left; focuses on social justice and civil liberties.
- Nationalist People's Coalition: Center-right; emphasizes national sovereignty and economic policies.
- Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban): Currently ruling party advocating for federalism.
Party System Dynamics: Political dynasties influence party positions and electoral outcomes; issues of party loyalty and coalitions.

Spanish colonization lasted from 1565 to 1898, followed by American rule until 1946.
The Commonwealth was established in 1935; Japan occupied the Philippines from 1942 to 1945 during WWII.
Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law in 1972, leading to significant human rights violations.
The People Power Revolution in 1986 resulted in the overthrow of Marcos and the restoration of democracy.
Contemporary issues include corruption, political dynasties, and challenges in governance.

The country operates as a Unitary Presidential Republic, with a centralized government led by the President.
Executive branch features the President and the Cabinet, overseeing various government agencies.
The Legislative branch is a bicameral Congress: the Senate has 24 members and the House of Representatives holds more.
The Judicial branch includes the Supreme Court and lower courts, responsible for law and constitutional interpretation.
Local Government consists of provinces, cities, municipalities, and barangays, each with elected officials.

Social policies prioritize poverty alleviation, education improvement, and healthcare access, illustrated by the Universal Health Care Law.
Economic strategies aim to attract foreign investments, escalate infrastructure projects, and enhance trade.
Environmental policies confront issues like deforestation, pollution control, and disaster risk mitigation.
Foreign policies are shaped by relationships with the U.S., China, and ASEAN, focusing on trade, security, and human rights.

Elections occur every three years for local and national offices, ensuring synchronized processes for uniformity.
The automated voting system combines technology with a secret ballot to enhance security and privacy.
The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) supervises elections and regulates political party activities.
Voter registration is mandatory for citizens aged 18 and above, with efforts to engage greater participation.

The Philippines operates under a multiparty system, with multiple parties competing but few gaining dominance.
Major political parties include the Liberal Party (center-left, advocates social justice and civil liberties), the Nationalist People's Coalition (center-right, emphasizes national sovereignty and economic issues), and the ruling PDP-Laban (promotes federalism).
Political dynasties significantly affect party dynamics, loyalty, and electoral results, influencing coalition formations and party strategies.