TEN IMAGES OF TEN IMAGES OF PHILIPPINE POLITICSPHILIPPINE POLITICS

BUREAUCRATIC

CONGRESS

CEO

COURT ROOM

X-MEN

CIVIL SOCIETY

MILITARY

RELIGIOUS

MULTIMEDIA

BOARD ROOM

POLITICS

III. These ten images III. These ten images encompass political reality encompass political reality and practices. and practices.

These framework is to be used for These framework is to be used for analyzing the political dynamics and the analyzing the political dynamics and the policy processes in the context of policy processes in the context of Philippine Political System that are Philippine Political System that are reflective of the highly elastic nature of reflective of the highly elastic nature of Philippine Democracy. Which run the Philippine Democracy. Which run the gamut from highly private to highly public gamut from highly private to highly public decision making.decision making.

TEN IMAGES OF POLITICSTEN IMAGES OF POLITICS

1.1. Board-Room PoliticsBoard-Room Politics Involves decision-making by business elites Involves decision-making by business elites

and professionals, but with important public and professionals, but with important public consequences.consequences.

2.2. Bureaucratic PoliticsBureaucratic Politics Means rule making and adjudication by bureaucrats, Means rule making and adjudication by bureaucrats,

with inputs from clients and professionals. Dept. with inputs from clients and professionals. Dept. Secs., U.Secs, A.Secs, Regional Directors, Bureau Secs., U.Secs, A.Secs, Regional Directors, Bureau Directors, are power and authority holders, and as Directors, are power and authority holders, and as such can make decisions favoring private businesses such can make decisions favoring private businesses and favored political interests. This is the reason why and favored political interests. This is the reason why politicians and some businessmen jockey their men politicians and some businessmen jockey their men into positions in the bureaucracy.into positions in the bureaucracy.

3.3. Congress PoliticsCongress Politics Involves policy making by legislatures, constrained by Involves policy making by legislatures, constrained by

various constituencies. Laws affects private and public various constituencies. Laws affects private and public interests. The process of legislation in formulating interests. The process of legislation in formulating policies can delay the passage of a bill or the proposed policies can delay the passage of a bill or the proposed bill can be stopped at the committee hearing level.bill can be stopped at the committee hearing level.

4.4. Chief Executive PoliticsChief Executive Politics Refers to a process dominated by presidents governors mayors Refers to a process dominated by presidents governors mayors

and their advisers. Chief executives are given full power and and their advisers. Chief executives are given full power and authority to lead, to govern and administer laws. They possesses authority to lead, to govern and administer laws. They possesses and exercises discretionary powers that are beneficial to majority and exercises discretionary powers that are beneficial to majority but detrimental to some few. When they talk everybody listens.but detrimental to some few. When they talk everybody listens.

5.5. Court-Room PoliticsCourt-Room Politics Refers to court orders and decisions of judges, justices ,and Refers to court orders and decisions of judges, justices ,and

prosecutors in response to interest groups and aggrieved prosecutors in response to interest groups and aggrieved individuals. When judicial decisions are sold or influenced individuals. When judicial decisions are sold or influenced based not on merits and evidences, then the courts would based not on merits and evidences, then the courts would have served no purpose as balancer and equalizer of justice have served no purpose as balancer and equalizer of justice in settlement of disputes between and among litigants.in settlement of disputes between and among litigants.

Court decisions can put political opponents to jail, can Court decisions can put political opponents to jail, can delay political and non political appointments, can delay the delay political and non political appointments, can delay the execution of legislative, executive and administrative execution of legislative, executive and administrative decisions or even stop the operation of businesses, and can decisions or even stop the operation of businesses, and can decide to reverse or delay decisions previously made. The decide to reverse or delay decisions previously made. The issuance of TRO reveals how political our courts.issuance of TRO reveals how political our courts.

6.6. Multimedia PoliticsMultimedia Politics The galvanization of public opinion, usually through the The galvanization of public opinion, usually through the

newspapers, radio, television and other forms of mass media. newspapers, radio, television and other forms of mass media. All of this mass media promote the political interests and All of this mass media promote the political interests and choices of those who owns them, who pay them and who use choices of those who owns them, who pay them and who use them. Media can make and unmake a president or a leader. them. Media can make and unmake a president or a leader.

7.7. Religious PoliticsReligious Politics Is one where decisions are made by leaders and members of Is one where decisions are made by leaders and members of

religious groups and have political implications like El shaddai, religious groups and have political implications like El shaddai, JIL, INC, CBCP,NCCP are some of the most prominent JIL, INC, CBCP,NCCP are some of the most prominent religious groups which take political positions on public issues. religious groups which take political positions on public issues.

8.8. Military Politics (games of the generals)Military Politics (games of the generals) Involves the calculated decisions of the military and Involves the calculated decisions of the military and

police generals and their subordinates to effect police generals and their subordinates to effect preferences in the political arena. The decisions and preferences in the political arena. The decisions and machinations of military generals were the key factors machinations of military generals were the key factors that changed government and government leaders.that changed government and government leaders.

9.9. Civil Society PoliticsCivil Society Politics

Is the high profile socio political engagement and proactive lobbying Is the high profile socio political engagement and proactive lobbying of voluntary groups such as NGO’s, PO’s, Socio-civic societies, cause-of voluntary groups such as NGO’s, PO’s, Socio-civic societies, cause-oriented groups, professional associations ,cooperatives, sectoral or oriented groups, professional associations ,cooperatives, sectoral or social class groupings and foundations that influence political issues.social class groupings and foundations that influence political issues.

10.10. X-MEN PoliticsX-MEN Politics Includes factors and players that are less prominently mentioned, Includes factors and players that are less prominently mentioned,

less openly named, less publicly involved but actively engaged in less openly named, less publicly involved but actively engaged in fixing and managing self-serving political decisions. Example are ;fixing and managing self-serving political decisions. Example are ;

Drug lords, gambling lords, vice lords, who supports the career of Drug lords, gambling lords, vice lords, who supports the career of politicians and bureaucrats who in return provide protection to politicians and bureaucrats who in return provide protection to syndicated crimes.syndicated crimes.