Philippine Political

Culture
Prepared by: Ms. Gena Aquino

Political culture

consists of attitudes towards the political system, its various parts and
the role of the self in the system

Political culture is not the same as public opinion

How do you feel about migration?

What do you think about same-sex
marriage?
How about divorce?
When did you form these opinions, and
why did you form them?

Political Socialization

It's the lifelong development of a person's political values.

Important agents of the socialization process

1. Family
2. Education
3. Church
4. Mass media

Family and Political Socialization

Education and Political Socialization

Mass Media and Political Socialization

Churches and Political Socialization

Dimensions of Political Culture:

National Identity

National identity is crucial to political culture. If the vast majority of citizens

do not strongly identify with the nation, the stability of the political system is
threatened. Why? Because nation is supposed to the foundation of a state and
the state is supposed to contribute toward the consolidation of a nation

Dimensions of Political Culture:

Regional Identities

The Philippines is composed of various ethnic languages and dialects.

The four major languages include Cebuano, Tagalog, Ilongo and Ilocano.

Dimensions of Political Culture:

Muslim and Chinese subcultures
Muslim subculture

In 1970, a cross-section of the Muslim population of Mindanao and Sulu

was asked What do you consider yourself to be? Only 29% percent said
Filipino while 65% answered Muslim.

Dimensions of Political Culture:

Muslim and Chinese subcultures
Chinese subculture

Chinese have assimilated into Filipino society more rapidly that the
Muslim countries in Southeast Asia

They were able to retain their own identity even though they were able
to assimilate themselves in Philippine society.

Dimensions of Political Culture:

Patterns of trust and obligation

Utang na loob or debt of gratitude

Family

Patron client relationship

An Anarchy of Families: State and Family in

the Philippines by Alfred McCoy

The role of elite families in shaping Philippine politics

Family name is a valuable asset in Philippine politics

personalistic culture

An Anarchy of Families: State and Family in

the Philippines by Alfred McCoy

CASE 1: Ramon Durano Sr.

CASE 1: Ramon Durano Sr.

Don Ramon used his family to consolidate his dominion, while

simultaneously expanding his external relationships to protect its
political and economic assets.

Politics is not something you can entrust to non-relatives

CASE 1: Ramon Durano Sr.

CASE 2: Mohamad Ali Dimaporo

CASE 2: Mohamad Ali Dimaporo

Dimensions of Political Culture:

Pragmatic and Ideological Orientations

Pragmatic orientationpolitics is purely utilitarian and calculating

Ideological orientationpolitical undertakings are rooted in ideology or

principle

Dimensions of Political Culture:

Legitimacy
is the moral bond between citizens and state which obliges citizens to
obey the states laws
derived from many sources such as constitution, elections, personal
charisma, etc.

Dimensions of Political Culture:

From Parochial to Participant (political process)

Dimensions of Political culture:

From Sacral to Secular (modernity)

Sacral political culture entails a heavy reliance on religious beliefs to

explain behavior or justify authority

Secular political culture is defined as a rational-scientific belief system

characterizes political activity

Dimensions of Political culture:

The Democratic-authoritarian axis

Filipinos value certain democratic principles such as due process, liberty

of abode, protection against unreasonable searches, privacy of
communication, freedom of association, religious freedom and freedom
of the press and speech.

Tendency towards authoritarianism