PHILIPPINE POLITICS AND GOVERNANCE POINTERS

1. 2 misconceptions about Philippine politics that must be corrected.

• First, there was no politics in the Philippines prior to colonization period.
• Second, Every issue or problems we have in politics and governance was caused by
colonization.
2. Scott (1979) identify 4 types of unhispanized societies in the country.
Classless societies- don’t need to elect a leader; the appointed leader loses his power after expediton.
Warrior societies- brave men; military; appointed leaders for legislation, inter-ethni relations, and
judicial matters;
Plutocracies: leaders comes from the privileged class; elite one
Principalities- a clear class of leaders through the datus or sultan; follow the political organization
that was brought by the Islam and is the strongest and most organized political entity in the Pre-
colonial history.
During the colonial period, the areas and the groups in the Philippines that the Spaniards were able to
occupy and influence have experienced a radical change in politics and governance.
Hispanized areas in the Philippines became tied to the government in Spain with the king as head,
followed by the viceroy in Latin America
reduccion policy- centralized settlements around colonial institutions, such as the church and municipal
halls. The governor general became the head of the colony.
Democracy- exercised in the ancient Greece and is now known as the rule of people
Aristotle - considered democracy as the corrupt counterpart of the ideal regime of polity
Democracy was introduced in the Philippines during the late 19th century following the opening of the
country’s economy to the world in 1834 and the consequent inflow and outflow of ideas and people along
with good trades
Ilustrados- they are the rich Filipino native who were able to study abroad.
Andres Bonifacio- Head of the KKK
Marcelo H. del Pilar- Proapganda movement
KKK- Kataas-taasan Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan
It was during the American period that democracy was used in full extend as a political system. The
defeated Spaniards during the Spanish-American War in 1898 Sold the Philippines to America but the
Filipinos chose to be independent rather than be subjected to another colonialist, thus the American-
Philippine War.
The United States sent Dr. Jacob Schurman to head Schurman Commission in 1899 with the basic
objectives of establishing the civil government in pacified areas.
The Taft Commission under Wiliam Howard Taft in 1900 hastened the transition of the government from
a revolutionary to a civil and democratic one
Electoral representation in the Philippines began with the creation of the Philippine Assembly. Philippine
Assembly acted as the lower house to the Philippine Commission and held its first election in 1907.
Democracy was further established through the 1935 Constitution. But in 1972, the foundation of the
democracy In the country was sidelined upon the declaration of Martial Law by President Ferdinand
Marcos
Democracy was reinstated by the 1987 Constitution following the success of People Power Revolution
that toppled the Marcos dictatorship. The rights mandated in a democratic society as the right to vote and
freedom of expression were also restored
Greek word of Democracy: demos-people;kratos-power
Birthplace of Democracy- Ancient Greece