Political Party Stability and Performance in the Philippines
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Transcript of Political Party Stability and Performance in the Philippines
Political Political PartyParty
PerformancPerformanceein the Philippines
StabilitStabilityyandand
1
supposed to serve the purpose of interest aggregation, leadership formation and candidate-selection
However, in some countries like the Philippines, parties have largely been a mechanism to facilitate patronage
and personality-oriented politics.
politicalpolitical parties
2
partiespoliticalBecause of its weaknesses, the party system has failed to offer meaningful policy choices—and so to provide for orderly change. (Almonte, 2007)
Philippine-style democracy provides a convenient system by which power can be rotated at the top without effective participation of those below. (Hutchcroft & Rocamora, 2003)
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Why are Political PartiesMAL-DEVELOPED?
2.
(Timberman 1991; Lande 1965; Aceron, et.al. 2009)
1.The weak linkage of political parties to citizens.
3.4.
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Country ReportPHILIPIINESBaseline the organizational performance and stability of selected political parties.
Comparative points to elucidate on the overall picture of party performance of selected political parties.
Key informant interviewsAnalysis of official party documentsReview of literatureMedia monitoring
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Short Party HistoryInstitutionalizationRaison d’etre, philosophy, ideology, programImportant leaders and their main contributionManagement of the party, including finances Target Groups and Main Support Groups Among VoterMain campaign strategies and why they have been successful or notCoalition capability of the partyInternational relations, membership in a political familyMain contributions to the nation’s progress
inclusion of women and youth in the partySpecific features of political cultureRole in reform projects to develop the political systemCandidate selection within the party Public Relations and general image National comparison Regional comparison
tool
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Organizational Organizational LevelLevel
Management & FinanceDemocratizing Practices
External Relations
PerformancePerformanceCoalitional capability
Effectiveness of StrategiesContributions to Nation’s Progress
Track Record in Political Reformpolitical culture
Institutional-legal context
Roots in society
Autonomy
Coherence
Stability
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Organizational Organizational LevelLevel
Management & FinanceDemocratizing Practices
External Relations
PerformancePerformanceCoalitional capability
Effectiveness of StrategiesContributions to Nation’s Progress
Track Record in Political Reformpolitical culture
Institutional-legal context
Roots in society
Autonomy
Coherence
Stability
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1) a few members holding elected posts in the government (in this case, only in party-list and local governments), 2) cannot field a complete slate in the national elections, but are with national prominence through advocacies and coalition-building, and3) there is also perceived distinct ideological tendencies among these parties, at least in paper.
1) members in highest elected positions in the government, 2) they became once a majority party, and 3) normally, they field in almost a complete slate of national candidates in the elections
mainstream
non-mainstream
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mainstream
non-mainstream
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political party
government system
electoral system
party system
political system
• History• Ideology (Vision, Mission)
• Membership• Leadership • Management and finance• Decision-making processes• Political education and capability-building program• Platform development• Campaign strategy development• Support base & public relations• Candidate selection• Accountability and disciplinary processes
democracy
presidential
Plurality system
multi-party system
Party’s “Success” Indicators • Contributions to nation’s progress• Role in developing the political system• Performance of standard/ generic functions• Level of institutionalization• Others
winner-take-all system that
does not encourage
power-sharing
the president becomes the
center of gravity of political
negotiations
the institutions of power are
accountable to the people
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StabilityStabilityPartyParty12
clamor for an independent republic
reaction to the growing force of the CPP
engage current political dispensation
engage post-EDSA 1 democratic space
fermentation of liberal ideas; manifestation of US influence
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Linked to political and economic elites
Linked to civil society and grassroots
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PARTY-SWITCHING: Instability
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mainstream political parties
temporary
patronage-based
during elections
scattered efforts owing to reform-oriented leaders
Link to society
16
Parties weak vis-a-vis political elites autonomy is hardly felt identity, direction and performance dependent on most famous members level of autonomy varies; there are efforts to party assert autonomy
17
How they select candidatesAnd how they form coalitions
Weak autonomy Boils down to candidates
and personalities
All the mainstream parties claim presence at the local level, but generally, they are only active during elections and are largely hinged on local candidates or member-politicians in the locality18
Engagement/connection with CSO who have governance
advocacies and political reform agenda
there are efforts to solidify and operationalize their ideology
In terms of being programmatic
prevailing political trend remains personality-oriented; diluted by political horse-trading
provision of services directly to the poor seems consistent: economic liberty first before political rights
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PARTY-SWITCHING: Instability
CANNOT BE ABATEDUnless serious
structural change is introduced
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1998
1999
Akbayan! Bayan Muna
Election Votes Seats Votes Seats
1998 232, 376 1
2001 377,852 2 1,708,253 3
2004 852,473 3 1,203,305 3
2007 446,000 2 979,039 3
2010 1,057, 370 2 746,019 2
Number of Votes and Seats of Non-Mainstream Parties
9 M votes
3.9 M votes3.5 M
votes
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Dynamics in terms of ideological tendencies
Challenge: establish clear link between advocacies
and tactics to grand ideological vision and goals
Sustained connection to grassroots
Integral to party’s operations and survival
non-mainstream political parties
weakness in translating their ideological resources to programmatic options that are
politically palatable in electoral and governance arena.
NO party-switching Only defections 22
OrganizationOrganizationLevel Level ofof
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ManagementManagementHas a headquarters administered by the
Director General with the Deputy Directors and a lean support staff.
has the most progress in maintaining the basic org requirements
Has a headquarters managed by the Secretary General with some staff.
org structure and its efficacy is still hard to assess given their new structure after the recent merger
Headquarters is adjunct to the office of Villar Foundation, without demarcation of
responsibilities for staff. poorest organizational condition as they see no need for it
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ManagementManagement
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Estimate: 2,000,000 card bearing mems
there is hardly any way this can be validated
Estimate 100,000 to 150,000it also lacks a more systematized accounting, as it does not also maintain a database
More than 40,000 registered as of 2010
as evidenced by chapter rosters across the country
Conservative Estimate: 10,000changes at an undetermined rate due to the fluidity of party loyalty amongst its members
MembershipMembership
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FinanceFinance
For the Nacionalista Party, finance is known to depend on Party President Manuel Villar’s largesse. 27
FinanceFinanceFunding for non-mainstream parties is also a problem, which they address by collaborating with affiliate NGOs and international partners
This however is no without problem because of lack of consistency and problems on sustainability.
28
Membership FeesMembership FeesLP was able to make arrangements with the salary system of its elected members
in Congress where contributions are automatically deducted
somehow successful in getting support, but efficiency of the scheme is still unknown
collects fees from members occupying national seats while the local chapters are
left to collect fees from their local members
collection is hardly enforced
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largely relies on its local chapters to implement their own schemes in charging
and collection dues
by-laws prescribes a minimal annual membership dues determined according
to financial capacity of its members, which are to be collected from the local
chapters
Membership FeesMembership Fees
collected fees are harldy substantial to fund party operations
this is not strictly enforced as well
30
Decision-making Decision-making processesprocesses
Even if they have officers, these positions are vague and have no clear-cut definitions; primarily ad-hoc. 31
Decision-making Decision-making processesprocesses
Members at the barrio level is organized into Municipal and City Chapters.
Municipal and City Chapters are represented in the highest governing body of the party called the National Convention, which meets every 3 years or as decided upon by the National Council.
The National Council elects the National Executive Committee.
National Congress (held every 3 years) is composed of the party leadership and representatives from local branches. Top officials can only be elected by the National Congress.
The National Executive Council is formed through the National Congress, with the election of 7 representatives per geographical region, 5 representatives for the National Capital Region, 8 sectoral representatives, 3 representatives from locally-elected members, 1 party ombudsman/arbiter, and all their elected representatives in Congress.
32
Accountability Mechanisms
The LP and Lakas Constitution provides for specific disciplinary actions and procedures for removing or suspending officials on certain grounds.The party members’
dependence on Villar serve as an informal mechanism for control. The party itself claims that it recognizes the autonomy of its member politicians in making decisions.
Akbayan’s strong social movements pressures
leaders to account on the agenda agreed upon by the
parties.
Bayan Muna also has records of sanctioning
some members who violated rules, although
such incidents were rather isolated, which the party attributes to
their strong disciplinary mechanisms.33
to be a candidate of Nacionalista Party’s, one must already have had a
solid, personally-built base in one’s locality.Capacity building seminars of Lakas
are usually given to position-bearing members or running
candidates
Bayan Muna highlights Track RecordAn incentive for members in Akbayan party to
internally organize is proportional representation
Majority of the 46 parliamentary seats won by LP in the 2010 elections were won by
entrenched political families
Mainstream Parties focus on resources and Winnability in Candidate Selection
Non-Mainstreaam Parties have Democratic Process but Shallow Pool of Leaders
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YOUTH in the Party
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Nacionalista Party does not have an automatic representation of women in its organizational structure.
Women in the Party
Akbayan is the only party that ensures automatic allocation of seats to women, 30% of seats, in all structures and bodies of the party.
Bayan Muna has an affiliate women group, Gabriela.
The Liberal Party and Lakas, recognizes the need to work more on women participation in the party and in politics as a whole.
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PerformancePerformancePartyParty
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Relating with the PublicMainstream parties are
catch-all in scope and are therefore not specifically catering to certain sectors or segments of the population based on a program.
Non-mainstream cannot be classified as catch-all parties, owing to their ideological underpinning and program
There is no indication that the votes garnered by the candidates are consisting of the base of supporters of the mainstream political parties
Campaign strategies remain personality-based and are more often just about packaging the party candidate, since hardly does the electoral respond to party-based campaigning
38
Relating with the PublicParties/Elections ’98 ’04 ’10
NP President Candidate
- GMA12,905,808
Manny Villar5,573,835
LP President Candidate
Alfredo Lim2,344,362
GMA12,905,808
Noy Aquino15,208,678
Lakas-Kampi-NUCD JoeDV4,268,483
GMA12,905,808
Gibo Teordoro4,095,839
Senatorial Elections Results for 2010: Highest and Lowest /Party
LP Candidates
Lakas Candidates
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Campaign Strategies
Strategies that the parties employ during elections are largely personality-oriented
Even the non-mainstream in the 2010 elections had to contend with personality-oriented brand of politics in the Philippines
Weak Coalitional Politics
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Contribution to Nation’s Progress & Track Record on Party ReformThere are hardly any
significant advocacies won by the mainstream parties as a party
Non-mainstream parties have many advocacies that are party-driven
CARPER
Cheaper Medicines
Peace
Human Rights
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Contribution to Nation’s Progress & Track Record on Party Reform
Liberal and Lakas, however, were observed to have stronger drive towards reforms than Nacionalista that only sees political reform possible with economic liberty
Party Reform Bill
Proponents
Charter Change
Local Government Code of 1992
Akbayan consistently supported but w/ less fervorBM: reform proposals not solving the problem 2 o
ut of 4
2 Bills
passed
42
Contribution to Nation’s Progress & Track Record on Party Reform
Patronage politics is accepted as a norm in some parties
Non mainstream parties consciously veer away from patronage politics but are not free from it
43
Contribution to Nation’s Progress & Track Record on Party Reform
The political system that is present in the Philippines and its resilience to change, can be attributed to mainstream political parties, especially to the two oldest parties
Post Martial Law Reforms
Decentralization PolicyParty-list System
Comprehensive Agrarian Reforms
ProgramNational Anti-Poverty
CommissionBreaking of economic
monopolies
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ConclusionConclusion45
non-mainstream political parties
presence of strong party-based politics
autonomycoherencelink to societyorganization
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mainstream political parties
autonomy
coherence
link to society
organization
Scattered efforts of leaders (LP & Lakas)
Absence of conducive institutional-legal framework and prevailing political culture which
hinders efforts 47
mainstream political mainstream political partiesparties
Traditional Political Order
elitistpatronage-based
personality-oriented
EstablishMaintain
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bright spotsMAXIMIZE
policy advocacy
build support constituency
cross-party dialogue
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EndEnd50