POLITICS IN

SOCIETY
Chapter 6
 POLITICS
The activities of the government,
politicians, or political parties
and the study of these
activities.
POLITICAL SCIENCE
is the study of politics and power from
domestic, international, and comparative
perspectives. It entails understanding political
ideas, ideologies, institutions, policies,
processes, and behavior, as well as groups,
classes, government, diplomacy, law, strategy,
and war.
 GOVERNMENT
is the term generally used in referring the
formal institutions through which a group of
people is ruled or governed and the term
extends to include the people and organizations
that make, enforce, and apply political
decisions for a society.
 GOVERNANCE
is commonly defined as the exercise of
power or authority by political leaders
for attainment of the well-being of their
country’s citizens or inhabitants.
 POWER
Is the ability to accomplish desired
objectives even if there is resistance or
opposition from others.
 AUTHORITY
This is the power that people vest in or
place in someone that they agree to
follow.
 TYPES OF AUTHORITY (Max Weber)
Traditional Authority Rational-Legal Authority Charismatic Authority

This is a form of leadership in

The power is derived from This type of authority is
which the authority of an
rules and regulations that concerned with how a
organization or a ruling
are enacted legally. People political institution can be
regime is largely tied to
follow the laws, not maintained by the leader’s
tradition, custom, and
because of the leader’s personality. A charismatic
convention. The leader is
charisma but because of leader has a charisma to
dominant and his authority
the legitimacy and validity galvanize a diverse group
depends on the traditions or
of laws bestowed upon all of people to follow his/her
customs, which are the bases
members of society. political course of action.
of his mandate to govern.
 POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS
BANDS TRIBES

Are made of up a family or small

A form of political organization that
number of extended families,
comprises several bands or lineage
usually nomadic, that cooperate to
groups, each with a similar
survive by foraging or hunting. A
language and lifestyle and
form of political organization
occupying a distinct territory.
associated with foraging groups,
involves flexible membership and
no formal leaders.
 POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS
CHIEFDOM STATE

Is headed by a chief, is a form Is a centralized political unit

of political organization that encompassing many
includes permanently allied communities, a bureaucratic
tribes and villages under one structure, and leaders who
chief, a leader who possesses possess coercive power.
power.
 ELEMENTS OF THE STATE
PEOPLE TERRITORY
The state is a human institution. So
population is its primary element. A definite and more or less
There is no hard and fast rule about permanent territory is also regarded
population. Aristotle laid down a as an essential element of the state.
general principle that the population In modern times, the citizens are
of a state should be large enough to bound together by residence on a
make it sufficient and small enough common territory. Land, water and
to make good government possible. air space comprise the territory of a
state.
 ELEMENTS OF THE STATE
SOVEREIGNTY GOVERNMENT

It denotes the supreme power or the A people occupying a definite

final authority from which there is no territory cannot form a state unless
appeal. they are politically organized i.e.,
unless they possess a government.
Government is the political
organization of the state. It is the
concrete and visible instrument of
state power.
 FORMS OF GOVERNMENT
As to number of persons exercising sovereign powers:

Monarchy Oligarchy Democracy

is a government where a An oligarchy is a government
It is a government in which
single person (the monarch) where a small, elite groups
all citizens have the equal
rules the government. rules all over society.
right to have their voices
heard and determine state
The title of the monarch is the members of the ruling elite
policy through elected
hereditary, this means one do not necessarily receive their
representatives. Laws
inherits the position. In some titles by birth, like in a
passed by the state (ideally)
societies, the monarch was monarchy. The members are
reflect the will of the
appointed by a divine power. people in significant positions of
majority of the population.
power in business, in the
military or in politics.
 FORMS OF GOVERNMENT
As to extent of powers exercised by the central or national government:

Unitary Federal
Refers to the one in which the
Refers to one in which the powers of government are divided
control of national and local between two sets of organs, one
affairs is exercised by the for national affairs and the other
central or national for local affairs, each organ being
government. supreme within its own sphere.
 FORMS OF GOVERNMENT
As to relationship between the executive and the legislative branches of the
government:

Presidential Parliamentary
It implies that the executive and The parliamentary system
legislative branches are separate. It can typically has clear differentiation
also imply that their establishment and between the head of government
the time they remain in power are ernment and the head of state,
separate. The president normally with ate the former being the
serves as both the head of state and Prime Minister and the latter, the
the head of government, and is elected President
by popular vote.
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
Executive power is exercised by the
government under the president who is referred
to as the chief executive.

The primary role of the Executive branch is to

execute or implement laws.
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
The official title of the president is the
“President of the Philippines” with honorific
“Your Excellency,” or “His/Her Excellency.”

Official residence and office of the President of

the Philippines is at the Malacañang Palace
located in the country’s capital - Manila City.
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
President of the Philippines is elected by
direct vote by the people for a term of six
years. He may only serve for one term, and
is ineligible for re-election.

In case of death, permanent disability,

resignation or removal from office, the
Vice President becomes president until the
expiration of the term.
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
• Executive Power
• Power of Appointment
• Power of Control
• Military Power
• Diplomatic or Foreign Relations Power
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
• Natural born Filipino;
• A registered voter;
• Must be able to read and write;
• 40 years of age at the day of the election;
• Must have resided in the Philippines ten
years before the election is held.
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
The Vice President of the Philippines is
elected by direct vote by the people for a term
of six years, and may run for re-election once.
The term of the Vice President of the
Philippines starts at noon of the 30th day of
June after a regular election is held.
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
According to the constitution, the vice
president may concurrently assume a cabinet
position should the President of the
Philippines offer the former one. The vice
president can become a Cabinet member
concurrent to the position of vice president if
appointed by the President.
 LEGISLATIVE
BRANCH
Legislative power is vested in a bicameral
Congress: The Senate and the House of
Representatives.

The Legislative branch is authorized to make

laws, alter, and repeal them through the power
vested in the Philippine Congress.
 LEGISLATIVE
BRANCH
Lawmakers in the Senate are called Senators.

The Senate is composed of 24 senators

elected-at-large by the people. The
senators are limited to a term of 6 years
and only up to 2 consecutive terms
allowed.
 LEGISLATIVE
BRANCH
The Senate President is its leader, elected at
least by a majority of its members.

In case of vacancy in the Senate, a special

election may be called to fill such vacancy
in the manner prescribed by law, but the
Senator thus elected shall serve only for
the unexpired term.
 LEGISLATIVE
BRANCH
• natural-born citizen of the Philippines
• at least thirty-five years old
• is able to read and write
• a registered voter
• a resident of the Philippines for not less
than two years before election day.
 LEGISLATIVE
BRANCH
Lawmakers composing the House of
Representatives are called Representatives or
Congressmen/Congresswomen.
 LEGISLATIVE
BRANCH
The House of Representatives shall be
composed of not more than two hundred and
fifty members, unless otherwise fixed by law,
who shall be elected from legislative districts
apportioned among the provinces, cities, and
the Metropolitan Manila area in accordance
with the number of their respective inhabitants.
 LEGISLATIVE
BRANCH
A Representative can serve for not more than
three consecutive terms.

In case of vacancy in the House of

Representatives, a special election may be
called to fill such vacancy in the manner
prescribed by law, but the Member of the
House of Representatives thus elected shall
serve only for the unexpired term.
 LEGISLATIVE
BRANCH
• a natural-born citizen of the Philippines
• at least twenty-five years old
• is able to read and write
• except the party-list representatives, a
registered voter and a resident for at least one
year in the district where s/he shall be elected
LEGISLATIVE
BRANCH
Legislative Power
Power of Taxation
Power of Appropriation
Power of Impeachment
JUDICIARY BRANCH
Judicial power is vested in the Supreme Court
of the Philippines as the highest judicial body
and including all other lower courts.

The Judicial branch holds the power to settle

controversies involving rights that are legally
demandable and enforceable.
JUDICIARY BRANCH
The Supreme Court is the highest court in the
Philippines. It is the final court that decides in
any and all judicial issues. It can review, revise,
reverse, modify, or affirm, final judgments and
orders of the lower court.
JUDICIARY BRANCH
The Supreme Court shall be composed of a Chief
Justice and fourteen Associate Justices. It may sit
en banc or, in its discretion, in divisions of three,
five, or seven members. (Art. VIII, 4) Its members
shall be appointed by the President from a list of at
least three nominees prepared by the Judicial and
Bar Council for every vacancy, without need of
confirmation by the Commission on Appointments.
(Art. VIII, 9)
JUDICIARY BRANCH
Members of the Supreme Court are required to have
proven competence, integrity, probity and independence;
• they must be natural-born citizens of the Philippines,
• at least forty years old,
• with at least fifteen years of experience as a judge of a
lower court or law practice in the country. (Art. VIII,
7)
Justices shall hold office during good behavior until they
reach the age of seventy years, or become incapacitated to
discharge the duties of office. (Art. VIII, 11)
 Suffrage
The right and obligation to vote of qualified
citizens in the election of certain national and
local officers of the government and in the
decision of public questions submitted to the
people.
 SCOPE OF SUFFRAGE
ELECTION Plebiscite

A political exercise whereby the

A plebiscite is a direct vote in
sovereign people choose a
which all members of a particular
candidate to fill up an elective
group or community are asked to
government position.
express their opinion on a particular
issue or proposal.
 SCOPE OF SUFFRAGE
Referendum Initiative

A referendum is a direct democratic

The power of the people to propose
process where citizens are given the
bills and laws, and to enact or reject
opportunity to vote on a specific
them at the polls, independent of
issue or question of public interest.
the legislative assembly.
It is a type of election that seeks the
opinion of the general public rather
than selecting a representative.
SCOPE OF SUFFRAGE
Recall
The system by which an elective
official is removed by popular vote
before the end of his term.