POS 140: Current Issues and Problems in Philippine Government and Politics

Department of Political Science, School of Social Sciences

Ateneo de Manila University
First semester, AY 2015-2016
Gino Antonio P. Trinidad, MA Maria Elissa J. Lao. DPA
[email protected] [email protected]
(0917)8927350 (02)4266001 local 5250
Consultation Hours: Tuesdays 3:oopm – 4:30pm Consultation Hours : M or F 8:00 -10:30
Mondays 3:30pm – 4:30pm (or by (or by appointment)
appointment)

Course description
The course examines contemporary problems and issues in Philippine government and
politics, and how the various stakeholders and decision makers respond to them within the context
of contemporary Philippine democratic politics.

Expected learning outcomes

At the end of the course, students will be able to:
Knowledge
a. Explain the different dominant frameworks of Philippine politics;
b. Exemplify a higher level of awareness and sensitivity to some of the more critical socio-
political concerns in the current Philippine setting, with a focus on the central points of
contention, the major actors and stakeholders, the key processes and institutions, and
the dynamics involved;
Skills
c. Critically assess theories and practices across different contexts and fields of Philippine
politics;
d. Conduct research and assessment based on existing tools, in specific areas of governance,
leading to proactive engagements for addressing a particular community’s issues/needs;
and
Attitudes
e. Assume an attitude of rational critique and advocate reform in chosen areas of politics
and governance.

Course outline
I. Current Discourses on Philippine Democratic Politics
a. Major theoretical frameworks
b. Defining the Philippine State
i. Migration
ii. Integration – Peace processes/Bangsamoro
iii. Territorial disputes – West Philippine Sea
II. Contexts
a. Politics and development
b. National political dynamics
c. Local politics: urban, rural dynamics
d. Electoral politics
e. Dynamics of citizen participation
 III. Wicked Problems, Design Thinking
IV. Sectors
a. Persons with disabilities
b. Indigenous people’s rights
c. Youth and the elderly
d. Land reform
e. Disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation

Required texts
Current discourses on Philippine democratic politics
Major theoretical frameworks
Quimpo, Nathan Gilbert. Contested Democracy and the Left in the Philippines After Marcos. Quezon
City: Ateneo de Manila University Press, 2008.

----, and Yuko Kasuya, “The Politics of Change in a ‘Changeless Land’”, in Nathan Gilbert
Quimpo and Yuko Kasuya eds., The Politics of Change in the Philippines. Pasig City: Anvil
Publishing Inc., 2010.

Timberman, David G. A Changeless Land: Continuity and Change in Philippine Politics. Makati:
Bookmark; Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, 1991.

Defining the Philippine state

Abinales, Patricio, and Amoroso, Donna. State and Society in the Philippines. Lanham MD:
Rowman and Littlefield, 2005.

Vitug, Marites D. and Gloria, Glenda. Under the Crescent Moon : Rebellion in Mindanao. Manila
:Institue for Popular Democracy, 2000.

Contexts
Politics and development
McCoy, Alfred W. An Anarchy of Families: State and Family in the Philippines. Quezon City: Ateneo
de Manila University Press, c2004, 2010.

Hutchcroft, Paul. Booty Capitalism: The Politics of Banking in the Philippines. Quezon City: Ateneo
de Manila University Press, 1998.

National dynamics
Hofileña, Chay F, and Miriam Grace A. Go. Ambition, Destiny, Victory: Stories from a Presidential
Election. Mandaluyong City: Cacho Publishing House, 2011.

Coronel, Sheila S, et.al. The Rulemakers How the Wealthy and Well Born Rule Congress. Manila:
Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, 2004.

Vitug, Marites Danguilan. Hour Before Dawn. The Fall and Uncertain Rise of the Philippine Supreme
Court. Quezon City: Cleverheads Publishing, 2012.

Local politics: urban, rural dynamics

 Hollsteiner, Mary R. The Dynamics of Power in a Philippine Municipality. Manila: Community
Development Research Council, University of the Philippines, 1963.

Kawanaka, Takeshi. Power in a Philippine City. Chiba: Institute of Developing Economies Japan
External Trade Organization, 2002.

Porio, Emma. “Decentralisation, Power and Networked Governance Practices in Metro

Manila” Space and Polity 16.1 (April 2012): 7-27.

Electoral politics
Kasuya, Yuko. Presidential Bandwagon: Parties and Party Systems in the Philippines. Pasig City: Anvil
Publishing Inc., 2009.

Schaffer, Frederic Charles. The Hidden Costs of Clean Election Reform. Quezon City: Ateneo de
Manila University Press, 2009.

Dynamics of citizen participation

Magadia, Jose. State-Society Dynamics: Policy Making in a Restored Democracy. Quezon City: Ateneo
de Manila University Press, 2003.

Hilhorst, Dorothea. The Real World of NGOs: Discourse, Diversity and Development. Quezon City:
Ateneo de Manila University Press, 2003.

Hedman, Eva-Lotta E. In the Name of Civil Society: From Free Election Movements to People Power in the
Philippines. Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press, 2006.

Moreno SJ, Antonio F. Church, State, and Civil Society in Postauthoritarian Philippines: Narratives of
Engaged Citizenship. Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press, 2006.

Wicked Problems, Design Thinking

Jordan, Michelle E., Robert C. Kleinsasser, and Mary F. Roe. “Wicked Problems: Inescapable
Wickedity” Journal of Education for Teaching 40.4 (2014): 415-30.

Head, Brian W., and John Alford. “Wicked Problems: Implications for Public Policy and
Management” Administration & Society 47.6 (2015): 711-39.

Termeer, Catrien J.A.M., Art Dewulf, Gerard Breeman, and Sabina J. Stiller. “Governance
Capabilities for Dealing Wisely with Wicked Problems” Administration & Society 47.6 (2015):
680-710.

Suggested texts

Mendoza, Ronald U., Edsel L. Beja Jr., Victor S. Venida, and David B. Yap. “Inequality in Democracy:
Insights from an Empirical Analysis of Political Dynasties in the 15 Philippine Congress” Philippine
Political Science Journal 33.2 (2012): 132-45.
Saloma, Czarina, Maria Elissa Jayme-Lao, and Leslie Advincula-Lopez. “How to Make Local
Government Institutions Work: Some Lessons on Social Change” Philippine Political Science Journal 34.1
(2013): 83-96.

Tadem, Eduardo Climaco. “Grassroots Democracy, Non-State Approaches, and Popular

Empowerment in Rural Philippines” Philippine Political Science Journal 33.2 (2012): 161-77.

Lusterio-Rico, Ruth R.. “Civil Society Groups and the Legislative Process: The Enactment of the
Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act” Philippine Political Science Journal 28 (2007): 55-84.

----. “Globalization and Local Communities: The Mining Experience in a Southern Luzon, Philippine
Province” Philippine Political Science Journal 34.1 (2013): 48-61.

Atienza, Marie Ela L. “Globalization and Responses of Agricultural Communities in the Philippines:
Limits and Opportunities for Empowerment in Bilar, Bohol. Philippine Political Science Journal 34.1
(2013): 27-47.

Alcazaren, Paulo. Lungsod Iskwater: The Evolution of Informality as a Dominant Pattern in Philippine Cities.
Mandaluyong City: Anvil Publishing Inc., 2011.

Caoili, Manuel A. The Origins of Metropolitan Manila: A Political and Social Analysis. Quezon City: New Day
Publishers, 1988.

Carino, Ledevina V. Regulatory Governance in the Philippines : Lessons for Policy and Institutional Reform, 2005
http://www.competition-regulation.org.uk/conferences/mcr05/carino.pdf downloaded on 17 July 2011

Manuela, Wilfredo. “The Evolution of the Philippine Airline Industry”, Aerlines e-zine edition, Issue
36, http://www.aerlines.nl/issue_36/36_Manuela_Evolution_Philippine_Airline_Industry.pdf
downloaded on 17 July 2011

Aldaba, Rafelita A.M. Opening up the Philippine Telecommunications Industry to Competition, World Bank
Institute, 2000. http://economics.fizteh.ru/articles/management/competition/philippines2-
arpel3voc20 downloaded on 17 July 2011

Montinola, Gabriela and Robert Jackman “Sources of Corruption: A Cross Country Study” British
Journal of Political Science 32 (2002): 147-170. www.anti-
corr.ru/archive/sources%20crosscountry%20study.pdf

Amundsen, Inge “Corruption: Definitions and Concepts” Chr. Michelsen Institute 17 January 2000.
www.u4.no/document/showdoc.cfm?id=23

Batalla, Eric Vincent. “Fighting Corruption: The Southeast Asian Experience in Thomas, Nicholas
and Nie, Dening Southeast Asia and China: Continuity and Change. China: Xiamen University Press, 2003.

Bautista, Julius. “Church and State Issues: Tackling Life Issues in a ‘Culture of Death.’” SOJOURN:
Journal of Social Issues in Southeast Asia 25.1 (2010):29-53.
http://nus.academia.edu/JuliusBautista/Papers/319658/Church_and_State_in_the_Philippines_Tacklin
g_Life_Issues_in_a_Culture_of_Death_ downloaded on 25 July 2011.

Raneses, Rene Raymond Jr. (2009) “Chastising Democracy: Does the “Conservative Turn” among
Filipino Catholic Bishops Mean a Retreat from (Democratic) Politics?”
www.religionomics.com/asrec/ASREC09.../Raneses%20%20Fillipino%20Catholic%20Bishops%20-
%20ASREC09.doc downloaded on 25 July 2011.

Kreuzer, Peter (2010) Philippine Governance : Merging Politics and Crime, PRIF Reports
http://kms1.isn.ethz.ch/serviceengine/Files/ISN/121250/...1f72.../prif93.pdf downloaded on 26 July 2011

Lejano, Raul “The Phenomenon of Collective Action: Modeling Institutions as Structures of Care”
Public Administration Review 68.3 (May|June 2008): 491–504.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1540-6210.2008.00885.x/pdf
downloaded on 26 July 2011

Schmitter, Philippine C. (2001) Contrasting Approaches to Political Engineering :Constitutionalization and

Democratization.
http://www.eui.eu/Documents/DepartmentsCentres/SPS/Profiles/Schmitter/PoliticalEngineering.pdf
downloaded on 27 July 2011

Reilly, Benjamin (2001) Political Parties and Political Engineering in the Asia Pacific Region. Analysis
from the East-West Center No. 71
http://www.eastwestcenter.org/fileadmin/stored/pdfs/api071.pdf downloaded on 27 July 2011

Assessment and course requirements

Context Report 25 %
Post –immersion written report I 25%
Post-immersion written report II 25%
Praxis report and presentation 25%
Total 100%
Grading system1

A (Excellent) - 92-100
B+ (Very Good) - 87-91
B (Good) - 83-86
C+ (Satisfactory) - 79-82
C (Fair) - 75-78
D (Passing) - 70-74
F (Failure) - 69 and below

Classroom policies

1
The rules for rounding up grades are as follows: If the tenths digit is less than 5, the grade remains the same;
if the tenths digit is greater than 5, the grade is rounded up to the nearest unit; if the tenths digit is 5 and the
digit preceding it is odd, the grade remains the same; if the tenths digit is 5 and the digit preceding it is even
(including zero), the grade is rounded up to the nearest unit.
1. Attendance will be checked during each meeting after the second bell. Students who arrive
after their names have been called twice will be marked late. The Ateneo de Manila
University’s policy on overcuts will be strictly enforced (that is, for a three-hour, once-a-
week regular semester class, the maximum number of cuts is three (3); on the 4th cut the
student will get a W). No make-up papers for quizzes or activities missed due to an
unexcused absence. Excused absences include the following: hospitalization (with medical
certificate), official school activity (competition, conference with letter from coach or ADAA
or home department).

2. If the teacher is not in class at the prescribed time, the students should wait quietly inside
the classroom for 10 minutes. If the teacher is still absent after this time, the students may
consider themselves dismissed. However, if the class is notified, through the class beadle, of
the teacher’s time of arrival, the students are obliged to wait until the time designated. If the
teacher fails to arrive at the appointed time, the students may consider themselves dismissed.

3. In case classes are cancelled without prior notice (e.g., due to inclement weather), students
should check their respective class’s electronic mail group and/or the Department of Political
Science bulletin board for any messages regarding the assignment for the next meeting.

4. Behavior that prevents or disrupts the process of learning is unacceptable. The teacher has
the discretion to send a student out of the classroom for unacceptable behavior; in such a
case, the student will be penalized with a cut.

5. The university rules and policies concerning academic dishonesty (e.g., plagiarism, cheating
in exams, etc.), among others, will be enforced strictly.