Module 6
What I have learned so far?
1. What are the doctrines of separation of powers and checks and balances?
- The doctrines of separation of power principle is to guide that every branches have its own
power and responsibilities. While the check and balances is to make sure that every branch
doesn’t abuse their power.
2. How does executive power differ from legislative and judicial powers?
- Legislative task is to make or create the law. The judicial duty is to apply the law. While the
executive power is to execute the law and make sure they’re properly implemented.
Beyond Walls 6.1
1. What are the instances when a vice president will act as president?
- In case the president is Dead or cannot fulfill his / her role in office as such the Vice - president
would succeed and replace the president as protocol dictates especially since the Presidency can
never be vacant (as the presidency is the Highest Leadership in the country). Section 8. In case of
death, permanent disability, removal from office, or resignation of the President, the Vice -
President shall become the President to serve the unexpired term.
2. When shall the vice president become the president?
- In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice
President shall become President.
3. Who shall take over when there is a vacancy in the Officer of the Vice President? What rules
apply?
- If there is a vacancy in the position of Vice President, the President will appoint any member of
Congress (usually a party member) as new Vice President. The appointment will be validated by
a three-fourths vote of Congress voting separately.
4. Give examples of presidential succession in recent history.
- On January 20, 2001, Vice President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo took her oath of office as the
14th president of the Philippines before Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. following the ouster of
President Joseph Estrada. She had earlier resigned her cabinet position as Secretary of Social
Welfare and Development and joined the growing opposition to the president, who faced
impeachment. Estrada was forced from office by the EDSA Revolution of 2001. She was elected
to a full six-year term in the 2004 presidential election and was sworn in on June 30, 2004.
Following her presidency, she was elected to the House of Representatives, making her the
second Philippine president after Jose P. Laurel to pursue a lower office after their presidency.
Reflect upon
1. How powerful does one become after being elected as the president of the Philippines?
- Too powerful that you can control the departments, laws, government branches, remove
officials and etc. The future of the country is based on the president.
2. If you become a president, what do you think would people expect from you?
- Strength, wise, and strategy.
Reflect upon
What do you think could happen if the president’s power is left unchecked?
- I think it would depend on circumstances as there are examples where absolute power to the
presidency have led to merits and examples of horrible power grabs that lead to absolute
anarchy. But all in all I still believe in checks and balances much like a separation with a head of
state and a head of government to constitute that balance or supposedly in our case the
Executive, Judiciary, and Legislative.
What I have learned so far?
1. The president’s powers are enormous. What are some of them?
- Powers to check other branches of the government.
- Budgetary and fiscal power.
- Power to nominate, appoint and remove officials.
- Pardoning power.
2. How is the principle of checks and balances manifested in the Philippine government?
- The Congress specifies the conditions and restrictions of certain powers it assign to the
president.
- The Congress ca override the president’s veto by two-thirds vote in each time.
- The Supreme court may declare executive orders and proclamations unconstitutional.
What I have learned so far?
1. How similar or different were the presidents in their exercise of their powers?
- Cory Aquino restored democracy. Her successors - Ramos, Arroyo, Benigno Aquino III, Erap,
and Duterte - would be ineffective if she had not created the groundwork for democracy. She
established the democracy that will finally lead to progress. We will not accomplish such
resurgence until 2012, during the height of Benigno Aquino III's administration.
Ramos was the most effective of her predecessors. He was able to save the economy in around
two years. Then, in less than a year, Erap demolished it. Arroyo provided the groundwork for the
improvements we currently enjoy (before Digunggong destroyed it). Among her successors,
Arroyo is my favorite. You would not, however, feel the effects of progress during her reign,
which was defined by policies of forced savings and restraint. Life was certainly difficult under
Arroyo, but it was also full of promise. Benigno Aquino III is the most effective of Cory's
successors.
2. What were the challenges each of them faced? What does these challenges say about the
strength of their administrations?
Corazon Aquino
The country owed the US $ 26 billion, the administration was in tatters, cronyism and corruption
were prevalent, and she had no political experience. There was also the unusual amount of
disasters that struck the country, as well as the numerous coup attempts to contend with. Her
failure to implement meaningful land reform, even becoming the poster child for the failing
initiative, and unknowingly shielding corrupt officials were all flaws. Someone with greater
governance experience might have performed better with the backing she received, but she was
the only person the country trusted at the moment.
Fidel V. Ramos
Ramos' term is well-known for beginning on a high and ending on a negative note. The first
several years of the government had technological, economic, and political stability booms.
However, this came at the expense of privatizing utilities like power and telecommunications. A
scenario that contributes significantly to modern citizens' financial strain. His presidency ended
with the Asian Financial Crisis, which nearly negated all of his administration's accomplishments.
Joseph Ejercito Estrada
Because of his conviction on corruption allegations, as well as his role in inflating the national
debt from P48 billion to P100 billion in a year. Estrada earns some merits for his military
campaigns against Mindanao's insurgent organizations. His all-out war plan arguably brought
the world closer to peace than sixty years of discussions ever could. The only reason his
administration was unable to complete the campaign was that he was deposed by People Power
II near the end of his term.
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria, another much-maligned leader, is seeing her presidency improve with each passing year.
Her efforts to stabilize the economy had a good knock-on effect that is still being seen today.
She outperformed three of her predecessors, averaging 4.5 percent quarterly growth. The
Philippine economy grew at its quickest rate in history, at 7% real GDP growth, and was one of
the few in the world to avoid contraction during the 2008 Financial Crisis, which wrecked the
United States and much of Europe. Other international leaders praised Arroyo's economic
management for getting the country back on track despite continuing poverty, a high population
growth rate, and unequal income distribution. Accusations that she cheated in the 2004
elections, on the other hand, followed her to the end of her term and beyond.
Benigno Simeon Aquino III
Though this administration is credited with the greatest increase in the country's economic
profile, many analysts attribute much of the earlier policies to Gloria Arroyo's predecessor.
Indeed, experts believe the economy is stalling as a result of his decision to cut infrastructure
expenditure.
Pres. Aquino is unlikely to undergo the same kind of scrutiny that his two predecessors did at
the end of their tenure. However, his inability to act as a leader at times of crisis, such as the
Yolanda typhoon, the Quirino Bus tragedy, the SAF 44 debacle, the Lumad massacres, and the
Kidapawan massacre, are major blots on his administration. There are also concerns over his
administration's failure to address the deterioration of public transportation, vetoing the SSS
pension reform, pushing for the DAP, and dragging its feet on the FOI bill. Another vexing aspect
of his tenure has been his persistent blaming of the Arroyo administration for all of the country's
issues (even in his final year), while taking all of the positive credit for his own. All of this is
compounded worse by the fact that this Presidency began with one of the most uniform
displays of hope the country has seen in years.
Rodrigo Duterte
Davao was previously the murder center of the Philippines, with drug gangs battling for power,
hiring mercenaries to assassinate opponents and witnesses, and bribing the local government to
turn a blind eye. Duterte saw that drugs were a disease with no cure and that the only way to
cure it was to kill everyone involved in the illicit drug campaign. Surprisingly, it succeeded, and
Davao is today the safest city in the Philippines. If you're from Davao, it's normal that people
here have a natural predisposition to regard him positively, but some, like me, don't. Duterte is
an emotional man who utilizes emotions to sway the hearts of Filipinos. He responds to
particular situations with passion, which is a double-edged sword.
Reflect upon
Given the enormous problems of the country at present, what do you think are the qualities
that a president should possess? Why?
- Given the type of people our country has our soon to be president must be though to take all
the bad comments and bash about him / her. Also the president needs to be wise in every
decision he / she will make. He / She need to consider all of the people under him / her, their
state and their potential.
Module 7
Reflect upon
What would a society be like if there were no rules enacted by a body like the legislature?
- I think the society will be in completely chaos since there is no rules and laws that will limit the
people on what they do and not do.
What I have learned so far?
1. What is legislative power and in whom is it vested?
- Legislative power is when the legislative branch creates the laws which the executive
implements and which the judiciary interprets, it is vested in the Philippine Congress composed
of Senate and House of Representatives.
2. What are the qualifications of the members of each house of the Congress?
For Senate: For House of Representatives:
- At least 35 years’ old - At least 25 years’ old
- Registered voter - Registered voter in the district (except in the party-list)
- Able to read and write - Able to read and write
- Natural-born citizen - Natural-born citizen
- Resident of the Philippines for - Resident of the Philippines for
not less than two years. Not less than a year.
Beyond Walls 7.1
Visit the Web sites of the Senate (http•//[Link]/) and the House of
Representatives ([Link] and look for the following:
l. Current composition of both chambers
- The Senate composed of twenty-four (24) Senators, while the House of Representatives shall
be composed of not more than two hundred fifty (250) members.
2. Officers in each chamber
Senate
Senator Vicente C. Sotto III (Senate President)
Senator Ralph G. Recto (Senate President Pro Tempore)
Senator Juan Miguel "Migz" F. Zubiri (Majority Leader)
Senator Franklin M. Drilon (Minority Leader)
House of Representatives
Hon. Velasco, Lord Allan Jay Q. (Speaker)
Hon. Legarda, Loren, Hon. Leachon, Doy C. and 31 others(Deputy Speaker)
Hon. Romualdez, Ferdinand Martin G. (Majority Leader)
Hon. Paduano, Joseph Stephen "Caraps" S. (Minority Leader)
Mark Llandro L. Mendoza (Secretary General)
BGEN RODELIO B JOCSON (RET) (Sergeant-at-Arms)
3. Offices and committees created and their functions
Reflect upon
Rules and policies are important in the proper and orderly functioning of a society. becomes
important in this regard. How about in your family? Who creates are some of these rules?
What are some of these rules? Do you think it is necessary to follow these rules?
- In our family mostly my father created the rules and some of them are, we must finish the
household chores before we used our phone, It’s a must to have a rice before 1pm so that if my
father will arrive, only the ‘ulam’ or dish that needs to be cook. And lastly if we go out, we need
to be in the house by 5pm. And these rules are important especially in our daily lives, so that we
prevent some arguments and be discipline.
What I have learned so far?
What are some of the powers and functions of the Congress?
Aside from creating laws, the Congress is given powers to check on the powers of the
president like, check the president’s power to appropriate money for government use
(Article VI, Section 25)., Provide consent appointments made by the president (Article
VII, Section 16 and etc. While the functions are Declaration of the existence of a state of
war [Article VI, Section 23(1)], Granting of emergency powers to the President in times
of war emergency [Article VI, Section 23(2)].
What I have learned so far?
Why do you think some observers say that lawmaking is more cumbersome in bicameral than
in unicameral legislatures? Do you agree with this?
- Bicameral legislatures are intended to provide representation at the central or federal level of
government for both the individual citizens of the country, as well as the legislative bodies of
country 's states or other political subdivisions without it the voice of those in the minority
would not be heard and we would be a state ruled by the mob and would rule out our
republican ideals. And yes I agree that it would be more difficult but in the end it is more
Democratic.
Beyond Walls 7.2
1. Is there a need to create a law to institutionalize political debates among candidates in
national elections? Why?
- Yes, so that the people will hear how they defense a certain topic or issue about them. Also
using a debate, we will be able to know who among the candidates are wise and can think
immediately in the impromptu scenario.
2. What does this proposed law, House Bill 6164, say about the function of the Congress in
relation to the country's political development?
- Its aims to institutionalize political debates among candidates buy making it mandatory or
national television and radio networks.
-
Reflect upon
Try to imagine the Philippines executive and legislative not being able to settle their
differences as to policy making. What impacts would it have on the lives of ordinary people?
- I think that will be a completely chaos, especially with the ordinary people like us. There’s a possibility
that they’ll make policy based on their differences or what they only have without thinking the ordinary
people. Maybe some of their policy will only be for the ordinary people or poor people only.
Beyond Walls 7.3
1. What important laws were created in each of the congressional terms? What does this
say about the performance of the said Congress?
In Senate some of important laws are:
SBN-2467: Media and Entertainment Workers' Welfare Act
An Act Providing Enhanced Protection, Security and Benefits for Media and Entertainment Workers
SBN-2463: Free Public Housing Act
An Act Providing for a Free Public Housing Program, Amending for That Purpose Republic Act No. 11201, and for Other
Purposes
In House of Representatives some of important laws are:
HB00003
N ACT PROVIDING FOR A NATIONAL PROGRAM TO SUPPORT AND CARE FOR THE ABANDONED, NEGLECTED, AND
VOLUNTARY COMMITTED CHILDREN, CREATING A SPECIAL TRUST FUND, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
HB00004
AN ACT CREATING THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE DEPARTMENT (ERD), APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES
Those bill are examples of senate and house of representatives bills, which are more on for the
public health and welfare. These bill concludes that we don’t have enough bill that scopes the
welfare of the Filipinos and by these bills it’s like they’re slowly
2. How important is the use of e-governance (i.e., the use of information and
communication technology or ICT in governance, the utilization of Web pages to
publish information, etc.) in a country? Did you find the Web pages useful?
- Overall e-governance is very useful to know first our government officials, second is
the law or the bill that is proposed and its status. It is like being transparent to us when
it comes to our politics. And the web pages are very useful and has a lot of information
that is knowledgeable and interesting.
Beyond Walls 7.4
1. The following questions must be considered in preparing a bill:
a. What does the bill intend to solve? What problems does the bill plan to address?
(You have to do a comprehensive research.)
- The bill intended to decreased the criminal rate in our country, especially murder and
rape. This bill plans to address the justice for the people who lost their love ones, also
the possible crime that will happen in the future.
b. Why is such considered a problem? What are the indicators that such problem exists?
- One of the example is the crime of the Maguad sibling, some people tend to commit
and commit crimes especially rape and murder that’s because they don’t fear our law,
our rules. I think without death penalty our crime rates will increase as time goes by.
c. What do current legislations say about this problem, if there are any? Are there policy
gaps? (In this case, your bill can propose to amend an existing law, if not repeal it.)
- There is a House Bill No. 7814 that provides the death penalty for a new crime under
the 2002 Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act. Adopted on March 2nd 2021, this Bill
comes after years of President Rodrigo Duterte’s unflagging insistence to reintroduce
the death penalty to the Philippines.
2. For purposes of adhering to House rules, follow the format of how a bill is written by
looking at some examples at the Web site of the House of Representatives
([Link]).
- Death Penalty
An Act of strengthening the country’s prevention to crimes especially for murderers and rapist.
Beyond Walls 7.5
1. How did the authors look at political dynasties in the Philippines? Do you agree with them?
- It's a big affirmative answer to the author who looks at the political dynasties of the country as
a negative matter for the economy. Political dynasties started since the governing period of the
former president of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos, back from the years of his ruling (1965-
1986). Politicians under his dynasty were called "Mga Bata ni Marcos". They had the power to
rule while holding onto their rights together with the president. Poverty since then roamed
across the country, making it more difficult to eradicate.
According to my observations in the politics of the Philippines, political dynasties also have
advantages. They can use their overall power to rule over the country. But as of yet, most of the
Filipino netizens' opinions' purposes is to put political dynasties to annihilation. It is because of
its effects in the economic system. Political dynasties have been playing a role in the Republic of
the Philippines for decades in the history.
2. What is the relationship between the presence of political dynasties and issues of standards of
living, human development, and inequality?
- Taking a deeper journey in the history of political dynasties in the Philippines, there are many
issues about them getting themselves involved in corruption. For example, if a father is the
governor and the son is the mayor, many projects will be put into action which causes the
budget to be brought out. At this condition, money will be the top subject in the colloquy
between the father and his son. They will be notorious for this issue. Corruption cannot be
abolished, unless they make a way in avoiding it.
Poverty is still a treatise all over the nation. One of the reasons of it is the ruling of the political
dynasties. Another circumstance is the unfair administration in the running of candidates in
becoming part of the politics. Candidates who are wealthy and, in a dynasty, have higher
chances to win than of those who are not. Lots of issues about political dynasties are remain
unknown, or worse, completely obsolete. Probably hidden by the government.
3. Why do you think the Congress fails to enact a law that enables the constitutional provision
against political dynasties in the Philippines?
- Conducting a law about enabling political dynasties might never be a very positive thought to
everyone. But creating laws against political dynasties is not a great idea for politicians either. If
a politician is in a high position and under a dynasty, why would he approve a law against them?
Why would he give a thumbs up to a law that could ruin their power? That condition will be self-
incriminating. It's an adequate reason for them to stay in anonymity.
Filipinos are trying to express their thoughts about these dynasties ruling and governing
nationwide. Expect for the fact that the government itself does not listen to their speeches, not
just because of the power of the dynasties, but also their considerations for them to be clean
and fit in their positions. Tk be articulated clearly, people have the ideas in mind but cannot be
heard due to lack of power of voice and rights. The government cannot conduct a law against
political dynasties because they are the law itself.
Beyond Walls 7.6