CCHOPE ELECTION 2001
IN PARTNERHIP WITH COMELEC, NAMFREL, PPCRV, VOTECARE AND MAJOR MEDIA ORGANIZATIONS

 

INTRODUCTION TO THE POLITICAL DIMENSION

 OF THE SOCIAL CRISIS IN THE PHILIPPINES

CBCP NASSA-JP Module 1 for Political Education

Table of Content

Module I

Foreword

Part I       Local and National Situation

Part II      Historical Development of Elite Politics in the Philippines

Part III     Participatory Politics

Part IV   Introduction to the Forms of Participatory Politics

 

 

PART I  

LOCAL- NATIONAL SOCIAL  SITUATION  

A. Objectives

1.  To have the participants articulate social problems and their causes and facilitate their appreciation and recognition of these problems as a national phenomenon.

2.   To have the participants assess local and national problems under a political lens.

 

B.  Suggested Exercise

1.  Let the participants identify and write a maximum of 10 social problems that they feel strongly about and a maximum of 10 reasons why the problems exist.  (This can be done through small groups or plenary interaction.

2.  Categorize problems and causes into the economic, political, and cultural groupings.

3.  Briefly facilitate the realization and appreciation of the dialogic relations or interdependence of the economic, political and cultural problems and their causes.

 

C. Situationer

      The following matrix presents how political factors impact on the people’s socio-economic and socio-cultural life.  It tries to relate how the situation has been unduly influenced by the social policies developed and implemented by the country’s political leaders.

National Situation

 

Economic Situation


Political causes (based on social policies decided by the minority
ruling elite)  


Impacts on the poor  
and society in general

·  Jobless (unemployment rate is 13.9% of 32 million labor force)

·  Low wages against high price of basic goods and services:

    -  Cost of living in NCR is PhP492/day for a family of 6

       (as of 1999) while the minimum wage is PhP223.50/day

    -  Inflation rate is 3.5% as of June 2000 ( National Statistics

       Office)

    -  Value of peso is PhP.67 as of June 2000 based on 1994 value

        (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas)

  

 

 

 

·  Landlessness and low productivity of the farming majority

 

 

 

·  Chronic budgetary deficits standing at PhP20.8 billion in May

    2000 from the targeted PhP11.2 billion (BSP)

 

 

 

 

 

 

·  Balace of trade deficits at $4.306 billion in 1999 (BSP)

 

 

·  Increasing external and domestic debts standing at US$52.415

    billion as of March 2000 (BSP)

 

·  Labor contractualization and rotation scheme

·  Hiring freeze in the public sector

·  Deregulation of oil Industry resulting in the series of oil price

    hikes

·  Abolition of price control councils

·  Wage freeze in the public sector

·  Peso devaluation

·  Privatization of schools, transportation, communication, water 

    utilities, health services, and electricity under the Omnibus

    Power Act

·  Retrogressive taxation (E-VAT)

 

·  Land use conversation to invite foreign and local investors in

    violation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program

    (CARP)

 

·  Abolition of trade restrictions (under liberalization) resulting to decrease

    in non-tax incomes (e.g. tariffs and customs duties)

·  Pork barrel

·  Automatic debt-service allocation of 20% of the country’s export

    earnings under PD 1177

·  Mindanao War coasting PhP10-20 million daily (Economic Coordinating Council)

 

·  Export-oriented, debt-driven and import dependent economic

    policy

·  Peso devaluation results in increased import expenses

 

·  External debt-dependent policy

 

Massive poverty and social difficulties:

·    High infant mortality and morbidity rate

·    Increasing number of out-of -school children and youths

·    Death from otherwise preventable diseases especially among the children and aged, and other socially dependent members of society

·    Hunger and malnutrition among poor families

·    Dislocation of rural communities resulting in rural-urban migration, aggravating urban poor problems

 

Social impacts:

·    Increasing juvenile delinquency (child prostitution, street children, drug abuse among the youths)

·    Rising criminality (petty theft to big-time crime syndicates allegedly sponsored by elite military officers and politicians)

·    Internal conflicts (gang, tribal and religious wars)

 

Cultural-Moral impacts:

·    Disintegration of traditional cooperation towards individualism and competition

·    Moral degeneration brought about by the commodification of all life and all life forms and market/price-oriented human relations

 

Political impacts:

·    Consolidated control and access of wealth and political power/authority by the few ruling elite

·    Low and lack of capacity of the poor to engage in governance and participate in social policy making or decision-making process

 

Economic Situation


Political causes (based on social policies decided by the minority ruling elite)


Impacts on the poor  
and society in general

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

·   Rapid and alarming rate of destruction of the environment and depletion of the natural resources

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

·  Food scarcity and inaccessibility of food supply to the poor

 

 

·  Loss and damage of life, properties and livelihood of the rural and urban poor, and violation of the human rights of the poor

 

 

·    Palabra de honor policy to all external, private debts even when they are ridden with graft and corruption, especially those incurred by the Marcos regime

·    Issuance of T-bills resulting to the rapid increase of public debts

 

 

·    Liberalization of the mining industry under the Philippine Mining Act of 1995

·    Timber Licensing Agreements

·    Liberalization of the fishing industry for foreign companies, especially Japan under the RP-Japan Treaty of Amity, Commerce and Navigation

·    Landfill policy to solve garbage and waste problems, especially under the proposed Landfill Act

·    Promotion of chemical-based agricultural modernization

 

 

·    Massive convertion of food lands to high-value and export crops

 

 

·    Total war policy in handling the insurgency problem

·    Promotion and liberalization of real estate business resulting in the demolition of urban poor communities 

 

 

·    Violation and denial of people’s civil and political rights and citizenship

 

Macro-political-economic impacts:

·    Loss of the country’s and people’s sovereignty over the nation’s patrimony

·    Control of the country’s economic, political and cultural life by the transnational corporations, and local elite

D.  Reflection

 

      All aspects of our society are interconnected.  Political decisions act upon the economy which in turn influences the social and cultural aspect.  For one, our politicians or political leaders openly support the greater liberalization of the economy at the cost of social services.  The country’s leaders have turned away from their primary role of protecting and promoting the interest of the people to tow the line of globalization.  The consequences are the loss of workers’ rights, cut-backs in social security, etc.  The inequitable sharing of wealth drives many people of despair.

      The social difficulties confronting the poor Filipinos evolve, result into, and are maintained by social policies and rules sponsored and authored by dishonest and corrupt politicians in complicity with global economic and political powers.  Dishonest and corrupt politicians build and transform the government as an instruments to accumulate  wealth and rule over the nation’s resources and its people.

      In practice, politics ensures and maintains a system of unjust and inequitable allocation of wealth and resources and distribution of power.  It even resorts to using its coercive powers to quell all forms of oppositions that challenge its rule as evidence by the continuing build-up of the offensive capacity of its police and military.

Thus, the Philippine Catholic Church says:

      “The poverty and destitution of the great majority of our people are only too evident, contrasting sharply with the wealth and luxury of the relatively few families the elite top of our social pyramid.” (PCP II # 24)

      “The abnormal economic situation is partly attributable to inequitable ownership of assets particularly land, to an oligarchic power system, to misconceived economic policies, to the prevailing economic structures, and to population growth which tends to be concentrated among the poor, the competition among them for land and unskilled jobs.  Thus, economic gains do not ‘trickle down’ to the poor.”  (PCP II, Appendix IA “Dehumanizing Economic Structures”)

      She proceeds to analyze and reflect on the social crisis and difficulties of the poor as arising from the concentration of political power (social policy-making) in the hands of the elite few:

      “Politics in the Philippines has degenerated into an arena where the interests of the powerful and rich few are pitted against the weak and poor many.” ( Pastoral Exhortation on Philippine Politics, 1997)

      “Power, like wealth, is concentrated in the hands of a few- the influentials in society ( politicians, big businessmen, and the military).  This is evident in the manner in which decisions have been made on such matters as land reform, budget allocation and taxation of income and land.  External forces such as transmultinationals and political superpowers support this power concentration and tend to intervene in order to maintain the structure, hence, to protect their own economic interest.” (PCP II, Appendix IB “ Reinforced by the Political Situation”)

      Finally, elite politics feeds on the greed of the powerful few that naturally causes injustice.

      “It is due to the greed of those who deprive others of what is rightfully theirs, or who refuse to share in justice and charity the goods of this earth which are meant to benefit all.” ( Towards the Third Millenium- The PCP II Vision)

 

PART  2

BACK TO TOP                     

THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF ELITE POLITICS IN THE PHILIPPINES

 

A.  Objectives

 

1.  To facilitate a discussion and understanding of elite politics as the cause of the social crisis and the resultant difficulties of the poor.

2.  To facilitate the participants’ understanding of the nature, content, methodology and structures of elite politics in the context  of the socio-political history of the country.

3.  To present a theological context of the critical study of elite politics.

 

B.  Suggested Exercise

1.  Ask the participants to name at least 5 Philippine presidential candidates, 3 congressional candidates and 3 mayoral candidates who won in the elections from 1970 to present.

2.  Ask participants the same in number one except this time, ask who lost in the elections from 1970 to present.

3.  From what social groups do these candidates come from or belong to:

       a.  business

       b.  landlords

       c.  other rich groups

       d.  middle class (professionals)

       e.  poor sectors?

4.  List at least 3 reasons why they won or lost.

C.  Input on Elite Politics

 

       When one looks into the composition of the government, one will see that those occupying the seats of power mostly belong to the elite class-huge landowners and businessmen or their agents.  Politics in the Philippines has been based on the ownership of the means of production, i.e., land, capital and technology.  Furthermore, the assumption of office has given them opportunities to increase their wealth and perpetuate themselves in power.

       Elections have become the traditional means to establish and install the elites in power as well as legitimize their unjust social rule.  They have also become the arena to resolve the elite’s infighting and competition over the control and allocation of the country’s wealth and resources.

       To get public support, they resort to vote buying and make empty promises.  They threaten and intimidate voters as well as defraud their opponents.  In the country, political leadership is no longer based on the capacity and commitment to serve the people for the common good or characterized by valor and good deeds but on the ability and acumen to accumulate wealth.

       Once in power, they use public office to recover their electoral expenses and mill social policies and legislations in their favor and those who supported their candidacy.

       Political reforms in the country have been characterized by the transfer of political power from and within the elite without disturbing or changing the composition and structure of  governance.  Since the first election under the Republic in 1946 until 1968 political power changed hands only between the Nacionalista and Liberal Parties.

       It was only in the 1970s that such arrangement and tradition was arbitrarily changed when Marcos imposes his absolute political leadership through the declaration of Martial law.  Authoritarianism was imposed through centralized wealth extraction and accumulation within and among the elite in the form of cronyism and the setting up of a monopolistic political machinery, the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan. The marginalized elite opposition who disagreed with the new system of wealth and power allocation was forced to migrate orally with the evolving resistance and opposition of the people against the US-sponsored dictatorship.

        The EDSA uprising I 1986 finally brought down the Marcos dictatorship.  Unfortunately elite politics persisted.  In the guise of bringing back democracy, the elite opposition restricted during the dictatorship efficiently repositioned themselves and reconstructed elite politics.  Immediately, the new leadership dismantled the centralized system of wealth and resource extraction and accumulation.  This reverse the decentralization of graft and corruption.

       Throughout this, the poor have remained disempowered.  They have been debarred from making their voices heard by a minority who claim to represent the democratic interest and aspirations of the Filipinos.

D.  Historical Map of Elite Politics in the Philippines

 

 

Period

 

System of Rule and Structure of Governance

 

Class Composition of Political Leadership



Social Policy Orientation/ Instrument of Social Control

 


Social Beneficiaries

 

Dominant Development Paradigm

 

Pre-history (before the coming of the Spaniards)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spanish Colonization Period

(1500 - 1900

 

·    Under the Sultans, the sultanates in the south could be said to be the most advanced in terms of political Organization

 

·    In other parts are independent barangays under the leadership of Datus and Chieftains assisted by the Council of Elders

 

·    Direct colonial rule under the governor-generals

 

·    Creation of encomienda and townships under the leadership of military officers in collaboration with the friars and the rising ilustrados

 

·    Coersive rule (military and the courts)

·    Deceptive rule (Proselytizing)

 

RULING THROUGH THE SWORD AND CROSS

 

·   Nobles have proven their capacity and commitment to depend and serve the interests of their constituents

 

 

·   Freemen and slaves who have proven their valor and bravery in defending their constituents

 

 

 

·   Spanish elites

 

·   Illustrados who were granted special privileges to own properties and pursue basic and higher education

 

·    Self-reliant and self-subsis - tent community development

 

 

·    Engaged in equal trade with neighboring communities and societies

 

·    Ensuring sovereignty and territorial integrity and self - determination

 

·    Restructuring of the economy for export crop production under the Hacienda system

 

·    Military pacification cam - paign against the native opposition and resistance movement

 

·    Patronato Real declaring all lands and resources as owned by the Spanish crown

 

 

·   The general population through the society tradionally allows social privileges rulers and leaders

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

·   Spanish elites

 

·   Illustrados and other privilege section of the country

 

 

 

 

 

 

·    For the natives, it is self - subsistent development

 

·    Mercantilism (trade and commerce), through, has been dominating the colonial and colonized socities

 

·    Traditional philosophy “man is steward of creation”

 

 

·    Mercantilism (trade and commerce) was instituted as the dominant development paradigm in the country

 

 

   
Period

 

System of Rule and Structure  
of Governance

   


Class Composition of Political Leadership



Social Policy Orientation/ Instrument of Social Control

 


Social Beneficiaries

 

Dominant Development Paradigm

 

American Colonization Period

(1900 - 1945)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Post-Independence

and Period of the Republic

(1946 - 1971)

 

 

 

 

 

·    Direct Colonial rule

 

·    Creation of Commonwealth Government

 

·    Coercive rule (military and the courts)

 

·    Deceptive rule (proselytization and colonial education)

 

RULING THROUGH THE RIFLE, EDUCATION AND RELIGION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

·      Creation of the presidential form of government under the tutelage of the U.S.

 

·   American elites

 

·   Rising native elites granted with special privileges to own properties and study tours to the U.S. to learn about “American Democracy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

·     Big landlords

 

·     Big business

 

·    Commonwealth Act declaring the lands and resources of the country under the common ownership of the Americans and Filipinos (Land Titling Law)

 

·    Further restructuring the economy towards export-oriented through the modernization of agro-industrial plantations, exploitation of forest and mineral resources under a colonial trade pattern

 

      Pacification campaign through Anti-Subversion and Brigandage acts and establishing a colonial education system

 

·    Continued the export-oriented development through Free Trade Agreement with the U.S.

 

 

 

·     American elite

 

·     Rising native elite (land-lords, businessmen and politicians)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

·     American elite and corporations

 

·     Domestic elite

 

 

·    Free trade and free enterprise under the context of rising imperialism

 

·    The stiff competition of capitalist countries in the allocation of the worlds market and resources through massive colonization led to inter-capitalist conflicts, which was resolved through their engagement in World War II

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

·    Export-oriented, import - dependent and debt-supported economic development

 

   
Period

 

System of Rule and Structure of Governance

 

Class Composition of Political Leadership



Social Policy Orientation/ Instrument of Social Control

 


Social Beneficiaries

 

Dominant Development Paradigm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. - sponsored Marcos

Dictatorship (1972 - 1985)

 

·    Creation of the two-party system that would complete in U.S. - sponsored elections

 

·    Coercive rule (military and courts)

 

·    Deceptive rule (maintenance of colonial education and elitist mass media that developed appetite for American products and American style of democracy

 

 

 

 

 

·    Martial Law (1972 - 1981)

 

·    Creation of the Batasang Pambansa under a parliamentary system of government

 

·    Abolition of the two-party system

 

 

 

·     Agents of big landlords and business

 

·     High public officials have the support of the U.S. government and corporations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

·     Big landlords

 

·     Big business

 

·     Agents of the big landlords and business

 

·     High ranking public officials have the support of the U.S. government and corporations

 

·    Offered the nation’s patrimony to U.S. investments through the Parity Rights Agreement

·    Liberalization of foreign exchange policy through decontrol

·    Continued military pacification campaign against the opposition and resistance movement through the continuance of the Anti-Subversion Law

·    Political alignment with the U.S. through the Military Bases Agreement and Mutual Defense Pact

 

·    Continued the export-oriented import dependent and debt- supported economic development policy

·    Attraction of foreign investments through wage freeze and union ban

·    Financing and favoring cronies in the exploitation of resources

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

·     American and other foreign elite and corporations

 

·     Domestic elite (cronies)

 

·     Military top brass

 

 

      This is in support of the free- Trade/Enterprise agenda of advanced capitalist countries

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

·    Export-oriented import-de-pendent and debt-supported economic development

 

·    This is in support of the free trade/enterprise agenda of advanced capitalist countries

 

 

Period

   

System of Rule and Structure of Governance

 


Class Composition of Political Leadership




Social Policy Orientation/ Instrument of Social Control

 

 


Social Beneficiaries

   

Dominant Development Paradigm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Post-Dictatorship Period

(1985 - present)

·    Coercive rule (military and the courts)

·    Deceptive rule (robotalization of education promoting GOLD values:  Gratitude, Obedience, Loyalty and Discipline for the new Society

 

·    Reconstruction of the Presi- dential form of government

 

·    Re-establishment of the Two- Party and institution of the Multi-party system

 

·    Coercive rule (military)

 

·    Deceptive rule (commercialized and and elitist education and mass media to develop markets or create demands for surplus goods-they propagate the myth that the only democratic path to development is Globalization  

·     Military top brass

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

·     Big landlords

 

·     Big business

 

·     Agents of the big landlords and business

 

·     High ranking public officials have the support of the U.S. government and corporations

 

·     Military top brass

 

·     Token entry and participation of civil society representatives (occupying less strategic positions)

·    Total war policy in the handling of both the legal and underground opposition

·    Expansion of military and increasing its capacity to quell internal conflicts

 

 

·    Further liberalizing the economy for foreign invest- ments through wage freeze, labor contractualization and long-term lease rights over lands

·    Modernizing and expanding the conversion of food agriculture to high-value and export crop production

·    Liberalization of the mining industry through the Philip-pine Mining Act of 1995

·    Liberalization of trade through the abolition of trade restrictions

·    Deregulation of vital indus-tries, e.g., oil

·    The full institutionalization of the LDP (liberation privation and deregulation)

·    Reconstructing military ties w/  the U.S. through the VFA

      Total war policy against armed and non-armed opposition 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

·     Foreign and domestic elites and corporates

 

·     Cronies

 

·     Military top brass

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

·    Free trade/Free enterprise and division of the world’s resources and markets by advanced capitalist countries under a new name called GLOBALIZATION

E.  System of decision-making in the distribution and allocation of social resources and power

 

 

 

A collaboration of foreign and domestic elite:

Foreign:  Transnational corporations, North World political elite, World

Trade Organization, International Monetary Fund, World Bank,

Multi-lateral Agencies;    Local:  Big landowners, Big business,

Traditional politicians, Top military officers

 

 

 

 

 

create and form

 

 

 

that serve the interest of the elite and marginalize

the poor in the control and allocation of resources

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Social Machinery

Political Parties

(NP, LP, NUCD, LDP, PMP, LAKAS, etc.)

Political Organizations

(Mayor’s League, ABC, League of Governor’s

and SPs, Kbs, etc.)

Business Organizations

(PCCI, ECOP, MBC, Planters Association, etc.)

Pseudo-NGOs and POs

(Cocofed, ARBAs, yellow unions, etc.)

 

 

 

 

 

      Social Policies as Instruments of Social Control

      Legislation, laws and ordinances

      Political treaties and trade agreements

      Judicial/Court decisions

      Social contracts and agreements

      Appointments

 

employing

 

 

 

that mill and develop

 

Social Control Strategy

Direct governance through elections and appointments

(Using the 3Gs: guns, gold, and goons)

Indirect governance through influence peddling

(bribes, business deals, contracts and gifts)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

to insure

 

Dominant Representation of the Elite in the:

Executive

Legislative

Judiciary

Military

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                        rickle-down effects 

                                                                                                                                                                                          and token benifits

 

 

                                                                                                                                                SOCIAL DIFFICULTIES AND EXCLUSION OF THE POOR

D.  Political Structure of Elite Politics (Formalization of the system)

 

                                    Foreign Elites:                                                                                                                                    Domestic Elites:

                                    TNCs, GATT-WTO,                                                                                                                           Domestic Corporations

                                    MF, WB, ADB,                                                                                                                                   Corporate Organizations

                                    Multi-lateral Agencies,                                                                                                                    Domestic Elite

                                    North World Elite

 

collaboration in organizing and transforming the

 

STATE OR GOVERNMENT

(Executive, Legislative, Judiciary)

 

installing

                                   

                                                COERCIVE APPARATUS                                                                                             DECEPTIVE APPARATUS

                                                Military and Police                                                                                                              Educational System

                                                Court                                                                                                                                 Mass Media

                                                Jails                                                                                                                                    Other Cultural Channels

 

to impose elite social control and political maintenance through the development and implementation of

 

Social Policies

(Laws, Legislations, Issuances, Ordinances, Judicial Decisions, Constitutional Reforms)

 

that allow the

 

LIBERATION-PRIVATIZATION-DEREGULATION OF THE

Exploitation of the country’e resources,

Oppressiion of the productive forces and

Loss of national sovereignty

 

to insure optimum benefits for the

foreign and domestic elites


F.  Reflection

 

      The mass poverty and disempowerment of the poor majority that continue to exist today are manifestations of built-in injustice and sinfulness of elite politics that the poor are forced to patronize for ages.  The following statement draws inspiration from the teachings of the Church:

 

      “There are sinful social structures when there is habitual  patterns of human-interaction infected by sin, selfishness, injustice, pride, greed, hatred.  They perpetuate disvalues or the wrong hierarchy of values.  They are inducements to sin and are a formidable obstacle to Christian living”. (PCP II # 82)

      “The structures of sin or social sins (which consist of situations, collective behavior or structures that cause and perpetuate social injustices) are created by the accumulation of many sinful attitudes, two of which are very typical; the all-consuming desire for profit and the first for power, with the intention of imposing one’s will upon others.” (PCP II #270)

      “The structure of sin is embedded both in our internal socio-economic structures and in our extra national relationships, such as imbalances of our trade and financial relationships.” (PCP II # 269)

     The exclusion of the poor from decision-making further results in the marginalization of their opportunities to fully develop as human beings.  Like profit-corporations, elite politics work for the socio-economic, political and cultural satisfaciton of stockholders even as their workers and customers are at the disadvantage.

      “Liberation or social transformation is not genuine and lasting when people themselves do not actively participate or cooperate in the process.  People themselves are the active and responsible subjects of social life.” (PCP II # 25)

      Elite politics defies this reason and inspiration.  For the poor to really become active players of social development or co-creators of God, a different kind of politics that guarantees equitable and meaningful participation of the poor needs to be evolve and fully developed and owned by the poor.

 

PART 3  



back to TOP     

PARTICIPATORY POLITICS

A.  Objectives

 

1.  To present and discuss participatory politics as a viable strategy of ensure direct, active and meaningful participation  of the poor in decision-making and social affairs.

2.  To develop the participants’ appreciation of participatory politics based on its practical evolution in the socio-political history of the country.

3.  To present some theological reflections that inspire the promotion and actualization of participatory politics.

 

B.  Suggested Exercise

 

1.  Divide the participants into 2 or 4 groups and ask them to draw a house.  Let only one member from the first and second groups draw the house while the rest watch.  Meanwhile, let all the members of the third and fourth groups particpate in the drawing of the house.

2.  Afterwards, get their observations and feedbacks.  Ask them the following:

     a)  Are you satisfied with the house you drew/ why?

     b)  Did you have a meaningful contribution to the building or drawing of the house?why?

     c)  Were your expectations met? why?

3.  Summarize all their observations and experiences and then relate them to the topic.

 

C.  Input on Participatory Politics

      Participatory politics is a system of social leadership that ensures the equitable and meaningful involvement of all members of society or nation’s constituents in social policy making and other social affairs.  It recognizes every citizen or constituency as stakeholders and owners of development.  Contrary to elite politics, it does not discriminate and exclude sections of society by reason of religion, social class,creed, race and political beliefs.  It operationalizes the principle that state authority and nations’s sovereignty emanates from the enlightened consciousness, interests and aspirations of the people.  National sovereignty, therefore, is the sum of individual and collective rights and responsibilities of the citizens.

      Participatory  politics guarantees a system that embodies the value of social justice, human rights, people’s participation, solidarity and environmental protection for total and integral development of people and the integrity of God’s creation.  It promotes a system of fair and equitable distribution and just utilization of wealth and power.  People are to be reasonably and proportionately equal in the sharing and enjoyment  of, and are responsible and accountable to the preservation and regeneration of the goods of the earth.

      Participatory politics is a product of the collective struggle of the enlightened peoples against social injustice, exploitation and deprivation of one’s natural right to become fully human.

      In the context of the Philippine realities where the monopoly of wealth and political power of the few results in mass poverty and social exclusion of the poor, participatory politics is a collective struggle of the poor to transform and democratize Philippine politics.

       The practice of participatory politics emerged as a reaction against the inhumane and unjust practice of elite politics. At certain times, it has been strong enough to influence political decisions as in the period of the Katipunan that successfully declared the First Republic against Spain or in the EDSA Uprising that ousted the Marcos dictatorship. At certain times, disunity as in the factional struggle within the Katipunan or the disunity of social analysis and development  strategy of the people’s movement immediately after the ouster of the dictatorship weakens it. But in any case, the practice of participatory politics has reflected the genuine interests and aspirations of the poor.


D.  Historical Map of Participatory Politics in the Philippines

 


Period



Organizational Expression



Class Composition


Social Demands/Agenda (Dev’t Paradigm)  

 

Gains


Social  Beneficiaries

Period of Spanish Colonization

 

·  The Katipunan Movement that had established a national character

 

·  Propaganda Movement

 

·  Pockets of autonomous revolts with regional character

 

·  Moro resistance in the south

 

 

 

·    Strong  participation among the peasants, workers and the intelligencia including the local  clergy with the token participation of some section of the domestic elite

 

·    Strong participation of the sultans consituency

 

·      National freedom and independence

 

·      Sovereignty of the Filipinos over the country’s economic, political and cultural affairs

 

·    The  Katipunant succesfully defeated the Spanish Crown

 

·    Such victory was grabbed by the U.S. when it bought the country from Spain for $20 million under the Treaty of Paris

 

·   The Filipinos suffered another colonial oppression before they could benefit from the victory of the Katipunan

Period of American Colonization

·    The Katipunan Movement that had established a national character.

 

·    Partido Komunista in the 1930s

 

·    Pockets of autonomous revolts with regional character

 

·    Moro resistance in the south

 

 

·    Strong participation among the peasants, workers and the intelligensia including the local clergy with the token participation of some section of the domestic elite

 

·    Strong participation of the Sultan’s constituency

·    National freedom and independence

 

·    Sovereignty of the Filipinos over the country’s economic, political and cultural affairs

 

·    Trade union rights

·    Trade union rights were recognized by the American government resulting from nationwide strikes of factory workers

 

·    Men’s and eventually women’s right to suffrage

·    The Filipino factory  workers, though the benefits were temporary as the Partido Komunista which led the trade union movement was illegalized

 

·    Filipino voting population

Period  of Japanese Occupation

·    HUKBALAHAP under the leadership of the Partido Komunista

 

·    Pockets of autonomous guirilla resistance in the regions

 

·    Moro resistance in the south

 

 

 

·    Strong  participation among peasants , workers and the intelligencia with token participation of some section of the domestic elite

·    National independence and sovereignty

·    Succesfully defeated the Japanese Imperial Army; the Japanese were already in the defensive position prior to the coming of McArthur’s armada

 

·    Land  occupation by the peasants

·    The peasants under the leadership of the HUKBALAHAP

 

· The Partido Komunista and HUKBALAHAP were again illegalized and the U.S. restored colonial rule in the country

Period of American Recolonization

·    Pockets of autonomous guerilla resistance in the regions

 

·    Partido Sosyalista

 

·    Moro resistance  in  the south

 

·    Partido Komunista

 

·    Democratic Alliance (Nationalist political party engaging in electoral exercises and governance)

 

 

 

·    Strong participation among peasants, workers and the intelligentsia with token participation of some section of the domestic elite

·    National independence and sovereignty

 

·    Electoral participation

·    Nationalist candidates won substantial seat in the National Assembly

 

·    Granting of “Paper Independence”

 

·    Filipino people

· They were refused to assume public office

Period of Republic (1946-1970)

The strategic establishment of

elite politics

·    HUKBALAHAP under the leadership of the Partido Komunista (until 1969)

 

·    CPP-NPA (1969 onwards)

 

·    MNLF in the south

 

·    Trade unions

 

·    Youth and student movements

 

·    Peasants movement

 

 

·    Strong participation among peasants, workers and the intelligentsia with token participation of some section of the domestic elite

·    National freedom and democracy against U.S. control

 

·    Recognition of democratic rights

·    Street parliaments by workers, peasants, and students would soon result to the enactment of the New Labor Code that guarantees labor rights to self organization and collective  bargaining; the Agrarian Reform Code; recognition of the academic freedom, campus organization and independent campus  press

·    Farmers, workers, students and youth

 

·    This victories would  be cut short by the declaration of  Martial Law

Period of the US-Marcoses

Dictatorship (1972-85)

·    CPP/NPA/NDF

 

·    MNLF/BMA

 

·    Blooming of People’s Organization and movements in all sectors (peasants, workers, students/youths, professionals, church people, and social groups like women, Ips)

 

·    NGOs assisting Pos

 

·    GKKs/BCCs and justice and peace groups within the Church

 

·    Other ideological and political movements

·    Strong participation among the peasants, workers and the intelligentsia with token participation of some section of the domestic elite

·    National freedom and democracy

 

·    An end to the dictatorship

 

·    An end to U.S. intervention and ouster of the U.S. military bases

 

·    Agrarian reform

 

·    Trade union rights

 

·    Free education and social services

 

·    A stop to graft and corruption/cronyism

 

·    A stop to militarization in countryside

 

·    Respect of human rights

 

·    Nationalist industrialization and economic development

 

 

 

·    The mass movement culminated into the EDSA uprising that ousted the Marcos Dictatorship

 

·    Drafting and enacting the 1987 Constitution that restores democracy in the country

 

·    Labors’ right to strike was recognized and their right to self organization and collective bargaining were institutionalized under the Revised Labor Code of the Philippines

 

·    Free campus organization and press have been revived

 

· The Agrarian Reform was enacted

·  Workers

 

·  Peasants

 

·  Students

 

·  Middle Class

 

·    Though the victory of participatory politics was short-lived as the elite with the help of U.S. and other foreign elite reinstated elite politics.

Post-Dictatorship (1986 to present)

·    Sectional  and multi sectoral organizations

 

·    Cooperatives

 

·    NGOs (blooming in this period)

 

·    Church-based social development groups

 

·    BECs/BCCs

 

·    MNLF

 

·    MILF

 

·    CPP/NPA/NDG

 

·    Other ideological and political groups

·    Workers, peasants, Ips, urban poor, fisherfolk, women, youth, church people, teachers, public servants and other professionals

 

·    Farmers, consumers, urban poor and middle class

 

·    Middle class and professionals

 

·    Rural and urban poor, middle class, youth and professionals

 

·    Spiritual and elite leaders with following among Muslim masses

·    Genuine Agrarian Reform

 

·    Salary increase and low prices of goods and social services

 

·    Protection of human rights to dissent and peaceful assembly

 

·    Stop to Total War policy

 

·    Ouster of the U.S. Bases

 

·    People’s Participation in governance

 

·    Promotion of IP’s right to self-determination and ancestral domain

 

·    Stop to development aggression

 

·    Protection of the environment

 

·    Peace and  development

 

·    Other sectoral demands

· Enactment of CARL and actual distribution of lands to tillers in some areas

 

 

·    Nominal increase in salaries and wages

 

·    Illegalization of para-military troops and disbandment of the CAFGUs

 

·    Termination of the MBA

 

·    Participation of Pos and NGOs in local and national development councils

 

·    Enactment of the Local Government Code

 

·    Enactment of the IPRA

 

·    Positive court decision to the HR victims of the Marcos dictatorship

 

·    Stop of mining operations and aggressive development projects in some areas where people’s resistance is strong

 

·    NGOs and Pos are engaged in autonomous development projects

 

·    Peasants, workers, children, youths, Ips, women, fisherfolks, middle class and other marginalized section of the population

·    Though in general, elite politics is still dominantly in place, the movement for participatory politics has consistently challenged elite politics as many of the basic social demands of the poor are  not yet realized.

 

 

   

E.  Summing up of Participatory Politics

 

ORGANIZED AND ENLIGHTENED POOR

(Farmers, Fisherfolk, Workers, Urban Poor,

indigenous peoples, Muslims, youth,

middle class professional)

 

 

                                    SOCIAL MACHINERY:

                                    Autonomous people’s movement                                                                                                                      shall serve the interest and

                                    (sectoral/multi-sectoral)                                                                                                                         asopirations of the poor

                                    Non-governmental organizations

                                    BECs/BHCs

 

employing

 

                                    SOCIO-POLITICAL STRATEGY:

                                    Direct governance through electoral participation                                                                                               SOCIAL POLICIES:

                                    (using Goals, Guts and Grassroots)                                                                                                                   Legislation, laws, issuances

                                    Indirect governance through the following:                                                                                                         treaties and agreements

                                    Lobby, advocacy, campaigns and mass governmant                                                                                          court decisions

                                    performance and decisions

 

                                               

                                                to guarantee                                                                                                                                that mail and develop

 

Meaningful representation of the poor in the decision-making at all levels:

Executive

Legislative

Judiciary

F.  Comparative View of Elite and Participatory Politics

 

Participatory Politics

Elite Politics

 

 

 

As to the class composition of leadership and constituency

·     Dominant Representation of the Majority and basic sectors and social groups

·      Dominant representation of the select minority of  the rich and powerful

 

 

 

As to the choice of leaders

 

 

 

·      Leaders are elected on the basis of their practical understanding and internalization of  the needs, rights and aspirations of their constituents

 

·      They are selected based on their actual capacity t o serve the common good

 

 

·      Leaders are elected on the basis of their capacity to give dole outs or capacity to coerce  and intimidate their constituents

As to the style and principle

of leadership

 

 

 

 

As to development orientation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As to human relation

 

 

 

As to international relations

·     It practices shared leadership and responsibility    and responsibility, personal interests of the leaders are subordinated to the common good

·     It practices collective decision making the constituents own such decisions

·     It engages in pro-active debates and constructive criticism in the resolution of conflicts

 

·     It believes and has confidence in the abilities and potentials of the constituency to develop themselves as individuals and as groups

·     It believes that people are stewards of resources, thus the need to protect and preserve their sustainable regeneration

·     It believes that the people and the nation should have sovereignty over the patrimony of the nation

·     It believes that development should be participatory as it is directed towards total human development

 

·     It believes that every person has dignity and have gifts to share, thus all are brothers and sisters co-equals and co-creators in the world and society

 

 

·     It pursue the building and strengthening of solidarity and partnership with other peoples based on just and peaceful co-existence

·     It practices autocratic and personality-oriented  leadership

·     Through the leaders’ coercive and deceptive  powers, the constituents are subjugated to  follow  orders

 

 

 

·     It sees the constituents as passive receivers of aid and assistance from the rich, thus, it becomes necessary to accumulate surplus wealth in order to give to the needy

·     It sees nationalism and sovereignty as impediments to the full and hyperactive interplay of the global market forces

 

 

 

 

·     It believes that the leaders are more gifted than others, thus have more capacity to give than others

·     It builds patronage relations with the constituents

 

·     It pursues international relations based on supply and demand on the international or global market

G.  Some Legal Notes on Participatory Politics

 

      Although the present political system is dominated by the elite few, there are some provisions of the Constitution and law that encourage people’s participation.

 

1987  Philippine Constitution

Article III:  Bill of Rights, especially the following provisions

      Section 4.  No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances.

      Section 8.  The rights of the people, including those employed in the public and private sectors, to form unions, associations, or societies for purposes not contrary to law shall not be abridged.

Article V

      Section 1.  All citizens of the Philippine may exercise suffrage 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 preceeding the election. No literacy, property or other substantive requirement shall be imposed on the exercise of suffrage.

Article XIII: Role and Rights of People’s Organization, particularly Section 16.

      The right of the people and their organizations to effective and reasonable participation at all levels of social, political and economic decision-making shall not be abridged.  The state shall, by law, facilitate the establishment of adequate consultation mechanisms.

Article XV:  The family, particularly Section 3 (4)

      The right of the Families or family associations to participate in the planning and implementation of policies and programs that affect them.

Article XVII:  Amendments or Revisions, particularly Section 2

      “Amendments to this Constitution may likewise be directly proposed by the people through initiatives upon at least twelve per centum of the total number of registered voters,

of which every legislative district must be represented by at least three per centum of the registered voters therein...”

 

The Local government Code of 1991

Article 62.  Role of People’s Organizations, Non-governmental Organizations and the Private Sector

      Local Government Units shall promote the establishment and operation of people’s organizations, NGOs, and the private sector, to make them active partners in the pursuit of local autonomy.  For this purpose, people’s organization, NGOs, and the private sector shall be directly involved in the following plans, programs, projects, or activities of LGUs:

a) Local special bodies

b) Delivery of basic services and facilities

c) Joint ventures and cooperative program or undertakings

d) Financial and other forms of assistance;

e) Preferential treatment for organizations and cooperatives of marginal fishermen;

f) Preferential treatment for cooperatives development; and

g) Financing, construction, maintenance, operation, and the management of infrastructure projects.

 

H.  Reflection

      People’s participation is an expression of life.  It is part of God’s gift of life and creativity.  It is God’s fundamental gifts of freedom and responsibility.  At the same time it is humanity’s response to God’s call to life.

      An ideal people’s participation must be characterized by a dedicated commitment to every human person, to the whole person, helping them to have more, to do more, and to be more.  It is the right to affirm and defend human dignity and rights.  It is the right to take active part in decisions that affect their lives, thus involving them in decision making, planning implementing, and evaluating national and local programs that will affect them and the common good.

      In social decision-making and social policy development, there should be an assurance of participation of citizensm especially on issues and matters that will affect their life.

      It is fully consonant  with human nature that there should be politico-juridical structures providing all citizens without any distinction with ever improving and effective opportunities to play an active part in the establishment of the juridical foundation of the political  community:  in the administration of public affairs, in determining the aims and terms of reference of public bodies, and in the election of political leaders. (GS,75)

      Authentic democracy is possible only in a State ruled by law, and on the basis of a correct conception of the human person.  It requires that the necessary conditions be present for the advancement both of the individual through education and formation in true ideals, and of the subjectivity of society through the creation of structures of participation and shared responsibility. (CA,46)

      Each person has a gift from God to share.  And each has a need of the others’ gift for the building up of the body and for the fulfillment of its mission.  Nobody is so poor as to have nothing to give, and nobody is so rich as to have nothing to receive.  (PCP II, Part II, # 98)

      In keeping with their dignity, human beings should take an active part in government.  The manner which they share will depend on the level of development of the political community to which they belong. (PT, 89)

      Elite politics is an obstacle to integral development.  Hence, to work for the common good towards integral developement, there is an urgent necessity for the citizens to participate more actively in political affairs.  Citizen’s participation in politics should be guided with the following truths (PCP II, Part III, # 351):

 

A.  Guidelines for Political Participation

1.  The basic standard of participation is the Pursuit of the Common Good.

2.  Participation must be characterized by Defense and Promotion of Justice.

3.  Participation must be inspired and guided by the Spirit of service.

4.  Participation must be imbued with a Love of Preference for the Poor

5.  Empowering people  must be carried out both as a process and as a goal of political activity

      Such truths are rooted in the Christian principles taken from the Scriptures, the moral and social teachings of the Church. In exercising the right and duty in political community, ones should always be aware of the following moral and religious truths that should guide and transform politics according to the Gospel.  (Pastoral Exhortation on Philippine Politics, 1997)

 

B.  Moral and Religious Truths Guiding Policies

 

1.  HUMAN DIGNITY AND SOLIDARITY IS A FIRST PRINCIPLE OF POLITICS.  Politics must respect and promote human dignity and the fundamental human rights that flow from such dignity.  Human person, male and female, is created unto the image of God ( Gen.1:27) and is called to share eternal life with God.  Also, the fact that Jesus Christ, the God-made-man, redeemed the human person from slavery to sin to integral dimension of human dignity.

      The equal dignity of all human beings brings them into mutual solidarity.  Solidarity is a “firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good,i.e., to the good of all  and of each individual because we are really responsible for all.” (SRS,38)

2. THE COMMON GOOD IS THE GOAL OF POLITICAL ACTIVITY.  The cardinal teaching of the Church on the political community is that it exists for the common good.  Common good embrace “ the good of all and each individual.” (SRS, 38) It is “the sum total of all those conditions of social life which enables individuals, families, and organizations to to achieve complete and efficacious fulfillment.” (GS,74)  Political activity should be directed to the attainment of universal good not at the triumph of the interests of an individual, a family, a social class, or a political party.

3. AUTHORITY AND POWER IS A DIVINE TRUST FOR SERVICE.  All authority and power emanate from God.  The Holy Scriptures states: “There is no authority except from God.” (Roman 13:1)And God gives authority in trust.  As the steward of this trust, the office holder/civil authority is beholden to God and is responsible to God to whom an accont must be given for his/her fulfillment of it.  Authority is not for personal aggrandizement or domination. It is given for service (cf. Mark 10:45) so that the person in authority can help others to grow in dignity and unity. (2 Cor. 10:8)

      When authority is used contrary to the moral law, the will of God is violated and authority  loses the right to be obeyed.  No citizen is obliged to obey a command to do what is morally wrong.  “ We must obey God rather than human beings” (Acts 5:29).

4.  THERE MUST BE MUTUAL COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE POLITICAL COMMUNITY AND THE CHURCH TO PROMOTE THE COMMON GOOD. Both have mission that partially coincide to promote the common good.  Both have interest that people live harmoniously and work together for total progress.  Mutual collaboration is necessary so that the integral development of the whole integral human person and of all persons in society is realized. 

      Church collaborates with the government through critical discernment.  The higher law of the Gospel and the Kingdom of God remains the fundamental norm of the Church’s collaboration.  For  this reason, the Church cannot be identified with any political community, political party or ideology.  “The choice of the political regime and the appointment of rulers are left to the decisions of citizens” (GS,74) guided by the principle cited above.

 

 

 

 


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Last Updated: Wednesday, May 02, 2001 11:56:05 PM