Philippine Political History

Subject PolGov

Date @September 17, 2022

Pre-Colonial Era (?–1565)

Barangay System
used by non-Muslim communities

led by the datu/rajah

chief executive, lawmaker, and judge

selected by the nobility (maguinoo)

consults the council of the elders

The Sultanate
used by Muslim communities in Mindanao

led by the sultan

chief executive, lawmaker, and champion of the Islamic faith

hereditary succession (heir: raja muda)

selected by the nobility (datus)

consults his cabinet (ruma bichara) and the elders

local executives as panglima

Spanish Colonial Period (1565–1898)

Philippine Political History 1

 authority from the king of Spain through the Viceroy of Mexico and the Ministry of
Colonies

originally used encomienda system, converted to centralized system

appointment based on limpieza de sangre (purity of blood) → favors peninsulares

(Spain-born Spanish)

First Philippine Rebublic (1898–1901)

based on the 1898 Malolos Constitution of the Biak-na-Bato Republic

adopted from the Spanish system → elitist in nature

cabinet led by president-

Executive Branch president elected by the congress
appointed prime minister
Legislative Branch conferred to congress by the people

Judicial Branch Supreme Court selected by the

Philippine Political History 2

 congress with president’s consent
local adaptation of the national
Local Government
government

American Colonial Period (1901–1946)

based on benevolent assimilation and the US political system

supervised by the US government through the Bureau of Insular Affairs,

Department of War

Philippine Bill / Organic

Early Phase (1901– Jones Act of 1916 (1916–
Act of 1902 (1907–
1907) 1935)
1916)

Executive Branch governor-general

Philippine
Philippine popularly-elected
Commission
Legislative Commission (upper Philippine Legislature
(appointed
Branch house) and elected (Senate and House of
Americans and
Philippine Assembly Representatives)
Filipinos)
Judicial Branch Supreme Court

mayor-council
Local
system elected by
Government
qualified men

Commonwealth Period (1935–1946)

granted through Tydings-Mcduffie Law of 1935

based on the 1935 Constitution

Early Phase (1901–1907) After Amendment (1941–1946)

6-year president for 1 term, controls

Executive Branch everything except defense and foreign 4-year president for 2 terms
affairs

Philippine Political History 3

 Early Phase (1901–1907) After Amendment (1941–1946)

Senate and House of

popularly-elected Philippine Assembly
Legislative Branch Representatives (bicameral
(Filipino members)
legislature)
Judicial Branch Supreme Court

mayor-council system elected by

Local Government
qualified men

Second Republic (1943–1945)

based on Japanese occupation

used the 1943 Constitution

formed by the Kapisanan ng Paglilingkod sa Bagong Pilipinas (KALIBAPI)

— the only political party in the PH

Executive Branch 4-year president for 2 terms

Legislative Branch Senate and House of Representatives (bicameral legislature)

Judicial Branch Supreme Court

Local Government mayor-council system elected by qualified men

Third Republic (1946–1972)

based on the 1935 Constitution

started on July 4, 1946 — Philippine independence from the US

adopted a two-party system (nacionalista vs liberal) and women’s suffrage

Executive Branch 4-year president for 2 terms

Legislative Branch Senate and House of Representatives (bicameral legislature)

Judicial Branch Supreme Court

Local Government mayor-council system elected by qualified men and women

Philippine Political History 4

 Martial Law Regime (1972–1986)
started through Proclamation Order 1081

General Order no. 1 abolished the congress → constitutional authoritarianism

based on the 1973 Constitution

Early Phase (1972–1978) Late Phase (1978–1986)

president as head of state and prime minister

Executive Branch president
as head of government

Legislative Branch president Batasang Pambansa and president

Supreme Court (15

Judicial Branch
members)

Local Government appointed by president

Post-EDSA Period (1986–Present)

formed the 1987 Constitution

restored and modified some pre-1972 political institutions

anchored on the concept of the people’s participation, accountability, and

transparency

Executive Branch 6-year president for 1 term

Legislative Branch Philippine Congress (Senate and House of Representatives)

Judicial Branch Supreme Court as recommended by the Judicial and Bar Council

Local Government mayor-council system

Summary of Political Systems

Executive Local
Period Legislative Branch Judicial Branch
Branch Government

Philippine Political History 5

 Executive Local
Period Legislative Branch Judicial Branch
Branch Government

president Supreme Court

elected by the selected by the local adaptation
First Philippine Congress elected
congress + Congress with of the national
Republic by the people
cabinet led by presidential government
prime minister consent

Philippine
American Commission mayor-council
governor-
Colonial Period (appointed Supreme Court system elected
general
(Early Phase) Americans and by qualified men
Filipinos)

Philippine
American Commission
Colonial Period (upper house) +
(Philippine Bill of elected Philippine
1902) Assembly (lower
house)
popularly-elected
American
Philippine
Colonial Period
Legislature
(Jones Act of
(Senate and House
1916)
of Representatives)

popularly-elected
Commonwealth 6-year
Philippine mayor-council
Period (Early president for 1 Supreme Court
Assembly (Filipino system
Phase) term
members)

Senate + House of
Commonwealth 4-year
Representatives
Period (After president for 2
(bicameral
Amendment) terms
legislature)
6-year Philippine
Second mayor-council
president for 1 Assembly (Filipino Supreme Court
Republic system
term members)

4-year
Senate + House of mayor-council
Third Republic president for 2 Supreme Court
Representatives system
terms

Philippine Political History 6

 Executive Local
Period Legislative Branch Judicial Branch
Branch Government

president-
Martial Law
Supreme Court appointed
Regime (Early president president
(15 members) mayor-council
Phase)
system

president as
Martial Law head of state + Batasang
Regime (Late prime minister Pambansa and
Phase) as head of president
government
Supreme Court
6-year Philippine as
Post-EDSA mayor-council
president for 1 Congress (Senate recommended
Period system
term + HOR) by the Judicial
and Bar Council

Philippine Political History 7