This document summarizes the key characteristics of bureaucracy in the Philippines. It notes that Philippine bureaucracy is vulnerable to nepotism due to the importance of family loyalty. It also describes how political patronage has led to the perpetuation of a spoils system. Additionally, the document outlines behaviors common to Philippine bureaucrats, such as preference for continuity, conformity to policies, loss of self-direction, and politically supportive attitudes. Overall, the increasing complexity of government organizations has led to bureaucracy becoming the dominant form of administration.

1. The Nature of
Bureaucracy
Government and Politics in Public
Administration

2. A POLITICAL
SYSTEM
DEFINES ITS
BUREAUCRACY
a system of administration based
upon organization into bureaus,
division of labor, hierarchy of
authority; designed to dispose of
a large body of work in a routine
manner.

3. CHARACTERISTICS
OF PHILIPPINES
BUREAUCRACY
- Under Philippine bureaucracy
substructure of small kinship
groups, members of the family
groups by consanguinity, by
affinity, and by ritual kinship (or
compadre) give top priority to
family loyalty. Individual
Obligation to help each other in
a variety of ways.
Vulnerability to nepotism

4. CHARACTERISTICS
OF PHILIPPINES
BUREAUCRACY
- Classify service, unclassified and
temporary positions which have
become convenient instruments
for the practice of nepotism, of
patronage, and of influence
peddling
Perpetuation of the spoils system

5. - the people looked upon the
phenomenon as a concomitant
result of the increasing complexity
of the government, a method of
political promises to the
unemployed and underemployed
segments of the population
Apathetic public reaction of
bureaucratic misconduct
CHARACTERISTICS
OF PHILIPPINES
BUREAUCRACY

6. - Devices, such as constitutional
right and privileges-freedom of
speech, freedom of the press,
freedom of assembly, civic action-
have been used for rectifying the
defects and misdeeds of
bureaucracy.
Availability of external peaceful means
of correcting bureaucratic weakness
CHARACTERISTICS
OF PHILIPPINES
BUREAUCRACY

7. – was administered according to a
Civil Service Law which served as
scapegoat of the weaknesses of
Philippine Political Bureaucracy.
Spanish Bureaucracy
CHARACTERISTICS
OF PHILIPPINES
BUREAUCRACY
– also served as scapegoat of the
weaknesses of Philippine Political
Bureaucracy.
American Bureaucracy

8. – Filipino bureaucrats do not comprise a
clearcut social class, thus Filipino
Bureaucratic Organization consists of
person with varied family background,
aspirations, educational training and work
experiences.
Nonspecial typing of bureaucrats
CHARACTERISTICS
OF PHILIPPINES
BUREAUCRACY
– merit system was easily attacked and
tampered by politicians because of the
absence of “class consciousness” and of
a feeling of unity on the part of the
Filipino bureaucrats.
Lack of independence from politics

9. - Philippine Bureaucracy’s function
in nation- building will be as big, as
complicated, and as demanding as
the function of the whole society
itself, in spite of its weaknesses, it
will have to be a tool for
innovations.
Essential instruments of social change
CHARACTERISTICS
OF PHILIPPINES
BUREAUCRACY

10. Preference toward continuity and
routinization – bureaucracy puts much
emphasis on specialization hence, there is a
general preference for the bureaucrats to
maintain the status quo (existing state of
affairs) in the organization.
Conformity to policies – bureaucracy
stresses unquestioning compliance to
organizational policies, rules and
regulations.
e.g.: The Filipino is Authoritarian. When
power is given to him, he makes known to
everyone that he is the boss.
Philippine
Bureaucratic
Behavior

11. Loss of self-direction or self assertion –
The Filipino bureaucrats tend to
submerge themselves into a collective
mode of decision-making and
responsibility that defines bureaucratic
structure.
e.g.: patience (tiyaga) in accepting and bearing
consequences of difficulties in their lives which
mayor may not involve hard work that involves
deep abiding faith that supernatural spirits will, in
the long run, reward them with good fortune for
their patience and endurance of difficulties.
Philippine
Bureaucratic
Behavior

12. Politically Supportive – the
bureaucratic system in the Philippines
tend to support the political party in
power. The Filipinos are status
oriented. Authority figures determine,
toa large extent, the satisfaction or
frustration of the Filipino’s aspiration
for social acceptance, economic
security and social mobility.
Philippine
Bureaucratic
Behavior

13. Structurally, the government is a
bureaucracy. Over the years,
bureaucracy has become the
dominant form of organization in
modern societies.
Very often, bureaucracy is used in a
negative manner of its failure to
produce the organizational results
with adequate efficiency.
SUMMARY

14. The increasingly complex organization
can be simplified by breaking down its
component parts into simple
manageable structure.
It is expected that a bureaucracy will
attain its goals of efficiency, economy,
and greater reliability in producing its
outputs.
Systematized method is the vital tasks of
institution.
SUMMARY

15. Avelino P. Tendero, Theory and Practice Administration in the Philippines.
Makati: Fiscal Administration foundation, Inc., 1993.
RESOURCES

16. CREDITS
LINDO C. ESTRERA
MPA STUDENT
2nd Sem 2020-2021