The document outlines several issues with the Philippine political system including a strong presidency that is difficult to remove, bureaucratic delays, nepotism in government appointments, graft and corruption such as pork barrel spending and vote buying. Elections are marred by dirty tactics like discrediting opponents and focusing on personalities rather than policies. There is a lack of enabling laws and political will to curb issues like political dynasties and reform is needed in areas like land, judiciary, education and combating corruption. Government policies have led to overdependence on foreign capital through policies like import liberalization and reliance on foreign investors for natural resources and infrastructure over local entrepreneurs. This has contributed to job and wage issues.

2. 1. Defects in the political system, such as Constitutional provisions which create a
very strong presidency, which make it difficult to remove him/her from office in
spite of her/his unpopular and questionable political decisions; strong
presidency which controls politics and economic power (executive, legislative,
judicial) of government.
Rules of procedure in impeachment proceedings (15th congress, 2010)
b. House of Action, Section 10. Vote Required for Approval – A vote of at least one-
third (1/3) of all Members of the House is necessary for the approval of the
resolution setting forth the Articles of Impeachment. If the resolution is approved
by the required vote, it shall then be endorsed to the Senate for its trial.

4. 2. Bureaucracy, nepotism, massive graft and corruption in the government.
a. Bureaucracy - involving complicated rules and procedures which can cause long
delays. Diplomats believe that bureaucratic delays are inevitable.
b. Executive Order No. 111, s. 1937 - All appointments in the National, provincial
and municipal governments or in any branch and instrumentality thereof,
whether in the classified or unclassified service, made in the favor of a relative
of the appointing authority or of the persons exercising immediate supervision
over him, are hereby prohibited. (NEPOTISM)
c. Republic Act No. 3019 – Anti Graft and Corrupt Practices (PORK BARREL)
d. Republic Act No. 9485 – Anti Red Tape Act of 2007 (FIXERS)

5. 3. Graft and corruption practices before, during, and after elections. For instance,
vote buying and “dagdag-bawas” practices in the counting of votes. (Points Shaving)
 “In a news conference, Marcos’ representatives pointed out a discrepancy in the
votes of Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero reported by GMA News. The network’s
infographic showed that as of 5:20 am May 10, Escudero’s votes went down from
4,479,913 to 4,449,038. Transparency advocate Glenn Chong, who joined Marcos’
representatives in Tuesday’s news briefing, highlighted that Escudero lost 36,442
votes; at the same time, Liberal Party bet Leni Robredo’s numbers rose to 35,000.”
- https://www.rappler.com/nation/elections/132602-dagdag-bawas-vp-race-
canvassing-marcos/

6. 4. Excessive and lavish spending during elections.
- Vote Buying
Omnibus Election Code
Sec. 261. Prohibited Acts. - The following shall be guilty of an election offense:
a. Vote-buying and vote-selling
1. Any person who gives, offers or promises money or anything of value, gives or
promises any office or employment, franchise or grant, public or private, or
makes or offers to make an expenditure, directly or indirectly, or cause an
expenditure to be made to any person, association, corporation, entity, or
community in order to induce anyone or the public in general to vote for or
against any candidate or withhold his vote in the election, or to vote for or
against any aspirant for the nomination or choice of a candidate in a convention
or similar selection process of a political party.
2. Any person, association, corporation, group or community who solicits or
receives, directly or indirectly, any expenditure or promise of any office or
employment, public or private, for any of the foregoing considerations.

7. 5. Black propaganda, mud-slinging and other dirty tactics to discredit political
opponents.
Black propaganda is a form of propaganda intended to create the impression that it
was created by those it is supposed to discredit. Black propaganda contrasts with
gray propaganda, which does not identify its source, as well as white propaganda,
which does not disguise its origins at all.

8. 6. A politics focused on personalities and not on genuine platforms of government.
Campaign Slogan VS. After Election Service

9. 7. Lack of strong enabling laws to curb political dynasty, nepotism, political
opportunism, cronyism and the like.

10. 8. Lack of political will on the part of government to institute genuine land reform
to provide more social services, to allocate more budget to education, to industrialize
agriculture, to reform the judiciary, to combat graft and corruption, to support local
entrepreneurs, and may others.

11. 9. Government’s policy in adopting globalization, too much dependence on foreign
capital, entering into unequal treaties on trade and commerce and the so-called
“mutual defense” treaty.

12. 10. Import liberalization, free trade, lifting of tariffs, lifting of protectionist policies
and the more recent adoption of liberalizing entrance of foreign entrepreneurs not
only in the production of goods but also in the rendering of services.

13. 11. Entering into business ventures with foreign capitalist as well as the
exploitation and exploration of our natural resources.

14. 12. Governmental policy on the export of manpower and raw materials rather than
support to local entrepreneurs.

15. 13. Governmental reliance on foreign investors, MNC’s and TNC’s foreign debts and
foreign aid.
A Trans-National Corporation (TNC) or Multi-National Corporation MNC is a
business that is based or registered in one country but has outlets/ affiliates or does
business in other countries.

16. 14. Government’s inability to provide more job opportunities and real living wages.

17. 15. Inefficient tax collection and tax evasion by individual and corporate taxpayers.