Democracy is a system of government that gives power to the people. People are the source of authority. It can practice by citizens or through elected agents. Government is made up of representatives elected by the people. A country with a government that has been elected freely and equally by all its citizens, also a system of government based on the principle of majority decision making. Democracy exist in the Philippines because the government respects the rights of the people.

BRIEF HISTORY

The democratic politics start in the Philippines under the American colonization in the country. Under the 1935 Constitution, the Americans gave the Filipinos the authority to rule the country. But in the time of former President Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, democracy disappeared during his term for 13 years where military forces are implemented. After the authoritarian rule of Marcos, Benigno Simeon Aquino, Jr. (husband of former President Corazon Aquino) assassination came next and as a form of revenge, Corazon Aquino take over the term through revolting EDSA People’s Power Revolution and giving back the democracy which give her the credits of re-democratization.

 

CHARACTERISTICS OF DEMOCRACY

–Citizen Rule

Civic power responsibility are exercised by all adult citizens through their freely elected representatives.

-Majority Rule and Minority Rights

All levels of government must be accessible and responsive to the people as possible. Democracy listens to the voice of Majority.

-Individual Rights

The main function of democracy is to protect such basic human rights.

-Free and Fair Elections

It conducts regular free and fair elections.

-Citizen Participation

People are free from participating in the political systems and organizations.

-Cooperation and Compromise

Democracy should be committed to the values of tolerance, cooperation, and compromise.

Filipinos know both the promise of democracy and the problems of making democratic structures work for the benefit of all. Philippine democracy has developed and, in certain ways, decayed over a span of a century, covering six constitutions and three organics acts.

SIX (6) CONSTITUTIONS AND THREE (3) ORGANIC ACTS OF DEMOCRACY

1. The 1899 Malolos Constitution of the first Philippine Republic which was the first Asian democracy to be established, during the Philippine Revolution that culminated in Asia– ending more than 300 years of Spanish colonial rule in the Islands;2. President McKinley’s Instructions to the Second Philippine Commission on organizing and establishing civil government, including local governments, and the civil liberties of the Filipinos;
   3. The US Philippine Bill of 1902 that served as the organic act of the Philippine Government until August 1916, and which authorized the establishment of the Philippine Assembly thay came into being in 1907;4. The US Philippine Autonomy Act of 1916 or Jones Law that enlarged Filipino self- rule by the establishment of the all- Filipino Philippine Legislature, among other ways, and promised independence following the establishment of a stable government by the Filipinos;5. The Tydings McDuffie Law that led for the promulgation of the 1935 Philippine Constitution for the Commonwealth (1935-1946) and the Republic of the Philippines by the American President, and finally ratified by the Filipino electorate, as authorized by the US Congress;6. The 1943 Constitution of the “Philippine Republic” under the Japanese occupation (during which many officials collaborated with the Japanese while other officials of the Philippine Commonwealth went underground and its President and Vice-President were in self-exile in the US);7. The 1973 Marcos Constitution that was adopted under President Ferdinand Marcos’s authoritarian rule which lasted from September 21, 1972 to February 25, 1986, a period of over 13 years;8. The 1986 Aquino Freedom Constitution under which President Corazon Aquino ruled in the year following the EDSA revolution while a new constitution was being drafted and ratified; and9. The 1987 Constitution that goes much furthering than any constitution in defining the institutions, functions, and purposes of Filipino democracy, and under which President Corazon Aquino led the government and the nation in reestablishing Filipino democracy.

Even some of the constitutions is under the power of Americans, we still need to be grateful that this happened because the other constitutions made and established are base in the previous power. From those, we attained and executed laws that benefits us all Filipinos.

Democracy not just give us the freedom but the rights of every individual because the government rest to the hands of the people and the constituents is able to exercise their rights (human rights). Thus, democracy exist in the Philippines because the government respects the right of the people. We have one aim, one vision, one goal as a Filipino, possessing different functions for the better and we all wish harmonious and peaceful relationship between the superior (government) and we, as the constituents.