The document discusses the evolution and characteristics of the political party system in the Philippines. It begins with a brief history of early political parties established during the American colonial period and describes the four different party systems that have emerged over time. It then analyzes key aspects of the current multiparty system including common practices like party switching. The document concludes by outlining the provisions of the Party-List System Act that aims to strengthen political representation through the election of sectoral representatives.

1. At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
1. Draw a timeline of the evolution of political parties in the Philippines;
2. Characterize the nature of Philippine political parties;
3. Discuss the characteristics of the Nacionalista Party and Liberal Party;
4. Describe the political organization and structure of a political party;
5. Critique the content of and status of the Political Party Development
of 2008.

2. The Partido Federalista (Federal
Party) was one of the first to be
formed, on December 23, 1900
In the establishment of the
Philippine Assembly, delegates such
as Pedro Paterno, that pushed for
Philippine statehood within the
United States, formed the Partido
Federal; the party was favored by
the American insular government,
which appointed delegates in the
assembly.

3.  Historically, the Philippines has experienced four
party systems:
1. a predominant party system during the American
colonial period (1900–1935);
2. a formal two-party system during the post-war
republic (1946 –1972);
3. an authoritarian dominant party system during
the Marcos dictatorship (1978–1986) and;
4. the current multiparty system (since 1987). Most
of these parties do not have actual grassroots
membership among ordinary voters but rather
that of political figures and leaders.

4. 1. From a two-party system
to multiparty system. Two
major parties, the
Nacionalistas and the
Liberals, dominate the
scene.
 Their nation-wide combined
vote at the six post-war
presidential elections held
since 1946 averaged 94%
of the votes cast.

5. 2. From bifactionalism to multi-factionalism.
 The factional nature of Philippine party politics has endured
through time – from bifactionalism of the post-war two-party
system to the multi-factionalism of the post-authoritarian multi-
party system

6. 3. Party-switching is common
There are two types of party switching in the Philippines (Teehankee, 2018)
a. When you file your candidacy, usually, a politician will go for a presidential candidate
who has the most chance of winning or go with the administration party during the
mid-term election.
b. After the election if their own candidate loses the election, they will jump immediately
to the party of the winning presidential candidate. (Teehankee, 2018)

7. 4. The major parties are identical.
 If each party is viewed as a whole and over time, one finds the them to be
alike in all significant respects.
 Neither party, over the long run, has been especially associated with any
region.

8. No true democracy can exist without a
working political party system that is
built on valid political platforms/policies
that intend to foster progress and
development.
There is an obvious need for reforms in
our political party system, reforms that
would lead to the reduction or even
eventual eradication of graft and
corruption in Philippine politics. There
is a need for a legal, institutionalized
framework to govern our system of
political parties. We need a strong
political party system.

9.  The Political Party
Development Act is a vital
part of the package of
political and electoral
reforms that the country
needs to undertake.
 It aims to strengthen the
political party system in
order to develop
genuine political
development and
democratization.

10.  Other representatives in the House filed similar bills in the 14th Congress and they
were all consolidated into House Bill 3655 or also known as the Political Party
Development Act of 2008.
 In the 15th Congress, it was approved by the House of Representatives on 3rd
Reading and was transmitted to the Senate on October 11, 2012 where it was not
acted upon.
 In 2016, House Bill 1695, known as An Act Strengthening the Political Party
System and Appropriating Funds Therefor, was filed but until this very moment it
seems like the bill will still be dormant.

11. Elections are integral to democratic governance.
Ideally, elections serve as a ‘major source of political recruitment, a
means of making government, and of transferring government
power, a guarantee of representation, and a major determinant of
government policy’(Heywood, 2000: 200).

12. Under the 1987 constitution, the
president and the vice-president are
separately elected by a direct vote
of the people through simple
plurality
nationwide.
The inclusion of proportional
representation (implemented
through a party-list ballot) for a
small portion of the lower chamber
is an attempt to shift the focus from
personalities to political parties
(Wurfel, 1997).

13. Section 6, Article IX C of
the 1987 constitution
states that ‘a free and
open party system shall
be allowed to evolve
according to the free
choice of the people,
subject to the provisions
of this Article’.

14. Republic Act 7941: Party-List System Act provides for the election of
party-list representatives through the Party-List System and appropriating
funds therefor.
This will enable Filipino citizens belonging to the marginalized and
underrepresented sectors to become members of the House of
Representatives

15. Registration
 Any organized group of persons may register as a party, organization or coalition for
purposes of the party-list system by filing with the COMELEC not later than ninety
(90) days before the election.
Removal and/or Cancellation of Registration
 The COMELEC may motu proprio or upon verified complaint of any interested
party, remove or cancel, after due notice and hearing, the registration of any
national, regional or sectoral party, organization or coalition on any of the
following grounds:
a. It is a religious sect or denomination, organization or association organized for
religious purposes;
b. It advocates violence or unlawful means to seek its goal;
c. It is a foreign party or organization;

16. Nominations of Party-List Representatives
Each registered party, organization or coalition shall submit to the COMELEC not later than forty-
four (45) days before the election a list of names, not less than five (5) from which party-list
representatives shall be chosen in case it obtains the required number of votes.
 A person may be nominated in one (1) list only.
 Only persons who have given their consent in writing may be named in the list.
 The list shall not include any candidate for any elective office or person who has lost his bid for an elective office
in the immediately preceding election.
 No change of names or alteration of the order of nominees shall be allowed after the same shall have been
submitted to the COMELEC except in cases where the nominee dies, or withdraws in writing, his nomination,
becomes incapacitated in which case the name of the substitute nominee shall be placed last in the list.
 Incumbent sectoral representatives in the House of Representatives who are nominated in the party-list system
shall not be considered resigned.

17. Manner of Voting
 Every voter shall be entitled to two (2) votes.
 The first is a vote for candidate for member of the House of
Representatives in his legislative district.
The second, a vote for the party, organization, or coalition he
wants represented in the House of Representatives: provided,
that a vote cast for a party, sectoral organization, or coalition not
entitled to be voted for shall not be counted: provided, finally that
the first election under the party-list system shall be held in May
1998.
The COMELEC shall undertake the necessary information
campaign for purposes of educating the electorate on the matter
of the party-list system

18. Number of Party-List Representatives
The party-list representatives shall constitute twenty percentum
(20%) of the total number of the members of the House of
Representatives including those under the party-list.
 In determining the allocation of seats for the second vote, the following
procedure shall be observed:
a. The parties, organizations, and coalitions shall be ranked from the highest
to the lowest based on the number of votes garnered during the elections.
b. The parties, organizations, and coalitions receiving at least two percent
(2%) of the total votes cast for the party-list system shall be entitled to one
seat each: provided, that those garnering more than two percent (2%) of
the votes shall be entitled to additional seats in proportion to their total
number of votes: provided, finally, that each party, organization, or
coalition shall be entitled to not more than three (3) seats.

19.  Party-list representatives shall be proclaimed by the COMELEC based on the list
of names submitted by the respective parties, organizations, or coalitions to the
COMELEC according to their ranking in the said list.
 Any elected party-list representative who changes his political party or sectoral
affiliation during his term of office shall forfeit his seat: provided, that if he
changes his political party or sectoral affiliation within six (6) months before an
election, he shall not be eligible for nomination as party-list representative under his
new party or organization.