Philippine Politics and Governance Grade 12 PDF

LECTURE PHILIPPINE POLITICS AND GOVERNANCE Grade 12 ELECTION AND POLITICAL PARTIES IN THE PHILIPPINES Election is the process by which voters in a country select the official who will exercise the powers of the gov...

LECTURE PHILIPPINE POLITICS AND GOVERNANCE Grade 12 ELECTION AND POLITICAL PARTIES IN THE PHILIPPINES Election is the process by which voters in a country select the official who will exercise the powers of the government for a period fixed by law. Elections in the Philippines are of several types. The president, vice-president, and the senators are elected for a six-year term, while the members of the House of Representatives, governors, vice-governors, members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (provincial board members), mayors, vice-mayors, members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod/members of the Sangguniang Bayan (city/municipal councilors), barangay officials, and the members of the Sangguniang Kabataan (youth councilors) are elected to serve for a three-year term. There are two types of elections: 1. Regular Election – one conducted nationwide or in certain political subdivisions of the country. This is normally done through balloting. 2. Special Election – one conducted to select the official through balloting, who shall serve for the unexpired part of the term for which the incumbent has been elected. The vacancy might be due to death, incapacitated, or is recalled. ELECTORAL SYSTEM An electoral system which can also be called voting system is a system used to determine the kind of necessary votes and also calculate votes and then translates these votes into seats of positions in the government awarded to winning parties and favored political aspirants. THREE MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF ELECTORAL SYSTEMS 1. The district magnitude represents the number of aspirants elected from a district. 2. The ballot structure refers to the format of the ballots given to the voters in terms of voting preferences, range of choices, and the rank or order of these candidates. 3. The electoral formula is the method of turning the votes into seats for the candidates elected. WHO CAN RUN IN AN ELECTION? The public official must remain qualified for the whole duration of his term or at least the officer's active period. In addition to this, the addition, termination, or change in any pre-existing qualifications already mandated may only be approved and implemented at the discretion and authority of the Congress under the Article VI of the 1987 Constitution, the qualifications for a person to run for a position in the government are stated. For all of the national positions, namely: President, Vice-President, Senators, and Congressmen A. A person must be a natural born citizen of the Republic of the Philippines. He or she must have the ability to read and write and must be a registered voter. B. Age qualifications are also present which is ranging from at least 25 years of age for the position in the Congress and at least 40 years of age to become an eligible Presidential candidate. The person running for office must be at least the within the aforementioned age in the respective positions on or before the day of the election. C. Residency in the Philippines is also a qualification which ranges from 1 up to 10 years immediately preceding the said election. For an aspiring candidate of local government positions A. he or she must be a citizen of the Republic of the Philippines, and also, must also  B. possess the ability of reading and writing and must be able to speak Filipino or any local dialect from where he is currently residing. C. Age qualification ranges from at least 15 years old up to 23 years old. D. Aspiring candidates must be a resident for a period of not less than 1 year immediately preceding the day of the election of the community where he is running. In addition to this, he or she must be a registered voter in the constituency in the locality. ARTICLE V, SECTION 1 OF 1987 CONSTITUTION It is a political right which enables every citizen to be a part of the process of the formation of the government which validates and justifies the government rule since it's powers are from the hands of the people being governed. WHO CAN VOTE? Every citizen of the Philippines, not otherwise disqualified by law, 18 years of age or above on the day of the election, who has resided in the Philippines for one year and in the city or municipality wherein he or she proposes to vote for at least six months immediately preceding the election, may register as a voter. (Article V, Section 1 of the 1987 Constitution) To exercise the right to vote (suffrage), the qualified elector must be registered in the permanent list of voters for the city or municipality in which he or she resides. Members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), and other government officers and employees, who are duly registered voters, are allowed to vote for the positions of President, Vice President, Senators, and Party-list Representatives on election day in places where they are not registered voters but where they are temporarily assigned to perform their duties on the day of election. Types of Suffrage 1. Plebiscite. This refers to the process by which a certain question, like the proposed amendment to, or revision of the Constitution is put to a popular vote for approval or election. 2. Elections. It is the means through which the electorate chooses the leaders in whom they entrust the functions and powers of the government for a fixed period. 3. Initiative. It is a process by which the electorate directly proposes by the people through initiative upon a petition of at least 12 per cent of the total numbers of registered voters. 4. Referendum. It refers to when a question or law or part of it is submitted to the electoral body for its approval or rejection. 5. Recall. It is a process of removing an incumbent officer from active duty or before the expiration of his term of office by a vote of the people. The COMELEC The Commission on Elections, usually abbreviated as COMELEC, is one of the three constitutional commissions of the Philippines, others being the Civil Service Commission (CSC) and the Commission on Audit (COA). The COMELEC’s principal role is to enforce all laws and regulations relative to the conduct of elections in the Philippines. The powers and functions of the COMELEC are conferred upon it by the 1987 Constitution and the Omnibus Election Code. They are classified into: Administrative – refers to the enforcement and administration of election laws. The COMELEC is authorized to issue rules and regulations to implement the provisions of the 1987 Constitution and the Omnibus Election Code.  Quasi-legislative – refers to the issuance of rules and regulations to implement the election laws and to exercise such legislative functions as may expressly be delegated to it by Congress. Quasi-judicial – embraces the power to resolve controversies arising from the enforcement of election laws, and to be the sole judge of all pre-proclamation controversies; and of all contests relating to the elections, returns, and qualifications. DEFINITION AND NATURE OF POLITICAL PARTIES A political party is an organized group of people who have the same ideology, or who otherwise have the same political positions, and who field candidates for elections, in an attempt to get them elected and thereby implement the party's agenda. They are a defining element of representative democracy. Effective political parties play an important role in the democratization and political maturity of society. They serve as vehicles for collective action and empowerment of their constituencies. The following are characteristics of parties that distinguish them from other groups: 1. They aim to exercise government power by winning seats in the government. 2. They are formally organized bodies with “card carrying” membership. Membership involves taking formal oath. 3. They adopt a broad issue focus and address major areas of government policy. 4. They are united by shared political preferences and ideological identity to varying degrees. There are three types of parties in the Philippines. These are: (a) major parties, which typically correspond to traditional political parties; (b) minor parties or party-list organizations, which rely on the party-list system to win Congressional seats; and (c) regional or provincial parties, which correspond to region-wide or province-wide organizations, respectively. ISSUES HOUNDING POLITICAL PARTIES IN THE PHILIPPINES Since the fall of President Marcos's dictatorship, many political parties and coalitions have emerged in the Philippines, but only a few have thrived. Most parties are formed for temporary alliances, highlighting the lack of strong, credible political entities, which remains a significant issue. Election anomalies, such as the patronage system—where public officials offer favors in exchange for support—persist, undermining effective governance and economic growth. Additionally, politically motivated incidents aimed at influencing election results, including violent and non-violent threats, occur during and beyond the election period. This culture of intimidation reflects the ongoing struggle for power among those in office and their challengers. Election-related incidents can include politically motivated actions even outside official election periods, although proving these connections can be tough. Key issues include electoral fraud, which means manipulating vote counts, and unethical practices like tricking voters. Vote buying, illegal under Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code of the Philippines, remains common due to poverty and pressure from candidates. Laws limiting large cash withdrawals before elections have not been very effective. To improve efficiency and transparency, the Philippines uses automated machines (PCOS machines) for counting votes. However, these machines have faced criticism for their high costs, as the Commission on Elections spent significantly on new machines while discarding older ones. In addition to that, black propaganda is a tactic some political candidates use during campaigns to damage their opponents' reputations through defamation. This approach relies on the public's willingness to believe the source, often hidden or attributed to a false authority, creating uncertainty and doubt about the targeted candidate. It allows politicians to deflect legitimate allegations by claiming they are victims of black propaganda.  Additionally, campaign overspending is a significant issue. Traditional politicians often spend millions on various campaign costs, including payments to ward and precinct leaders, transportation, and advertising. In 2010, spending for presidential campaigns reached billions of pesos, with budgets for 2016 projected to be 15.2% higher than the previous year, constituting about 19.5% of the gross domestic product. Despite the surprises and controversies of the election process, it ultimately empowers the people to make choices that can shape the country's future. Voting remains both a right and a responsibility, offering citizens the opportunity to influence change.