Political parties in the Philippines are diverse in ideology and numerous. Most parties lack grassroots membership and are led by political figures. There are three main types of party systems - one-party, two-party, and multi-party. The Philippines has a multi-party system where no single party gains majority control, requiring coalitions between parties. Major parties are decentralized with national and local machinery coordinating candidates and policies across branches of government.

1. POLITICAL PARTIES IN THE
PHILIPPINES

2. Political parties in the Philippines are of
diverse ideologies and are plentiful in
number. Most of these parties do not have
actual grassroots membership among
ordinary voters but rather that of political
figures and leaders.

3. What is a Political Party
A group of people that is organized for
the purpose of winning government
power, by electoral or other means.
Voluntary association of individuals
who advocate certain principles or
policies as superior to all others for
the general conduct of government and
which nominates and supports certain of its leaders as electoral
candidates.

4. CHARACTERISTICS OF A
POLITICAL PARTY:
1. Has an organized structure with lines of
authority and power distribution.
2. Seek to attract popular support in the form of
votes.
3. Seeks political power directly thru electoral
method
4. Prepared to support a candidate and fight for
victory in an election. (to gain power)

5. PARTY MEMBERSHIP
means formal attachment to a political party, usually
involving the assumption of obligations to the party and
receiving privileges from the party.
1. For patronage
2. To get special treatment from the government
3. To enhance their own career
4. Economic benefit
5. Personal gratification
6. To have and to use an influence on the others
7. Ideological fulfillment

6. Party Membership Rules:
§ Usually require a person to apply formally for
membership, and party officials can accept or
reject the application (though in fact they are
usually accepted).
§ The person must at least pay annual dues
and sometimes take an oath to support the
party’s principles and candidates.

7. THE FUNCTIONS OF
POLITICAL PARTIES
1. Leadership Recruitment- The political party is still
likely to be a structure that identifies potential leaders,
brings them to public attention, and secures them the
support necessary for taking public office.
2. Coordinate policy across different branches of Gov’t
3. Mobilize voters – get out the vote drives
-President, Congress, local party cooperation
to win elections.
-Leaders stress party loyalty to proposed policies.
4. Provide accountability- unintended side effect
Used by voters to hold elected official accountable

8. THE FUNCTIONS OF
POLITICAL PARTIES
5. nominate candidates - by most
common method today.
6. contest election- “wage war” in the
general election
7. form governments- organized along
party lines
government appointments in executive

9. PRINCIPAL ACTIVITIES OF PARTIES
1. Selecting Candidates
Parties virtually monopolize nominations,
which give them tremendous power to shape
governments and policies.
2. Election Campaigning
Those professionals, hired by the
candidates for substantial fees, organize high-tech
campaigns that feature such up-to-date
(and costly) techniques and raising money by
computerized direct mail advertising.

10. PRINCIPAL ACTIVITIES OF PARTIES
CONT..
3. Nominate Candidates—Recruit, choose, and present
candidates for public office.
4. Inform and Activate Supporters—Campaign, define
issues, and criticize other candidates.
5. Act as a Bonding Agent—Guarantee that their candidate
is worthy of the office.
6. Govern—Members of government act according to their
partisanship, or firm allegiance to a party.
7. Act as a Watchdog—Parties that are out of power keep a
close eye on the actions of the party in power for a blunder
to use against them in the next election.

11. POLICY FORMULATION
The successful party finds out what people
want and finds way to combine and address
those demands. Specific policies inevitably
begin to emerge in this process.
1. Campaigning
In today’s world of mass media, political consultants,
and direct mail advertising, the parties still play a part in
ensuring that voters are registered, that they know the
differences among the candidates, and that they know
when and where to vote on election day.

12. 2. GOVERNING
The leader of the party winning
the most votes takes the top
leadership role, works with the
advice of a cabinet formed of
his own party.

13. SOME PHILIPPINE
POLITICAL PARTIES

16. NACIONALISTA
PARTY

17. LIBERAL PARTY
PARTIDO
LIBERAL
NG PILIPINAS

18. PWERSA NG MASANG
PILIPINO
Force of the Filipino Masses

19. L
A
K
A
S
K
A
M
P
I
CMD

22. MINOR PARTIES PLAY SEVERAL IMPORTANT ROLES:
“SPOILER ROLE”
MINOR PARTY CANDIDATES CAN PULL DECISIVE VOTES AWAY
FROM ONE OF THE MAJOR PARTIES’ CANDIDATES, ESPECIALLY
IF THE MINOR PARTY CANDIDATE IS FROM A SPLINTER PARTY.
CRITIC
MINOR PARTIES, ESPECIALLY SINGLE-ISSUE PARTIES, OFTEN
TAKE STANDS ON AND DRAW ATTENTION TO CONTROVERSIAL
ISSUES THAT THE MAJOR PARTIES WOULD PREFER TO IGNORE.
INNOVATOR
OFTEN, MINOR PARTIES WILL DRAW ATTENTION TO IMPORTANT
ISSUES AND PROPOSE INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS. IF
THESE PROPOSALS GAIN POPULAR SUPPORT, THEY ARE OFTEN
INTEGRATED INTO THE PLATFORMS OF THE TWO MAJOR PARTIES.

24. Gabriela Party

25. Anak mindanao
Party

27. Philippine
name
!
Parties Represented in Congress
English name Abbr. Leader Founded International
Seats in the
lower house
Seats in the
upper house
Notes
Bagong
Alyansang
Makabayan
New Patriotic
Alliance
Bayan
Satur
Ocampo
1985
International
Newsletter
7 / 292
0 / 24
Offshoot of the Communist
Party of the Philippines
Centrist Democratic Party of
the Philippines
CDP
Rufus
Rodriguez
2012 none
1 / 292
0 / 24
Offshoot of Lakas–Christian
Muslim Democrats
Kilusang
Bagong
Lipunan
New Society
Movement
KBL
Imelda
Marcos
1978 none
1 / 292
0 / 24
Offshoot of the Nacionalista
Party
Laban ng
Demokratik
ong
Pilipino
Struggle of
Democratic
Filipinos
LDP
Edgardo
Angara
1998
Centrist
Democrat
International
2 / 292
1 / 24
Former member of Corazon
Aquino's UNIDO (1986)
Partido
Demokratik
o Pilipino-
Lakas ng
Bayan
Philippine
Democratic
Party-
People's
Power
PDP
Laban
Aquilino
Pimentel III
1982 none UNA
1 / 24
Former member of Corazon
Aquino's UNIDO (1986)
People's Reform Party PRP
Miriam
Defensor
Santiago
1991 none
0 / 292
1 / 24
Pwersa ng
Masang
Pilipino
Force of the
Filipino
Masses
PMP
Joseph
Estrada
1991 none See UNA

28. Parties represented in Congress
Philippine name
!!
English name Abbr. Leader Founded International
Seats in
the lower
house
Seats in
the upper
house
Notes
Lakas–Christian
Muslim
Democrats
People Power-
Christian Muslim
Democrats
Lakas
Gloria
Macapagal-
Arroyo
2008
Centrist
Democrat
International
14 / 292
2 / 24
Formerly known as Lakas
Kampi CMD; merged from
original Lakas–CMD and
KAMPI
Liberal Party LP
Benigno
Aquino III
and Mar
Roxas
1946
Liberal
International,
Alliance of
Democrats,
Council of
Asian Liberals
and Democrats
110 / 292
4 / 24
Originally the Nacionalista
Party; member of the
Aquino-Laurel UNIDO (1986)
Nacionalista
Party
Nationalist Party NP Manny Villar 1903 none
17 / 292
5 / 24
Oldest political party in the
Philippines
Nationalist People's Coalition NPC
Eduardo
Cojuangco,
Jr.
1991 none
43 / 292
2 / 24
Offshoot of the Nacionalista
Party; formerly known as
Partido Pilipino
National Unity Party NUP
Pablo P.
Garcia
2011 none
24 / 292
0 / 24
Offshoot of the Lakas Kampi
CMD
United Nationalist Alliance UNA
Jejomar
Binay,
Joseph
Estrada and
Juan Ponce
Enrile
2012 none
8 / 292
5 / 24
Electoral alliance of the PMP
and the PDP-Laban

29. These parties won more than 2% of the vote
Philippine
name
Party-lists represented in Congress
English
translation
Abbr. #1 nominee
Seats in the lower
house (PL only)
Notes
1st Consumers Alliance for
Rural Energy
1-CARE
Edgardo
Masongsong
2 / 58
Abono Fertilizer Abono Conrado Estrella III
2 / 58
Advocacy for Teacher
Empowerment Through Action,
Cooperation and Harmony
Towards Educational Reforms
A TEACHER Mariano Piamonte, Jr.
2 / 58
Agricultural Sector Alliance of
the Philippines
AGAP Nicanor Miral Briones
2 / 58
Akbayan
Citizens'
Action Party
Akbayan Walden Bello
2 / 58
Member of the Progressive
Alliance;
Consultative member of the
Socialist International;
Allied with Team PNoy
Ako Bicol
Political
Party
I am Bicol
Political Party
AKB
Christopher Co or
Emilio Ubaldo, Jr.
2 / 58
An Waray
The Waray
[people]
An Waray
Neil Benedict
Montejo
2 / 58
Bayan Muna Nation First Bayan Muna Neri Colmenares
2 / 58
Member of the Bagong
Alyansang Makabayan
Buhay
Hayaan
Yumabong
Life be
Allowed to
Prosper
Buhay Michael Velarde, Jr.
3 / 58
Citizens' Battle Against
Corruption
CIBAC
Sherwin Tugna or
Luis Lokin, Jr.
2 / 58
Cooperative NATCCO Network
Party
Coop-
NATCCO
Cresente Paez
2 / 58
GABRIELA Women's Party GABRIELA Luzviminda Ilagan
2 / 58
Member of the Bagong
Alyansang Makabayan
Magdalo
para sa
Pilipino
Cheer for
Filipinos
Magdalo Gary Alejano
2 / 58
OFW Family Club OFW Family Roy Señeres, Sr.
2 / 58

30. Kinds of Party Systems
1. The One- Party System
2. The Two- Party System
3. The Multi- Party System

31. The One- Party System
¨ Only one party holds the power because
it towers above the others or because it
suppresses all other groups.
¨ With two sub- types:
¤ The one party democracy ( usually
found in newly- independent states)
¤ The Totalitarian Party in Communist
states.

32. The Two- Party System
a. The turn- over system
b. The system wherein major political
parties alternate with each other
in the exercise of political power.
¤ In the US- Democratic and Republican
¤ In Britain- Conservative and Labour
parties

33. The Advantages and
Disadvantages
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
1. Ensures simplicity and
stability in the change of
government.
2. Loosing party acts as “
loyal opposition” to force
the party on power.
3. Assures a measure of
political unity
¤ Allows a free interplay of
opposing forces.
¨ May decline into a
m o n o t o n o u s
p o l i t i c a l game
wherein politicians
yield to corruption
and patronage of
each other.

34. The Multi Party System
More than two political parties fight in an election.
¨ No single party gets the majority control of the
power.
¨ Leads to coalition of parties to secure a
governing control of the government.
¨ Transfer the consensus building on the floor of
the Congress or the inner of chambers of
government itself.
¤ Rightist, leftist, center

35. ¨ The Leftist- reform – minded party
which seeks to change the existing
conditions in the country.
¨ The “Rightist” – conservative group
which seeks to maintain the status quo
in the country.
¨ The Center Party has adopted policies
which are mixture of both the left and
right tendencies.

36. The Advantages and
Disadvantages:
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
¨ may more honestly
represent the various
shades of political
opinions.
¨ may bring out more
truly democratic
measures
Occasional
instability and
inaction.

37. Party Organization
¨ Why do the major parties have a
decentralized structure?
¨ How does the national party machinery
and the local party machinery operate?
¨ What are the three components of the
parties?
¨ What are the future possibilities for the
major parties?

38. The Decentralized Nature of
the Parties
Both of the major parties are highly
decentralized and fragmented.
WHY?
1. The party out of power lacks a strong leader.
2. The government system distributes powers
widely, in turn causing the parties to be
decentralized.
3. The nominating process give way party members
against one another because only one person can
chosen to be the party’s presidential candidate.

39. National Party Machinery
¨ The National
Convention
¨ The National
Chairperson
¨ The Congressional
Campaign
Committees
¨ The National
Committee
All four elements of both major parties work
together loosely to achieve the party’s goals.

40. Three Components of the Party
Party Components
The Party in the
Electorate
Those who always or
almost always vote
for party candidates.
The Party in
Government
Those who hold
office in the
government.
The Party
Organization:
Those who run and
control the party
machinery.