PSPA 1103: Introduction to Philippine politics and governance

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Unit I. INTRODUCTION

Chapter 1. Political Science: Definition, Nature, Origin, Scope and Significance 

Objectives of the Chapter

Defining Key Concepts: Political science, politics and governance
The study of political science: origin, scope and importance
Functions and Goals of the Study of Political Science
Political science and other fields of studies

Chapter 2. The Concepts of State and Government

Objectives of the Chapter

The State: Definition, Nature, Elements
Theories on the Origin of the State
Distinctions: State vs. Nation; State vs. Government
Forms of Government

Chapter 3. The Concept of Constitution and Underlying Principles

Objectives of the Chapter

Constitution Defined
Importance and Purposes of Constitution
Classification of Constitutions
Constitution and Statute Distinguished
The Philippine Constitutions
The 1935 Constitution
The 1943 Japanese-sponsored Constitution
The 1973 Constitution
The Post-1986 EDSA Constitutions
The Freedom Constitution
The 1987 Constitution
Basic Principles Underlying the Constitution

Unit II. PHILIPPINE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT: An Overview

Chapter 4. The Study of History and Culture

Objectives of the Chapter

History Defined
Why Study History and Culture
Significance of History to National Development
Chapter 5. Highlights/Milestones in Philippine History (A)

Objectives of the Chapter

Pre-Filipino Nationhood/Pre-Spanish Philippines
Islam in Southern Philippines 
The Pre-Spanish Government in the Philippines (10th century - 1565)

Spanish Imperialism and Colonialism (1565-1898)

Aims/Goals of Spanish Colonization
Features of the Spanish Colonial Regime
Socio-economic Impact of Spanish Colonization
Spanish Colonial Government and Spanish Colonial Legacy

The Philippine Revolution and the End of Spanish Rule

Philippine Revolution of 1896: Causes and Significance
Governments during the Revolutionary Era (1896-1901)

Chapter 5. Highlights/Milestones in Philippine History (B)

Objectives of the Chapter

American Imperialism and Colonialism (1899-1946)
Aims of US Annexation of the Philippines
Philippine-American War (1899-1902)
Military Government (1898-1901)
Civil Government (1901-1935)
Commonwealth Government (1935-1946)
American Colonial Legacy

World War II and the Japanese Occupation (1941-1945)

The Japanese Occupation: Causes and Consequences
Governments during the Japanese Occupation (1942-1945)

Post-War Period and the Third Philippine Republic (1946-1972)

Governments during the Post-War Period
Philippine Presidents Under the Third Republic

Chapter 5. Highlights/Milestones in Philippine History (C)

Objectives of the Chapter

The Philippine under Martial Law (1972-1981)
Martial Law and Marcos’ New Society (1972-1986)
Legacies of Marcos’ Martial Rule

The EDSA Revolution and the Fall of Marcos (Feb. 25, 1986)
“People Power” Revolution: Causes and Consequences
 The Provisional Government of 1986
Challenges to the Aquino Government
The Philippine Government under the 1987 Constitution
Analyzing Filipino Colonial Legacies

Unit III. PHILIPPINE DEMOCRACY: THEORY AND PRACTICE

Chapter 6. Democracy: An Overview

Objectives of the Chapter

What is Democracy?
Models of Democracy
Various Perspectives on Democracy in Practice
Analyzing Philippine Democracy

Chapter 7. Philippine Democracy and the Constitution

Objectives of the Chapter

Goals of the Filipino People in Adopting the Constitution
Constitutional Principles and State Policies: An Overview
Basic Constitutional Principles
State Policies

Unit IV. PHILIPPINE DEMOCRACY AND THE CITIZEN

Chapter 8. The Bill of Rights, Citizenship and Suffrage

Objectives of the Chapter

The Bill of Rights
Three Great Fundamental Rights
Due Process of Law
General Rights Exercised in a Civil
Society Rights of Citizens in Criminal Investigation and Prosecution
Rights of the Accused Person
Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus
Other Liberty Rights

Citizenships and Suffrage

Citizenship Defined
Who are citizens of the Philippines?
How is Philippine citizenship acquired?
When may a Filipino lose his/her Philippine citizenship?
Suffrage Defined
Requirements for Suffrage
Does the Constitution allow OFWs to vote?
Unit V. THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT AND HOW IT WORKS

Chapter 9. The Philippine Presidential System: Origin, Features, Structures

Objectives of the Chapter

Basis of the Philippine Presidential System
Presidential Government: Basic Features
Parliamentary Government: Features
Three Great Powers of Government

Chapter 10. The Philippine Congress

Objectives of the Chapter

The Congress: Nature, Structure, Composition
Senate and House of Representatives: Qualifications, Manner of Elections, Terms of
Office, Privileges and Immunities
Disqualifications of Members of Congress
Officers of Congress
Congressional Bodies
Powers and Functions of Congress

Chapter 11. The Presidency

Objectives of the Chapter

Executive Power: Definition, Whom Vested, Nature
Qualifications of the President & President; Manner of Elections, Term of Office,
Disqualifications
When may the Vice President succeed the President?
Powers, Functions & Roles of the President
Types of Presidential Appointments; Whom President May appoint
Military Powers of the President

Chapter 12. The Judicial Department

Objectives of the Chapter

Key Concepts: Judicial Power (Nature & Scope); Courts
Supreme Court and Lower Courts Organization of Courts: Regular and Special Courts
How Independent is the Supreme Court and Lower Courts?
Supreme Court: Composition, Qualification of Justices, Manner of Appointment, Jurisdiction
Resolution of Cases by Courts
Chapter 13. The Constitutional Commissions

Objectives of the Chapter

Key Concepts: Constitutional Commissions; Constitutional Bodies
Civil Service Commission (CSC): Composition, Qualification of Members, Powers and
Functions, Prohibitions
Commission on Elections (COMELEC): Composition, Qualification of Members, Powers and
Functions
Commission on Audit (COA): Composition, Qualification of Members, Powers and Functions

Chapter 14. Local Government and Regional Administration

Objectives of the Chapter

Key Concepts Defined: Local Governments; Decentralization; Devolution; Autonomy
LGUs: Provinces, Cities, Municipalities, Barangays, Special LGUS
Dual Status or Character of LGUs
Local Government Code of 1991 (RA 7160)
Mechanisms for Local Empowerment
Power of the President Over Local Governments

Unit VI. ACCOUNTABILITY AND ETHICS IN GOVERNANCE

Chapter 15. Accountability, Nature of Public Office and Impeachment

Objectives of the Chapter

Key Concepts Defined: Accountability; Public Office; Pub1ic Trust Types of Accountability
Constitutional Principles on Accountability Nature of Public Office, Impeachment: Nature,
Process, Grounds, Who may be impeached?
Constitutional Bodies Responsible for Accountability Ombudsman/Tanodbayan Sandiganbayan

Unit VII. PHILIPPINE ECONOMY, PATRIMONY. AND NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Chapter 16. The Philippine Economy and National Development

Objectives of the Chapter

Key Concepts Defined
Goals & Guidelines in the Development of the National Economy
The Roles of the NEDA and Congress
How can the Philippines pursue a Self-reliant, Independent economy?
The Philippines as a Maritime State: Significance of National Territory
Social Justice and National Development
Education and National Development
Unit I. Introduction
Chapter 1. The Study of Political Science: Origin, Scope and Significance

Objectives: Upon completion of this chapter, the student is expected to:

a. Define political science and related concepts, i.e., politics, governance, regime and trace its
origin and development as a field of study;
b. Discuss the scope, importance and goals of the study of political science as well as its
relationship with other disciplines in the social sciences;
c. Appreciate the significance of studying political science to Philippine national development.

What is Political Science?

 The branch of social sciences that treats of the phenomena of the state in its varied aspects
and relationships (Garner, 1910);
 Is the branch of the social sciences dealing with the theory, organization, and the practice of
the state (Rodee, et al.,1913);
 The study of government, the state and politics, more narrowly, the application of empirical
theory and scientific methods to the analysis of political matters (Heywood, 2002)
 That part of the social sciences which treats of the foundations of the state and the principles
of government (Janet)
 The systematic study of the state and government (De Leon, 2005)

Politics

 It is the “activity by which differing interests within a given unit of rule are conciliated by
giving them a share in power in proportion to their importance to the welfare and survival of
the community” (Crick, 2990). Thus, it is inextricably linked to the phenomena of conflict,
cooperation and compromise.
 It is a “process where societal values‘ are authoritatively allocated” (Easton, 1965)
 It is the struggle for power over “who gets what, when and how” (Lasswell,1950)

Various perspectives on politics:

Politics as the art of government. “Politics is not a science but an art’ - the art of government,
that is the exercise of control within society through the making and enforcement of collective
decisions. To study politics is in essence to study government, or, more broadly, to study the
exercise of authority through public policy .
Politics as public affairs. This is a broader view of politics transcending the narrow realm of the
government, ‘public life’ or ‘public affairs into the private sphere in search of what Aristotle
calls the ‘good life’ in a ‘just society’. It does draw attention to the distinction between the
‘political’ (e.g. politics, commerce, work, art, culture) and ‘non-political’ or personal (e.g. family
and domestic life) realms. Also, oftentimes referred to as the state/civil society divide.

Politics as compromise and consensus. Politics is about making public decisions. However, the
context in which this occurs is often marred by conflict due to differing interests and power
struggles. Thus, politics being portrayed as the ‘art of the possible’ is seen as a means of
resolving conflict through compromise, conciliation and negotiation, rather than the use of force
and naked power. Since conflict is inevitable, the best way for politics to address conflict is to
have a wide dispersal of power (Crick, 2000).

Politics as power and distribution of resources. This is the broadest and most radical conception
of politics. It sees politics at work in all social activities and in every comer of human existence,
and not just the realm of government, or the state or public affairs (Leftwich, 1984). What makes
politics a distinctive activity is its emphasis on the use of power especially in the production,
distribution and use of resources in the course of social existence. In essence, politics is power:
the ability to achieve a desired outcome, through whatever means. Politics can thus be viewed as
a struggle over scarce resources, and Power can be seen as a means through which this struggle
is conducted. (Heywood, 2002)

Governance
Broadly defined as “the sound exercise of political, economic, and administrative authority to
manage a country’s resources for development. It is involves the institutionalization of a system
through which citizens, institutions, organizations, and groups in a society articulate their
interests, exercise their rights, and mediate their differences in pursuit of the collective good
(ADB 1995).

It therefore embraces the affairs of a government and the proactive role of the private sector and
civil society in national development. Governance is, thus, not the sole province of government.
It is possible to have governance without government (Rhodes, 1996).

Government

In its broadest sense, to govern means to rule or control others. It consists of institutions
responsible for making collective and usually binding decisions for society. More narrowly,
government refers to the top political level within such institutions (Hague and Harrop, 2004).

Political System

It is a broader term than the concept of government, since it encompasses not only the
mechanisms of government and the institutions of the state, but also the structures and the
processes through which these interact in the larger society (Heywood, 2002).
According to David Easton (1965), it is the network of relationships through which government
generates ‘outputs’ (policies) in response to ‘inputs’ (demands or support) from the general
public.
A regime on the other hand, is a system of rule that endures despite the fact that governments
come and go (Heywood, 2002).

Concepts related to understanding of politics and governance:

Conflict - Refers to the competition between opposing forces, reflecting a diversity of opinions,
preferences, needs or interests
Cooperation - It means working together; achieving goals through collective action.
Authority - It is simply defined as “ legitimate power” or the right to influence the behavior of
others.
Power - Refers to the ability to influence the behavior of others in a manner not of their own
choosing to achieve a desired outcome. There are different dimensions or ‘faces’ power:
 power as decision-making, e.g. voting during elections
 power as agenda-setting, e.g. lobbying, campaigning
 power as thought control, e.g. use of ideology or propaganda

Anti-politics - It is the state of disillusionment with formal and established political processes
reflected in non-partic1pation, support for anti-system parties, or the use of direct action.

Origin and Development of the Study of Political Science

The Early Greeks (500-300 B.C.) Socrates, Plato and Aristotle were the first to focus their
attention to the “polis” or city-state which centered on present-day Athens. These Greek
philosophers considered the polis as the highest and most desirable form of social organization
since it is only through this form of organization that man will be able to achieve self-realization.

Socrates (469-399 B.C.) Greek Philosopher - a Sophist who took interest in the study of
politics of his time; did not write anything but famous for his dictum: “Know Thyself” and
“Knowledge is virtue.” For Socrates, “the un-examined life is not worth living. ”

Plato (427-347 B.C.) considered as the “father of political philosophy” wrote the
“Republic” which he proposed to be an ideal state. He established a school known as the
“Academy”.

Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) regarded as the “father of political science” and the first political
scientist who wrote the “Politics”, a study of the ideal constitution. He opined that “Man is a
political animal”; and concluded that the only way to maximize one’s individual capabilities and
to attain the highest form of social life was through political interaction with others in an
institutionalized setting, a setting designed to resolve social conflict and to set collective goals -
the state. He founded the “Lyceum” a training school for young people.

The Romans - The Cynics, and Stoic Philosophers, Cicero, Seneca, Polybius. The Romans could
be credited for the adoption of the first codified set of uniform, written laws which were
universally applied to all Roman citizens (e.g. jus civile) and subjects or non-Roman nationals
(e.g. jus gentium) within the Roman Empire especially during the reign of Emperor Justinian. "

The Medieval Period or Middle Ages - St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas - the “doctors” of
the Church. They argued that government exist because of man’s sinful nature, thus, it is “a
necessary evil”.

The Renaissance or Modern Period - Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527) became famous for his
book, The “Prince” - thesis on the “practice” and ‘realities” of politics as the acquisition and
maintenance of power “ by all means and at all cost” His famous dictum: “the end justifies the
means”.

The French and English Political Philosophers (16“'-18"' centuries)

Jean Bodin (1530-1596) - a French philosopher (and a lawyer) who coined the term “political
science” (science politique); Bodin focused on the characteristics of the state which gave
political science an abiding concern for the organization of institutions related to law.

Charles Montesquieu (1689-1755) - a French political philosopher who argued that all functions
of government could be encompassed within the categories of legislation, execution, and
adjudication of law. He emphasized the need to resist tyranny by fragmenting government
power,particu1arly through the device of the separation of powers

John Locke (1632-1704) - English philosopher; the key thinker in the development of early
liberalism, placing particular emphasis upon ‘natural’ or God-given rights, identified as the rights
to life, liberty and property. He is regarded as a major exponent of representative government
and political toleration His ideas have great impact on the American Revolution of 1776
(Heywood, 2002).

Scope of the Study of Politic’al Science

Political science is applied to the specialized study of government and politics. It is a study of the
nature of the state, history and forms of political institutions, of the laws of political growth and
development and the problems of the state. The study of political science has come to be grouped
into the following divisions:

1. Political Theory - refers to the entire body of doctrines relating to the origin, evolution and
development, form, behavior, and purposes of the state.

2. Comparative and descriptive government - in which are presented the historical setting and
analysis of the structure and workings of various leading governmental systems of the world.

3. Public Law - includes the fields of constitutional law, administrative law, international law
and jurisprudence.
 Public law - is the set of law of laws that define the relationship of government and the
citizenry. It deals with the study of the organization of government, the limitations upon
government authority, the powers and duties of governmental offices and officers and the
obligations of one state to another. An example of a public law is the Constitution of the
Philippines.

In contrast, private law is the set of laws which governs the relations among individuals
or citizens. For instance, a contract, i.e., marriage, is the ‘law’ that governs private persons.

4. Public Administration - in which is considered the art and science of managing men and
materials in the accomplishment of the purposes of the state, included among which are
functional studies, as those of legislative methods and procedure, judicial procedure and the
administration of justice, the regulation of public utilities, the supervision and control of police,
finance, labor, and many others.

Importance of the Study of Political Science

1. To discover the principles that should be adhered to in public affairs and to study the
operations of government in order to demonstrate what is good, to criticize what is bad or
inefficient, and to suggest improvements.

2. It touches and deals with problems of governmental economic programs, international

cooperation, social welfare, and a wide range of other important matters that are urgent concern
to public officials and to private citizens.

3. Its findings determinations and conclusions are of great importance to constitution-makers,

legislators, executives, and judges who need models or norms that can be applied to immediate
situations (Jacobsen and Lippman).

4. It seeks to gather and impart to citizens of the state knowledge and understanding of how their
government really operates, what interests and forces are behind particular policies, what the
results of such policies are likely to be, what their rights and obligations are, who their elected
representatives are, and what they stand for (Rodee, et al, 1983).

Goals of the Study Political Science

1. Education for citizenship - this is primary objective of the study of political science. There is
no doubt that a well-informed and responsible citizen is needed to realize the goals of a truly
democratic society.

2. Essential parts of liberal education - this is necessary to develop critical-minded, civic-

conscious, politically - informed and vigilant citizens.
3. Knowledge and understanding of government - A “good” citizen is not only a law-abiding,
politically active individual but must also a citizen who knows the answers to political questions
and problems.
Political Science and other Social Sciences

Political science as a specialized field of study is very comprehensive in scope. It shares many
points of common interest with other social disciplines.

History - refers to the study of the records (both written and oral, also includes artifacts) of the
past. Political scientist often employs the historical approach in his attempt to explain, for
instance, the development of state institutions and processes. The cliché that “history is past
politics and politics is present history ” illustrates the link between the two disciplines.

Economics - refers to the study of the production, distribution and conservation, “and
consumption of wealth. Economics is related to political science because of the fact that
economic conditions affect the organization, development, and activities of the state, which in
turn modify or even prescribe economic conditions.

Geopolitics (Interface of geography and politics) - a science concerned with the study of the
influences of physical factors such as population pressures, sources of raw materials, geography,
etc. upon domestic politics.

Sociology and Anthropology - Sociology specializes with the study of “society as a whole” while
anthropology deals with the study of “mankind” in relation to physical, social, and cultural
development are all deeply Concerned with the origins and nature of social control and
governmental authority.

Psychology - refers to the study of the human mind in order to understand human behavior. The
psychological method has been often to political scientists particularly in studying voting
behavior, i.e., perceptions and attitudes of citizens towards politics, and certain governmental
processes.

Philosophy and Logic - literally means the “love of wisdom”. Political scientist and thinkers
greatly consider the concepts and doctrines of great political philosophers in understanding
political phenomena. They also give value to an important branch of philosophy known as ethics.
On the other hand, logic refers to the science of correct thinking.

Statistics - through statistics (state data), the scientific method is employed in gathering and
evaluating data, which is used by the political scientist in analyzing and interpreting political
phenomena. Ex. Demographics data, i.e., population, income and poverty level, population
growth rates, mortality, etc.

Jurisprudence or law - referred to as the “science of laws”. It is also concerned with the analysis
of existing legal systems and also with the ethical, historical, sociological, and psychological
foundations of law. Ex. The study of the Philippine constitution.