PARTIES, ELECTIONS, AND DEMOCRATIZATION

POLITICAL PARTIES

• Products and creators of democracy
• Why?

FALL OF MARCOS

• Restoration of representative institutions and procedures
• New constitution (1987 Constitution)
• Congress reestablished
• Independent Supreme Court

POST-1986 DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM (especially 1992)

• Restoration of political stability
• Economic turnaround

CONSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURE AND ELECTORAL SYSTEM

1987 CONSTITUTION

• Restored pre-1972 presidential system but with a multiparty system
• Three coequal branches-executive, legislature, and judiciary

ELECTORAL SYSTEM

There is limitation on tenure to discourage of pre-1972 political dynasties and promote equal access to representatives of other parties.

ELECTIONS

• Regulated by 1987 Constitution and Omnibus Election Code
• Provisions: " there shall be no literacy, property, or other discriminatory rules restricting the right to vote. "

COMELEC

• Enforce election laws
• Appointed by the president with the consent of the Congress
• Exercises exclusive jurisdiction over the qualifications of candidates

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• Accreditation of parties and citizen's election groups
• Canvassing of votes
• Ensues candidates are provided free, equal, and publicly financed media exposure

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• Set dates for campaign period
• Regulate campaign expenses
• Acts against terrorism, voter's harassment, and electioneering by government officials and employees

COMELEC

• Enforcement remains poor
• Inefficient and subservient to power weilders

FEATURES OF ELECTORAL THAT WEAKEN POLITICAL PARTIES:

• Writing down names of individual candidates on the ballot
• Votes are counted manually
• National and local elections are held concomitantly

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• Limited amount of financial support given to parties and candidates during elections
• Elimination of party representatives in the Board of Elections Canvassers
• First-past-the-post system

MASS MEDIA ON PHILIPPINE POLITICS

MASS MEDIA

• Rendered policy making more transparent
• Shape public opinion
• Mechanism for popular feedback
• Effective instrument for building concnsus

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• Effective vehicle for interest articulation and information
• Links between government and people
• Strong influence on public policy

Elective officials consider mass media as the fastest and most effective mechanism to communicate with their constituents and to present their image to the electorate.

Parties recruit media personalities to increase popularity and exploit the personality-oriented culture