Julio C. Teehankee

Emerging Dynasties in the Post-Marcos House of Representatives

Philippine history has long been characterized by the durability and resilience of political clans and dynasties. Some traditional clans have been politically active for more than two generations since the American colonial, Commonwealth and post-war era. They are historically rooted in the rural elites whose principal sources of wealth were land ownership and export plantation agriculture. On the other hand, fourteen years of authoritarian rule have engendered new political clans who rose to prominence during the period of the Marcos dictatorship.

Weak State, Strong Presidents: Situating the Duterte Presidency in Philippine Political Time

The Philippine presidency is the first and most durable in Asia. As a political institution, it has been rendered enough constitutional power to have a formal semblance of a “strong presidency” but apparently not enough to totally control strategic interests in Philippine society. Applying the concept of “political time,” this article will discuss the rise of the 16th president Rodrigo Duterte within the cycle of presidential regimes in the Philippines. Furthermore, it will analyze the nature of presidential power in the Philippines by identifying the strategic moments that lie between structural regimes and agential choices. Lastly, it will delineate the emergence of regime narratives as “governing scripts” that bind together a coalition of interests within a particular institutional context.

Electing A Strongman

With a folksy style and tough-guy image, Philippine presidential candidate Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte promised to restore peace and order by any means necessary. Following his surprise victory in the May 2016 elections, Duterte has kept his word, launching the promised anti-drug campaign that saw nearly 1,800 extrajudicial killings within Duterte’s first seven weeks in office. Thirty years after the “people power” revolution against the Marcos dictatorship, Duterte’s victory represents a rupture in the liberal-democratic regime, and suggests that many Filipinos are willing to reject aspects of democracy they consider inconvenient or ineffective in exchange for Marcos-era “discipline” and stability.Julio C. Teehankee is full professor of political science and international studies and dean of the College of Liberal Arts at De La Salle University, Manila. He is also executive secretary of the Asian Political and International Studies Association (APISA). Mark R. Thompson is head of the Department of Asian and International Studies at the City University of Hong Kong, where he is also professor of politics and director of its Southeast Asia Research Centre.

The Philippines in 2015: the calm before the political storm

Abstract The year started auspiciously with the successful visit of Pope Francis in Manila. Unfortunately, the afterglow of the event was overshadowed by the tragic death of 44 members of the Special Action Forces (SAF), 18 members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), and five civilians in a botched operation to capture Indonesian terrorist Marwan in Mamasapano, Mindanao. The major political fallout from the tragedy was the breakdown of the peace negotiations with the MILF. The administration was also beleaguered by accusations of incompetence in connection with the monstrous traffic crisis in Metro Manila, extortion rackets at the airport, and the mismanagement of LRT and MRT railway systems. Nonetheless, it demonstrated decisiveness in pursuing an arbitral case against China at the Permanent Court of Arbitration. Despite overseeing a succession of impressive economic growth, the legacy of the Aquino administration and the victory of its anointed successor in the 2016 elections are endangered as a result of these political controversies.

The study of politics in Southeast Asia: the Philippines in Southeast Asian political studies

The study of politics in Southeast Asia emerged out of significant junctures in historical state-making and nation-building in the region. Given the “neglect” of Southeast Asia in “mainstream” Western political science, efforts have been made by scholars within and outside Southeast Asia to form “epistemic communities” like the Asian Political and International Studies Association (APISA) to promote studies about Asia. The Philippines is an interesting case in this regard because it mirrored significant periods in its political history – from colonialism to nationalism, modernization, authoritarianism, and democratization. Notwithstanding the strong influence of American political scientists in the early teaching and writing on Filipino politics, the discipline has generally avoided the quantitative methodologies privileged by its American counterpart. Moreover, a vibrant and pluralist approach has been evident in the scholarly output of the Philippine Political Science Journal (PPSJ). Despite initial setbacks in its organization, the Philippine Political Science Association (PPSA) has been successful in fostering a national “epistemic community” of academics, scholars, and practitioners.

Regional dimensions of the 2016 general elections in the Philippines: Emerging contours of federalism

ABSTRACT This election report will focus on the regional dimensions of the 2016 national and local elections in the Philippines. In doing so, the report aims to draw regional implications for the proposed shift to federalism. The following shall discuss the results of provincial elections for governor clustered along regional administrative lines; elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM); elections for congressional districts clustered in regions; and the breakdown of regional support for the presidential candidates based on their respective bailiwicks.