Politics- in general, it means organizing human activities.

Modes of Acquiring a Territory

 Politics is all around.
 Politics happens because of the need to make 1. Discovery and Occupation- a state may acquire a
decisions in the complex world we live in. territory by discovering a continent, an island or
land with no inhabitants or occupied by uncivilized
 According to Aristotle, “Man by nature is a political inhabitants and thereafter, occupying it, by placing
animal”. If it is true, then politics is not only it under its political administration.
common in our lives – it is unavoidable.
2. Prescription- it is a mode of acquiring territory
Elements of Politics: through continuous and undisputed exercise of
 Power sovereignty over it during such period as it is
 Rule necessary to create under the general conviction
 Authority that the present condition of things is in
conformity with international order.
 Influence

Governance- it refers to the way in which something is

3. Cession – it is the assignment, transfer or yielding
governed to meet objectives such as protecting its people,
up of territory by one state or government to
and acting in the country’s best interest.
another. It may be in a form of sale or donation.
State is a group of people living in a definite territory,
4. Subjugation and annexation- it is a mode of
having a government of their own and enjoying their own
acquiring territory belonging to a state in the
independence.
course of war and by annexation at the end of the
war.
Elements of State
5. Accretion- mode of acquiring territory by addition
1.People – a mass of population or community of people
of portions of soil, either artificial or by gradual
living within the territorial jurisdiction of state.
disposition through the operation of natural causes.
2. Territory- The space within which the government
exercise its supreme authority.
CLASSIFICATION OF GOVERNMENT ACCORDING TO
ARISTOTLE
3. Government- agency through which the will of the state
are formulated, expressed carried out.
1. Monarchy (ruled by one person)
- where one person exercises sovereignty. It
4. Sovereignty– the supreme power of the state to enforce
is the form of government in which the
its will upon its citizen through laws. It also means
supreme and final authority is in the hands
independence from the control of other states. It has two
of a single person.
aspects:
2. Aristocracy- ( ruled by a few persons)
a. internal sovereignty- w/c means complete
- where political power is exercised by a
authority to rule over the people inside the state
privilege class known as the elite or
oligarchs.
b. external sovereignty (often referred as
independence) – which means independence from
3. Democracy ( ruled by many)
outside or foreign control.
- is one in which supreme power is vested to the
people . It is classified into two:
Nation - any large group of people who are united by
a. direct democracy ( pure democracy)- is where
common bonds of race, language, custom, tradition, or
people directly govern themselves
religion.
b. indirect democracy (representative democracy)
State v Nation
– is where people elect representatives to act in
State is a political concept while nation is an ethnic concept.
their behalf.

Demo – people / Kratos – power

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Political Science- is a branch of social science that studies
politics and state.
Subfields of Political Science
1. National Politics - deals with the study of the
structure of the government, its branches, the
political system of the state, public opinon and
elections.
2. Comparative Politics – studies the politics and
government of other countries
3. International Relations – political cooperation
among states, diplomatic relationships,
international organizations and laws.
4. Political Theory – defines what is good and what
is bad government.
Example: Machiavelli
5. Constitutional Law – studies the balance between
the powers of the government and the rights of the
people.
6. Public Policy – focuses on the programs of the
state to benefit the economy and the state as a
whole.
Political Science is a social science.
Social science is the study of society and the manner in
which people behave and influence the world around us.
The following are the Major branches of Social Science:
Psychology studies emotional and cognitive impacts of
environments and relationships, and the reactions of human
systems to emotional and cognitive changes.
Sociology – how we become members of groups, move
between groups, and how being in different groups affects
individuals and the groups in which they participate.
Political Science – how we identify ourselves as citizens of
a particular nation, how we participate in our political
structure, how it affects us, what motivates us to affiliate
ourselves with certain points of view or parties.
Anthropology deals with of what it means to be human,
through the understanding of modern cultures across the
globe, the cultures of the past, languages, the human body,
and our evolutionary history.
History – the interpretation of the past, how it affects our
views of the present, understanding trends or the lack
thereof in the past.
Economics – refers to the scientific study of human action,
particularly as it relates to human choice and the utilization
of scarce resources.
Political Phenomenon- any occurrence, events, or facts
relating to politics.
Ideology - refers to a system of beliefs about how society
should function, behave, and operate
Political Ideology is a set of related beliefs about political
theory and policy held by an individual, group of individuals
or a particular social class.
Major Political Ideologies
1. Anarchism - The belief that the best government is
absolutely no government. This ideology argues
that everything about governments is repressive
and therefore must be abolished entirely.
2. Absolutism - The belief that a single ruler should
have control over every aspect of the government
and of the people’s lives.
3. Liberalism - A set of political beliefs emphasizing
individual rights and liberties
4. Conservatism - A set of political beliefs based on
preservation of customs and traditions that define
the character of a society
5. Socialism - A set of political beliefs emphasizing
community and social equality
Political Power is:
 The ability to shape and control the political
behavior of others and to lead and guide their
behavior in the direction desired by the person,
group, or institution exercising the political power.
 The capacity to influence, condition, mold, and
control human behavior for the accomplishment of
political objectives.
Major Forms of Political Power
1. Political Authority - is governmental power. It is the
legally established power of the government to make rules
and issue commands and to compel obedience to them,
making use of physical force and coercion when deemed
necessary. Political authority in short, is the legal right--the
legally established power--to govern society.
2. Political Influence - is the ability of private individuals
and groups to impact on the government's making and
implementation of official policy decisions. It is a form of
political power exercised by those who do not possess the
formal-legal authority, but have and utilize the ability to
condition, modify, and control the official decision-making
behavior of those in government office who do possess the
authority to make and implement the decisions.
CONSTITUTION
 heart of the nation
 foundation of the government
 blueprint of the government
 fundamental law of the land
 highest law of the land
 basic law of the land
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Constitution is a written instrument enacted by direct
action of the people by which the fundamental powers of
the government are established, limited and defined, and by
which those powers are distributed among the several
departments for their safe and useful exercise for the
benefit of the body politic.
The Republic of the Philippines is using the 1987 Philippine
Constitution also known as the Freedom Constitution.
Preamble – introduction to the constitution
Article II: Declarations of Principles and State Policies
Basic Principles of the 1987 Philippine Constitution
1. The Philippines is a democratic and republican
state. Sovereignty and government authority
belong to the people. ART II SEC 1
2. The Philippines renounces war as an element of
national policy ART II SEC 2
3. Civilian authority is all times supreme over the
military. ART II SEC 3

“We, the sovereign Filipino, imploring the aid of Almighty 4. The prime duty of the government is to serve and
God, in order to build a just and humane society and protect the people. ART II SEC 4
establish a government that shall embody our ideals and
aspirations, promote the common good, conserve and 5. The separation of church and state shall be at all
develop our patrimony, and secure to ourselves and our times be upheld. ART II SEC 6
posterity the blessings of independence and democracy,
under the rule of law, and a regime of truth, justice, 6. The government shall provide social justice. ART II
freedom, love, equality, and peace, do ordain and SEC 10
promulgate this Constitution.”
Article III: Bill of Rights
Articles of the 1987 Philippine Constitution
Basic rights that are recognized and protected by the
Article I National Territory Constitution:
Article II Declaration of Principles and State Policies
Article III Bill of Rights 1. Right to due process of law (Art III Sec 1)
Article IV Citizenship 2. Right against unreasonable search and seizure (Art
Article V Suffrage III Sec 2)
Article VI Legislative Department 3. Right to privacy of communication and
Article VII Executive Department correspondence (Art III Sec 3)
Article VIII Judicial Department
4. Right to travel and Liberty of abode (Art III Sec 6)
Article IX Constitutional Commissions
Article X Local Government 5. Right to Assembly and Petition/ Right to form
Article XI Accountability of Public Officers association (Art III Sec 8)
Article XII National Economy and Patrimony
Article XIII Social Justice and Human Rights Article IV: Citizenship
Article XIV Education, Science and Technology, Arts, It encapsulates the provisions that will answer the question:
Culture and Sports Who are the citizens of the Philippines?
Article XV The Family
Article XVI General Provisions Article V: Suffrage
Article XVII Amendments or Revisions Right to vote/Election
Article XVIII Transitory Provisions
Article VI: Legislative Department
Philippine Congress is bicameral legislature which consists
Article I: National Territory of :
Upper house: Senate
Section 1. The national territory comprises the Philippine Lower house: House of Representatives
archipelago, with all the islands and waters embraced
therein, and all other territories over which the Philippines Article VII: Executive Department
has sovereignty or jurisdiction, consisting of its terrestrial, President of the Philippines (qualifications, manner of
fluvial, and aerial domains, including its territorial sea, the voting, term of office, powers and limitations)
seabed, the subsoil, the insular shelves, and other
submarine areas. The waters around, between and
connecting the islands of the archipelago, regardless of their Article VIII: Judicial Department
breath and dimensions, form part of the internal waters of 1. The Supreme Court
the Philippines.
2. Intermediate Appellate Court (Court of Appeals)

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  Remove cultural inequities
3. Regional Trial Court (RTC)  Social Justice – commitment to create economic
opportunities based on freedom of initiative and
4. Municipal Trial Court (MTC), Municipal Circuit Trial
self-reliance
Court

In addition to these regular courts, there are two special

courts, namely:
Article XIV: Education, Science and Technology, Arts,
1. Court of Tax Appeals Culture and Sports

2. Sandiganbayan  Quality education

 System of education
The Constitution also provides for two special legal bodies,  The study of constitution shall be part of the
namely:
curricula of all educational institutions
1. Judicial and Bar Council  Language: Filipino is the official language
 Research and Development
2. Ombudsman (Tanodbayan)  Invention
 Innovation
 Preservation of arts and culture
Article IX: Constitutional Commissions
1. Commission on Elections  Physical education
2. Commission on Audit  Sports Program
3. Civil Service Commission  League competitions
 Amateur sports
Article X: Local Government  Regular sports activities in all educational
institutions
Political Subdivisions of the Republic of the Philippines:
1. Provinces
2. Cities Article XV: The Family
3. Municipalities  Family is the foundation of the nation
4. Barangays  Marriage
*** Autonomous Regions: ARMM and CAR  Family Rights and Duties

Article XI: Accountability of Public Officers Article XVI: General Provision

 Impeachment
 Sandiganbayan – anti-graft court
 Ombudsman/Tanodbayan – investigates on its own
any act or omission of any public official, employee,
office or agency.
Article XII: National Economy and Patrimony
 Distribution of income, wealth and opportunities
 Economy of the nation
 Sustainable development
 Industrialization and full employment
 Agricultural Development
 Agrarian Reform
 Natural Resources
Article XII: Social Justice and Human Rights
 Human dignity
 Reduce social, economic, and political inequalities
 Flag
 Name of the country
 National anthem
 National seal
 Armed Forces of the Philippines
 The State may not be sued without its consent
 Ownership of mass media is limited to citizens of
the Philippines
Article XVII: Amendments or Revisions
-Changing the constitution.
Article XVIII: Transitory Provisions:
- Provision about the first election of Philippine congress/
first local election
-Provisions about the revolutionary powers, legislative
power of President (Cory Aquino)
Ignorantia Legis Neminem Excusat
“Ignorance of the law excuses no one”

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