Political Parties And Electoral Politics:

Politics of choice or no choice

Democracy and Election
in the Philippines
DEMOCRACY IN THE PHILIPPINES
1987 Constitution
ARTICLE II
DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES AND STATE
POLICIES PRINCIPLES
Section 1. The Philippines is a
democratic and republican State.
Sovereignty resides in the people
and all government authority
emanates from them.
The Philippines has a representative
democracy modeled on the U.S. system.
The 1987 constitution, adopted during the
Aquino administration, reestablished a
presidential system of government with
a bicameral legislature and an
independent judiciary. The president is
limited to one 6-year term
 ELECTIONS IN THE PHILIPPINES
An election is the process of voting to choose someone to
be their political leader or representative in government.
In a Democracy, the right to vote is the main way way most
citizens can influence the decisions about how their country
is governed.
The Philippine experience with electoral politics is
instructive in the process of democratic development in
the Asia-Pacific region. Nearly a century since American
colonial authorities introduced electoral and party
politics, the quality of democratic representation as an
outcome of elections has always been held in doubt.
Candidacy requirements are fairly reasonable and include
nationality, voter registration, basic literacy, and specific
age and years of residency for certain positions.
Disqualification of candidates includes bribery of public
electoral officials and citizens, involvement in terrorist
acts, excess spending during a campaign, and acceptance of
prohibited funds and contributions
Elections are ruled by the Omnibus Election Code and
administered by the COMELEC,
ELECTIONS IN THE PHILIPPINES
Parties are formed as matter of convenience and
necessity, for the purposes of vote maximization. Members
of Congress often switch party allegiances favouring the
President-elect, giving the latter effective majority
control over the legislature.

On the other hand, “all-party caucuses” are held in the

House of Representatives, which dilutes even further the
importance of party organization. National candidates are
selected by party leaders, although endorsement by mass
media personalities has gained currency, and access to
mass media increasingly determines success in elections.
To win an election politicians have to
persuade people to support them. Each
political party needs to identify their
policies or plan of action explaining the
things that they would do if they were
elected.
Electoral Party Politics
in Prewar Philippines
Spanish colonial
administration

Limited number of electorate due to

limited form of suffrage - political
parties were unnecessary.
Revolutionary Government

By the end of Spanish Occupation, independence

was deeply underscored in the program of the
Revolutionary Government under Emilio
Aguinaldo
In 1899, shortly after the start of hostilities between US
and Philippine forces, the
revolutionary government created a committee tasked
to offer the terms of
negotiations between Filipino and American troops.
AMERICAN PERIOD
A second committee was created
and dispatched but the
Americans insisted the
surrender of Filipino fighters.
 In December 1900, a group of upper-class
Filipinos led by Trinidad Pardo de Tavera
established the Federal Party whose
platform was anchored on seeking peace
with the United States within president
William McKinley’s ‘Benevolent
Assimilation’ framework.

FEDERAL PARTY
 ● Goal of eventual entry into the union by the
Philippines.
● The party became prominent due to the Anti-Sedition Law
● The Federal Party enjoyed prominence and a monopoly on political power
● Claimed in 1901 there were more than 200,000 persons affiliated with it
● Strongest and most popular political organization in the country
● Own party newspapers La Democracia and El Tiempo
● Played a major role in America’s Pacification campaigne.
● Became the Philippine party in power
● Federalistas collaborated with the colonizers

FEDERAL PARTY
 ● Partido Nacionalista or Nationalist Party
● Partido Conservador or Conservative Party
● Partido Democrata or Democratic Party
● Republic Party of the Philippines

Party Formations in the Early 1900’s

Roots of Party Politics, Power and
Patronage
 Electoral and Party
Politics in the Postwar Period.
Tydings-McDuffie Act granted independence to
the Philippines after the 10-year transitional
period happened on 4 July 1946
The first president of the Third Republic was Manuel
Roxas (in office 1946–1948), followed by Elpidio
Quirino (1948–1953), Ramon Magsaysay
(1953–1957), Carlos P. Garcia (1957–1961), Diosdado
Macapagal (1961–1965), and the first term of
Ferdinand Marcos (1965– 1969). Marcos’s second
term saw changes in the governmental structure and
the ratification of a new constitution in 1973.
1946
The rivalry between the two parties dominated Philippine politics

from 1946 until 1971. Both took turns to capture the presidency and

controlling both chambers of Congress . The Liberals won the

presidential elections of 1946, 1949 and 1961. The Nacionalistas won

them in 1953, 1957, 1965 and

1969.
Electoral Party During
Martial Law period
The imposition of martial law by President Marcos In September
1972 shattered Philippine democracy.

When elections were resumed in 1978, a single dominant party called

Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL) emerged

Upon the imposition of martial law, Marcos arrested many of his political
enemies of different persuasions and suppressed political activities against his
government.

Under his strong influence, a new constitution was promulgated in 1973

Faced with the situation, traditional political forces
such as the NP and the LP whose primary activity
was to gain power and patronage through electoral
contests became inactive
Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)

The CPP was founded on December 26, 19687) by Jose Ma. Sison who was then leading the
Kabataang Makabayan (KM) or the Patriotic Youth League

Influenced by Mao Zedong thought, the CPP committed itself to the revolution by means of a
protracted, rural based "people's war. In January 1969, Bernabe Buscayno and his men, who
had been with remnants of the Hukbong Magpapalaya ng Bayan (HMB) or the National
Liberation Army in thePampanga-Tarlac area, joined the CPP and in March of that year formed
its military arm, the New People's Army (NPA)
Partido Demokratiko-Sosyalista ng Pilipinas (PDSP)

● Former Demokratikong Sosyalistang Pilipino (KDSP)

● Formed by seventeen such groups, among them the Hasik-Kalayaan
headed by Norberto Gonzales and the Kilusan ng mga Anak ng
Kalayaan by Fr. Romeo J. Intengan.
● In May 1973, the KDSP was reorganized into a political party to be
called the PDSP.
● In 1976, the PDSP and another social democratic organization, namely,
the Lakas Diwa formed in 1970 by Ed Garcia together with Noel
Tolentino, Conrado Limcaoco, Ed Valenzuela, Mar Canonigo and
others, merged to form the Nagkakaisang Partido
Demokratiko-Sosyalista ng Pilipinas (NPDSP) or the United Philippine
Democratic Socialist Party.
● NPDSP was renamed PDSP in 1980
● In the Interim Batasang Pambansa elections of April 1978, it actively
supported and campaigned for the LABAN candidates in Metro Manila.
Katipunan ng mga Sandigan ng Pilipino
KASAPI was founded in 1970 by young activists, among them Jose Luis Alcuaz and Herman Laurel who
became Chairman. and Secretary General, with Fr. Jose Blanco as spiritual leader.

It was based in the Jesuit-run Apostolic Center

KASAPI started to rebuild by organizing students, the urban poor and a segment of professionals

when the NPDSP was formed, KASAPI did not join it. Like the PDSP, KASAPI operated underground
and opted for armed struggle against Marcos.

KASAPI also participated in the electoral struggle. In the 1978 elections, it formed the Partido
Sambayanang Pilipino and fielded several candidates in Metro Manila. At the same time, it supported
selected candidates of LABAN.

When the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP) was formed in 1982, KASAPI cadres entered the party
clandestinely, recruited new cadres through PDP (later through PDP-LABAN) and operated within the
party.
 In August 1977, Marcos announced his intention to hold Interim
Batasang Pambansa elections and local elections by the end of 1978
as a step toward what he called normalization

The Interim Batasang Pambansa elections were held under a system of

region-wide voting districts with block voting in contrast to the premartial
law congressional elections which had a single-member district system. The
resumption of elections reactivated the traditional political forces.

In preparation for the elections, Marcos as the titular head of the

Nacionalista Party called a meeting of the National Directorate of the
party on February 1, 1978 to reorganize its ranks.
To organize a coalition movement, united front or umbrella
organization that shall include as its members Nacionalistas, Liberals,
veterans as well as other political sectoral and socio-civic aggrupations
and individuals who adhereto the ideals and principles of the New
Society, and which shall field its own candidates in the Interim Batasang
Pambansa elections
From the Liberal Party Leadership:
1. Benigno S. Aquino
2. Francisco "Soc" Rodrigo
3. Neptali Gonzales
4. Alejandro Roces From Progressives and
5. Ramon Mitra Independents:
6. Primitivo de Leon 14. Emmanuel "Noli" T. Santos
7. Cesar T. Lucero 15. Ernesto Rondon
8. Rosario Planas
16. Aquilino Pimentel
9. Antonio Martinez
17. Teofisto Guingona
18. Napoleon Rama
From the Nacionalista Party ranks:
10. Ernesto Maceda the Labor, Community and Youth
11. Juan T. David sector:
12. Felicisimo Cabigao 19. Trinidad Herrera
13. Jaime Ferrer 20. Fernando Barican
21. Alexander Boncayao
Besides LABAN, many new political parties were
formed to participate in the Interim Batasang
Pambansa elections: the number of registered political
parties, both old and new, at the time of the elections
counted thirty-two. Many of the new ones were
regional parties
 Parties Elections and
Democratization in Post Martial
Law Philippines.
The period from 1986 onward is the restoration of
democracy. The fall of the dictatorship marked the
shift toward redemocratization and return to
constitutionalism. A revolutionary government was
created following Corazon Aquino’s ascent to
presidency.
Freedom Constitution

served as the foundation of the transitory

government. When a new Philippine
Constitution was ratified in 1987, a
democratic and republican government
was established
1987 Constitution

the revival of democracy, wherein governmental powers

emanate from the people. Elections, political parties, and civil
societies were thus reinstituted. Civilian authority (through
the president) was recognized supreme over the military. An
independent judiciary was also reestablished. The Philippine
legislature also returned to a bicameral form, with the rebirth
of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Political Parties Post Martial Law Period

Political parties during post martial law period subscribed to

the fundamental liberal principles of free enterprise, limited
government and civil rights and liberties
Major Political Parties Post Martial Law
There are 3 Main Political Parties in the Philippines Post
Martial Law Period:

I. Lakas Tao-National Union of Christian Democrats

(Lakas-NUCD)

- Established in 1992 by former LDP members.

- Served as Ramos’s vehicle for the presidential election, as
ramos was then partyless having resigned from Laban ng
Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) when the party did not
nominate him for president.
Major Political Parties Post Martial Law

II. Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino (LAMMP -

struggle of the nationalist Filipino Masses)

- A coalition of two main and one major opposition

parties, namely the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino
(LDP), Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) and the
Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP).

- It was set up in October 1997.

Major Political Parties Post Martial Law

III. Liberal Party (LP)

- During the Aquino administration, this party

controlled the senate and exercised influence in the
House.
- The only one that remains of the pre-1972 parties
 Electoral Politics in the Philippines

https://library.fes.de/pdf-files/iez/01361006.pdf

Philippine Democracy Assessment: Free and Fair Elections and the Democratic
Role of Political Parties

https://www.idea.int/sites/default/files/pictures/SOD_Philippines_Election_and_P
olitical_Parties.pdf

https://www.studocu.com/ph/document/university-of-the-philippines-system/pol
itical-science/electoral-and-party-politics-in-prewar-philippines/16572578

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/237105428_Electoral_Politics_in_th
e_Philippines#pf8