Lecture Notes: Political Parties in the Philippines

Introduction

• Announcement of new senator.
• Mention of political parties involved in the recent elections.
• Reference to the Comelec's designation of dominant parties.

Key Political Parties

• PDP-Laban: Named as the dominant majority party.
• Nationalist Party: Designated as the dominant minority party but is a de facto ally of the administration.
• Other parties include the Nationalist Peoples Coalition (NPC), Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP), and Christian Muslim Democrats.

Political Coalitions

• Coalition formation among parties for senatorial slates.
• Administration coalition emerged as victors in the 2019 senatorial elections.
• Opposition parties included the Liberal Party and 13 others.

Political Party System

• Under the 1987 Constitution, there’s a free and open party system based on the people's choice.
• This system has led to numerous political parties participating in elections.

Issues in Philippine Political Parties

• Fragmentation: Parties splinter into factions and later form coalitions.
• Dominance of Political Dynasties: Parties are often controlled by political families and dynasties.
• Lack of Genuine Ideological Difference:
  • Parties are often indistinct and seem to exist in name only.
  • Political clans are the true identifiers of parties.

Comparison with the United States

• US parties (Democrats and Republicans) provide clear distinction in ideologies.
• US parties support candidates with necessary campaign machinery and resources.
• In the US, citizens align along partisan lines, unlike the personal allegiances seen in the Philippines.

Conclusion

• Philippine political parties are often about personal allegiances rather than ideologies.
• Historical quote: "My loyalty to my party ends where my loyalty to my country begins." - Manuel Quezon