SUFFRAGE AND ELECTION

WHAT IS SUFFRAGE?
 ART ICLE V SE CTION I
OF THE 1987 CONSTITUTION OF THE
PHILIPPINES

SUFFRAGE may be exercised by all citizens of the

Philippines, not otherwise disqualified by law, who are at least
18 years of age and who shall have resided from the Philippines
for at least one year and in the place wherein they propose to
vote for at least 6 months immediately preceding the election.
No literacy, property or other substantive requirement shall be
imposed on the exercise of the suffrage
 ARTICLE V SECTION I
OF THE 1987 CONSTITUTION OF THE
PHILIPPINES

On the other hand, suffrage is on the political rights enjoyed by the
citizens of our country.
This is because through the exercise of suffrage, citizens can
participate in the establishment and administration of government
Thus, it includes election, plebiscite, referendum, initiative and recall
 ARTICLE V SECTION 2
OF THE 1987 CONSTITUTION OF THE
PHILIPPINES

The Congress shall provide a system for securing the secrecy and
sanctity of the ballot as well as a system for absence voting by
qualified Filipinos abroad. The Congress shall also design a
procedure for the disabled and the illiterates to vote without the
assistance of other person. Until then, they shall be allowed to vote
under existing laws and such as the Commission on Election may
promulgate to protect the secrecy of the ballot.
 THE TYPES OF SUFFRAGE
Universal suffrage – where it exists, the right to vote is not restricted by
sex, race, social status, education level or wealth.
Woman suffrage – it is the right of women to vote on the same terms as
men
Equal suffrage – it may be sometimes confused with Universal Suffrage,
although the meaning of the former is the removal of graded votes, wherein
a voter could possess a number of votes in accordance with income, wealth
of social status
 TYPES OF SUFFRAGE
Census Suffrage – aka “censitary suffrage”, the opposite of Equal Suffrage,
meaning that the votes cast by those eligible to vote are not equal but are weighed
differently according to the person’s rank in the census.
Compulsory suffrage – those who are eligible to vote are required by law to do
so
Business vote – in local government in England and some of its ex-colonies,
business formerly had, and in some places still have, a vote in the urban area in
which they paid rates. This is an extension of the historical property-based franchise
from natural persons to other legal persons
THE NATURE OF SUFFRAGE

Mere Privilege – suffrage is not a natural right of the citizens

but a privilege to be given or with held by law making power
subject to constitutional limitations
Political Rights – enabling every citizen of the country to
participate in the process of government to assure that its powers
from the consent of the governed
 NATURE OF SUFFRAGE

Plebiscite – 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 (ART.
17 SEC. 2)
Referendum – submission of a law or part thereof passed by the
nation or local legislative body to the voting citizens of a country
for their ratification or rejection (ART. 6 SEC. 32)
 NATURE OF SUFFRAGE

Initiative – process whereby people directly propose the enact laws.

Congress is mandated by the Constitution to provide as early as possible
for a system of referendum
Recall – tenure method by which a public office may be removed
during his tenure or before the expiration of his term (ART. 10 SEC.3)
 SUFFRAGE
A N D I T S I M P O RTA N C E

As a final note, the importance of suffrage cannot be over

emphasized as it is the bedrock of the Philippine Democracy and
republicanism
Removed, then the Philippines is no longer democratic and
republican
WHAT IS AN ELECTION?
 ELECTION

It is the principal means by which the citizens of the country vote
and select certain officials to represent them in the administration
of the government. It may be local or national
An election is a formal decision-making process by which a
population chooses an individual to hold public office
Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern
representative democracy has opened since the 17th century.
 TYPES OF ELECTION
General Election – are those held for the purpose of electing national
and local officials simultaneously
National Election – are those conducted to elect the President, Vice
President and members of Congress
Local Election – those held for purpose of selecting officials in the
region, provinces, cities and municipalities
Special Election – held on a date different from that of regular elections
 VOTERS

Republic Act 8189 “Voters Registration Act of 1996”

A citizen, in order to be qualified to exercise his rights to vote, in

addition to the minimum requirements set by fundamental charte is
obliged by law to register
 QUALIFICATIONS
Every citizen 18 years old above on Election Day

A resident of the Philippines for at least a year and for at lest 6 months
on the place he is registering
Not otherwise disqualified by law, may vote

In order o actually vote, a citizen has to register

The COMELEC has a registration period for several months prior to

election
 ABSENTEE VOTERS
Absentee voters are divided into two types: the local voters and the overseas
absentee voters
Local absentee voters include people who are working during election day
soldiers, policeman, government employees and the like.
Overseas absentee voters refer to Filipinos residing abroad. They are eligible to
vote on national positions only: overseas absentee voters may vote in Philippines
embassies and consulates, and voting begins as early as 4 months prior to the election
The voting can be as long as 6 months in very few situation
 PROCESS
Once a registered voter finds his/her name I the voter’s list and locates the correct
precinct he may queue in line for the distribution of the ballot
Voters have to write the names of the candidates next to the positions in which they
are running
COMELEC approved nicknames maybe used by the voters in writing the names. After
the polling period ends, the Board of Election Inspectors counts the ballots by hand
The election returns will now be sent to the city or municipal Board of Canvassers,
political parties and other group
RULES GOVERNING ELECTIONS
IN THE PHILIPPINES
The supervision of the elections in the Philippines is under the charge of
the Commission on Election or COMELEC
In the process of supervising the conducts of elections, the COMELEC
is guided by the rules governing elections as stated in the provisions of
Republic Act No. 7166
 RULES
Election on Campaign Period – campaign period for the President, Vice President
and Senators in 90 days before the day of election and 45 days before the day of
election for members of the House of Representatives
Nomination and Selection of Official Candidates – even the period for political
conventions for the purpose of forming political parties and nominating officials is
fixed by legislation
Filling of Certificate of Candidacy – the certificate of an individual running for
national elections is required to be filed at the main office of the COMELEC nor
later than the day prior to the beginning to the campaign period
 RULES
Precincts and Polling Places – every barangay is required to have at least
one election precinct, with each precinct having not more than 300 votes
Registration of Voters – it is held on the 15th Saturday prior to the day of
election for those qualifies to cast their vote but not included in the list of
voters
Common Poster Area – the COMELEC is empowered to designate
common poster areas in the barangay where candidates can post their election
propaganda announcing their candidacy
 RULES
Official Watchers – every political party and candidate is entitled to one
watcher in every polling place and canvassing center
Board of Election Inspectors – is constituted by a chairman and two
members who are permanent public teachers
Board of Canvass – in every province, city and municipality, a board of
canvassers are constituted and is composed of provincial election
supervisor
 PH I LI PPI NE EL ECTORAL
SYST EM

The Philippine is a functioning democracy, through popular

protests have forced out two presidents in almost more than 20
years: first, Ferdinand Marcos in 1986 for alleged electoral
manipulation. And second, Joseph Estrada in 2001 for allegedly
plundering the economy
The Philippines is still grappling with Muslim separatists,
predominantly those of the island of Mindanao
 PHILIPPINE ELECTORAL
SYSTEM

In addition, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, won a contentious

election in 2004 and is now facing an electoral scandal, after a
home call between her and an election official, taped before the
election had concluded, turned up. Arroyo has denied she made any
attempt to influence the vote
PHILIPPINE PARTY SYSTEM
 PHILIPPINE PARTY SYSTEM

The Philippines has a multi-party system with numerous political

parties, in which no one party often has a chance of gaining power
alone, and parties must work with each other to form coalition
governments for political expediency and convenience. Since no
political parties have sustaining membership to which party leaders
are developed, most of political parties have the rise-and-fall-and-
rise character.
 MERITS OR ADVANTAGES OF
MULTI PARTY SYSTEM
1. It gives room for democracy: Democracy is a type of government in which the people
rules. It is a government that considers the choices and opinions of the people. Since Multi
party system gives room for people to elect their leaders from any political party of their
choice, it therefore encourages democracy too.

2. Allows more shades of opinion: Multi party system allows for more shades of opinion
in the parliament which augurs well for the country. The existence of many political
parties makes it possible for more persons to represent the people in the parliament.

3. Provision of wider choice: Unlike a one party or two party state, multi party system
provides the electorate wider range of choice of political parties.
4. Prevents the emergence of a dictators: Another advantage of one party system is that,
it prevents the emergence of a dictator. No single party in a multi party system is strong
enough to encourage the emergence of a dictator. They all compete to win the trust of the
electorates.
5. Widens political education: In my article on the differences between political party
and pressure group, I noted that political parties helps to give political education to the
masses who don’t know their political rights. Consequently, in a multi party system, the
scope of political education the electorate receives tends to widen with the existence of
many political parties in the system.
6. Guarantees smooth change in government: Multi party system is not like a one party
system where one political party rules the country for an unlimited number of years. It is
easier to change any government that allienates itself from the people in a multi-party
system.
7. It permits human rights: Multi party system allows the citizens of a
country to exercise their fundamental human rights of political association
rather than being thrown into political bondage in a plone party system
and provides avenue for freedom of speech.

8. Permits a wide range of ideology: Ideology is like the backbone of

every political party because it highlights what that political party wants to
achieve. Unlike one-party system in which only one ideology is permitted,
multi-party system allows for a wide range of ideologies. Thus, the masses
can choose from any political party that fits their aspirations and desires.
DE M E RI T S OR D ISAD VAN TAGE S
OF M ULT I PA RT Y S YST E M
1. Waste of resources: Using Nigeria as a case study, multi party system usually lead
to waste of government resources. The much needed human and material resources
which would have been directed towards the urgent task of national development are
wasted into unprofitable political rivalry.
2. It is expensive to run: Unlike one party system, multi-party system tends to the too
expensive to maintain more than two parties and their paraphernalia. Aside from that,
the cost of conducting elections for the political parties can be terrifying sometimes.
3. Leads to unhealthy rivalry: Multi party system usually lead to political crisis
and dispute amongst citizens in the country. This unhealthy rivalries results in
oppression, suppression and detention of leaders of the opposition parties.
4. It encourages corruption in the parliament: It has also been argued that
multi party system promotes corruption among members of the parliament
during the passing of bills. The inability to the ruling of the party to win a clear
cut majority in the parliament in a multi party system gives room to bribery and
Corruption in order to pass a bill.
5. Election violence: Election violence is a common occurrence in a multi party
system. This is so because the existence of many political parties in a multi party
system and the competitions that go with it exposes the country to all forms of
election malpractice like rigging.
6. It may lead to national disintegration: Due to the different political
ideologies which the people have, there is usually a national
disintegration. Multi party system act as powerful instruments for
disintegrating the people and tends to emphasize the religious and ethnic
differences of the people.

7. Leads to political instability: The unhealthy rivalry, frequent political

re-alignment and coalition makes government of a country to the weak
and unstable. It can also damage the name of the government
internationally and decrease the prestige of the country.
 QUESTIONS:

1. It is exercised by the all citizen if the Philippines?

2-4. Give at least 3 types of suffrage?

5-6. Why is it important to know about suffrage?

7. It is a formal decision-making process by which a population
choose an individual to hold public office?
 QUESTIONS:

8-11. Give the 4 types of election?

12. What act stated that A citizen, in order to be qualified to

exercise his rights to vote?
13-15. Give 3 example of rules governing elections in the
Philippines?