Page |1

NATURE OF ELECTIONS AND POLITICAL PARTIES

IN THE PHILIPPINES
As posted on the Official Gazette webpage of the Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines
posted on July 15, 2020, 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.

MEANING 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.

Qualifications of voters
He must be:
1. A citizen (male or female) of the Philippines;
2. Not otherwise disqualified by law;
3. At least eighteen (18) years of age; and

Handout | Philippine Politics and Governance

 Page |2

4. Have resided in the Philippines for at least one (1) year and in the place wherein he proposes
to vote for at least six (6) months preceding the election.

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.

Decisions, final orders, or rulings of the Commission on election contests

involving elective municipal and barangay offices shall be final, executory, and not
appealable.

MEANING OF POLITICAL PARTY

As stated by Marume et al (2016), a political party is defined as an organized and
presumably durable association, either of individuals or of distinguishable groups of
individuals, which endeavors to place its members in governmental offices for the purpose of
bringing about the adoption of favored political policies or programs. Of all the characteristics
of parties, the one which distinguishes them from all other associations evincing a substantial
interest in public affairs is their effort to secure the election or the appointment of their own
personnel to the public positions through which the policies of government are prescribed for
implementation.

Characteristics of a Political Party

One of the primary characteristics of a political party is its objective to control the
exercise of governmental powers by placing its own members in the public offices through
which the policies of government are determined. A second characteristic of a political
party is its intention to use governmental powers for purposes which meet with the general
approval of its leaders and the rank and file of its membership.

Types of Electoral System

1. One-party system - An open system of the one-party variety exists in those jurisdictions
in which a particular party is so much stronger than any of its nominal competitors that it
almost invariably is successful in winning control of the government. Example: North Korea,
China.
2. Bi or two-party system - The earmark of a two-party system is their existence of two
major parties which are so strongly supported that one or the other ordinarily emerges as the
victor in elections and consequently gains mastery of the government. Although one of these
parties may win a series of victories, its chief competitors always is the running and sooner or
later manages to defeat its opponent. Example: In the US – Republican vs Democrats
3. Multiparty system - Multiple-party systems are featured by the presence of a fairly large
number of parties with compete with one another on relatively equal terms. Several parties
may be considerably in comparison with their minor competitors, but they lack the strength
of the major parties under a genuine two-party system. None of them is regularly able to
muster sufficient voting strength to capture control of government. Example: Philippines,
Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Indonesia, South Korea.

Handout | Philippine Politics and Governance

 Page |3

There are several political parties that stand for the election in the country. The Nacionalista
Party, the Liberal Party, the Lakas-CMD, the PDP-LABAN, the Nationalist People's Coalition,
the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino, the Akbayan and the Philippine Democratic Socialist
Party are the parties with largest membership in Congress.

Political Parties are required to register with the COMELEC with a verified petition with
attachments including a constitution, by-laws, platform, and such other information as may
be required by the COMELEC. They are required to have chapters in a majority of regions,
and within each region, a majority of provinces, down to towns and barangays.

Handout | Philippine Politics and Governance