• As posted on the Official Gazette webpage
of the Constitution of the Republic of the
Philippines posted on July 15, 2020 Article
V-Suffrage Section 1 states that:
Suffrage may be exercised by all
citizens of the Philippines not otherwise
disqualified by law, who are at least
eighteen years of age, and who shall have
resided in the Philippines for at least one
year and in the place wherein they propose
to vote for at least six months immediately
preceding the election. No literacy, property,
or other substantive requirement shall be
imposed on the exercise of suffrage.
Suffrage
• the right and obligation to vote of
qualified citizens in the election of
certain national and local officers of
the government and in the decision
of public questions submitted to the
people.
Nature of Suffrage
• (1) A mere privilege – Suffrage is not a
natural right of the citizens but merely a
privilege to be given or withheld by the
law-making power subject to
constitutional limitations.
• (2) A political right – Suffrage enables
every citizen to participate in the process
of government to assure that it can truly
be said to derive its powers from the
consent of the governed. The principle is
that of one man, one vote.
SCOPE OF SUFFRAGE
• 1. Election – It is the means by
which the people choose their
officials for definite and fixed
periods and to whom they entrust,
for the time being as their
representatives, the exercise of
powers of government.
SCOPE OF SUFFRAGE
• 2. Plebiscite – It is the name given to a
vote of the people expressing their choice
for or against a proposed law or enactment
submitted to them. In the Philippines., the
term is applied to an election at which any
proposed amendment to, or revision of, the
Constitution is submitted to the people for
their ratification. Plebiscite is likewise
required by the Constitution to secure the
approval of the people directly affected
before certain proposed changes affecting
local government units may be
implemented.
SCOPE OF SUFFRAGE
• 3. Referendum – It is the submission
of a law or part thereof passed by the
national or local legislative body to the
voting citizens of a country for their
ratification or rejection.
SCOPE OF SUFFRAGE
• 4. Initiative – It is the process
whereby the people directly propose
and enact laws.
• 5. Recall – It is a method by which a
public officer may be removed from
office during his tenure or before the
expiration of his term by a vote of the
people after registration of a petition
signed by a required percentage of the
qualified voters.
Qualifications of voters
• He must be:
• 1. A citizen (male or female) of the
Philippines;
• 2. Not otherwise disqualified by law;
• 3. At least eighteen (18) years of age;
and
• 4. Have resided in the Philippines for at
least one (1) year and in the place
wherein he proposes to vote for at least
six (6) months preceding the election.
It is also stated in the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of
the Philippines – Article IX –C the establishments of
Commission on Elections (COMELEC. In Section 2 discusses
the powers and functions of COMELEC:
• (1) Enforce and administer all laws and regulations
relative to the conduct of an election, plebiscite,
initiative, referendum, and recall.
• (2) Exercise exclusive original jurisdiction over all
contests relating to the elections, returns, and
qualifications of all elective regional, provincial, and
city officials, and appellate jurisdiction over all
contests involving elective municipal officials decided
by trial courts of general jurisdiction, or involving
elective barangay officials decided by trial courts of
limited jurisdiction. Decisions, final orders, or rulings
of the Commission on election contests involving
elective municipal and barangay offices shall be final,
executory, and not appealable.
POLITICAL PARTY
• an organized and presumably durable
association, either of individuals or of
distinguishable groups of individuals,
which endeavors to place its members in
governmental offices for the purpose of
bringing about the adoption of favored
political policies or programs.
Characteristics of a Political
Party
• One of the primary characteristics of a
political party is its objective to control
the exercise of governmental powers by
placing its own members in the public
offices through which the policies of
government are determined.
• A second characteristic of a political
party is its intention to use governmental
powers for purposes which meet with the
general approval of its leaders and the
rank and file of its membership
