Nature of Elections and

Political Parties in the

Philippines
The Right of Suffrage
Objectives :
1. Describe the nature of elections in the Philippines.
2. Identify the types of elections in the Philippines.
 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines
Article V-Suffrage Section 1 states that:
Suffrage may be exercised by all citizens of the
Philippines not otherwise disqualified by law, who are at
least eighteen years of age, and who shall have resided
in the Philippines for at least one year and in the place
wherein they propose to vote for at least six months
immediately preceding the election. No literacy,
property, or other substantive requirement shall be
imposed on the exercise of suffrage.
Suffrage - is 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.
Nature of Suffrage
(1) A mere privilege – Suffrage is not a natural right of the
citizens but merely a privilege to be given or withheld by the law-
making power subject to constitutional limitations.
(2) A political right – Suffrage enables every citizen to participate
in the process of government to assure that it can truly be said to
derive its powers from the consent of the governed.
The principle is that of one man, one vote.
 Scope of Suffrage
Suffrage includes:
1. Election – It is the means by which the people
choose their officials for definite and fixed periods
and to whom they entrust, for the time being as their
representatives, the exercise of powers of
government.
2. Plebiscite – It is the name given to a vote of the people expressing
their choice for or against a proposed law or enactment submitted to
them. In the Philippines., the term is applied to an election at which
any proposed amendment to, or revision of, the Constitution is
submitted to the people for their ratification. Plebiscite is likewise
required by the Constitution to secure the approval of the people
directly affected before certain proposed changes affecting local
government units may be implemented
3. Referendum – It is the submission of a law or
part thereof passed by the national or local
legislative body to the voting citizens of a
country for their ratification or rejection.
4. Initiative – It is the process whereby the
people directly propose and enact laws.
5. Recall – It is a method by which a public
officer may be removed from office during his
tenure or before the expiration of his term by a
vote of the people after registration of a petition
signed by a required percentage of the qualified
voters.
It is also stated in the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the
Philippines –Article IX –C the establishments of Commission on
Elections (COMELEC. In Section 2 discusses the powers and
functions of COMELEC:
(1) Enforce and administer all laws and regulations relative to the
conduct of an election, plebiscite, initiative, referendum, and recall.
(2) Exercise exclusive original jurisdiction over all contests relating
to the elections, returns, and qualifications of all elective regional,
provincial, and city officials, and appellate jurisdiction over all
contests involving elective municipal officials decided by trial courts
of general jurisdiction, or involving elective barangay officials
decided by trial courts of limited jurisdiction.