After going through this module, you are

expected to:
As you learned
the previous
lesson, political
parties and
elections play
an important
role in the
analysis of
democratization
in the country.
• You must also remember that conducting
elections as a political process in a
democratic country is the most needed
component in order to let the people’s
voice be heard and feel that the place they
are living with is free and fair. The current
electoral system in the country was
established under the 1987 Constitution
Enumerate at least five institutions or organizations that influence your life and the
lives of people in your community. Tell something about it. Write your answer on a
piece of paper provided.

1. _________________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________________________
4. _________________________________________________________________
5. _________________________________________________________________
What defines a civil
society?
Civil society is comprised of
groups or organizations
working in the interest of the
citizens but operating outside
of the governmental and for-
profit sectors.
They are known to champion
issues of the marginalized
members of the society, such
as issues on poverty,
environmental protection,
human rights, labor rights.
Organizations and institutions that make up civil society agencies that
provide an important service to society but generally ask for very little in
return.
labor
unions
non-profit organizations
Churches and other service
On a global scale, organizations
from civil society play an incredibly
important role. In the consequences
of a disaster and pandemic such as
the eruptions of Taal Volcano and
COVID 19 group like the Philippine
Red Cross was instrumental in
serving those affected and helping
them get back to normal.
These groups are considered Non-Governmental Aid
Organizations (NGOs), which provide assistance to
people for little or no fee. NGOs fall into the
category of civil society because they are not
operated by the government, are very often reliant
on donations, and tend to be comprised of
volunteers.
Another example of civil society at
work is civic groups, such as the
Rotary Club or Kiwanis. In the
Philippines, these are groups that
are made up of people from the
community who volunteer their time
in order to raise money for
community projects or needs.
• Our family could be considered
a part of civic society because
they voluntarily contribute to
your well-being and generally
ask for nothing in return. This,
in-turn, might allow you to go
out and contribute elsewhere in
the broader civil sector.
According to Khan et al. (2015) civil society
organizations and social movement play an essential
role in democratizing politics and governance and can
provide both immediate relief and longer-term
transformative change by:
•defending collective interests and
increasing accountability;
•providing solidarity mechanisms;
•facilitate participation of the people
in the policy-making and execution
process of the government;
•key participant political force;
•role in enhancing democracy;
•important institutional vehicles;
and
•directly engaging in service
delivery and challenging prejudice.
What defines a social
movement?
• As stated by Colas (2002), social movements are
defined as a sustained and purposeful collective
mobilized by an identifiable, self-organized group
in confrontation with specific power structures and
in the pursuit of socioeconomic and political
change.
•Many social scientists have
defined social movements in
different context but all of them
states that social movements are
groups meant to bring social
change (Banga 2014).
• According to Blumer, social
movements are collective enterprises
to establish a new order of life.
Social movements are a collectivity
which acts with some continuity to
promote or resist a change in the
society or group of which it is a part.
• Social movements are called “social”
because they intend to bring about
change in the society and “movement”
because they have the capacity to
mobilize or organize people with
common interest and goals. (Banga
2014)
• According to Phatharathananunt (2012)
Social movements were decisive forces
in democratic breakthrough in the
Philippines. Under the dictatorial regime
of Marcos, the following decades
witnessed widespread human rights
violations.
Students, academics, journalists, businessmen,
laborers and peasants were arrested, tortured and
killed. In addition, the regime also plundered the
Philippines’s economy through the use of various kinds
of corrupt practices The brutality of the regime drew
strong opposition from variety social groups and
movements, especially from the National Democratic
Front (NDF).
• Opposition to the Marcos regime escalated after the killing of opposition
member Benigno Aquino in 1983. The opposition culminated in a massive
popular uprising widely known as EDSA 1 (after the Epifanio de los Santos
Avenue or EDSA where the majority of protests took place) that toppled the
Marcos regime in February 1986. Ironically, it was moderate social
movements and disaffected military officers, that fought Marcos before
martial law all the way up to the uprising and that, through its leading
role in “people power” brought back democratization to the Philippines.
• A similar movement held on January 18,
2001 caused the dethronement of former
President Joseph Ejercito Estrada in the
event now known as EDSA People Power II
wherein hundreds of thousands Filipinos
poured into the EDSA shrine area.
• When the numbers of protesters reached a
million the next day, the leadership of the
military and police withdrew their support from
Estrada and expressed support for Arroyo. This
act signaled the end of Estrada’s presidency.
ACTIVITY 2
Assessment
IDENTIFICATION. Identify the terms being described in the following statements. Write the letter of the
correct answer on a separate sheet of paper.
1. It was defined as a sustained and purposeful collective mobilized by an identifiable,
self-organized group in confrontation with specific power structures and in the pursuit of
socioeconomic and political change.
2. These organizations are not operated by the government, are very often reliant on donations, and
tend to be comprised of volunteers.
3. It is comprised of groups or organizations working in the interest of the citizens but operating
outside of the governmental and for-profit sectors.
4. A sectoral party dedicated to promoting the rights of Filipino women through participation in the
country's electoral system and organs of governance.
5. These groups are smaller than NGO’s that are made up of people from the community
who volunteer their time to raise money for community projects or needs.
6. It was a series of popular demonstrations in the Philippines that began in 1983 and
culminated on February 22–25, 1986.
7. A civil group dedicated to fighting for the rights of workers such
as proper funding of basic social services and wages.
8. It was a peaceful political protest from January 17-20, 2001, that
overthrew President Joseph Estrada in his position.
9. It has truly become the premier humanitarian organization in the country, committed
to provide quality life-saving services that protect the life and dignity especially of
indigent Filipinos in vulnerable situations.
10. Under his dictatorial government the country witnessed widespread human rights violations, corruption and brutality that led
to 1986 EDSA Revolution.
ASSIGNMENT:
Write a reflection paper on why the existence of civil society and social movement is
naturally necessary in our country? Write your answer in your notebook.
_______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________