Learning Activity Sheet in
Philippine Politics and Governance
First Semester, SY 2020-2021
OVERVIEW
For the Learners
Welcome to the journey of Philippine Politics and Governance! Prepare yourself
to discover how far you have gone in developing your essential life skills in Politics and
Governance in the Philippines, especially the concept, relationship and importance of
politics, governance and government. As a Senior High School learner, you have to deal
with a variety of learning skills in your daily life.
This module will help you face the rigors of the curriculum aligned with the K to
12 features. The primary goal of this module is not only to further enhance your skills,
but more importantly to ensure that you are able to use these skills to develop your
capacity to think critically and logically.
This learner’s activity sheet is divided into four parts:
1. Explore – In this part, you will be doing either review, motivation, or jump start
activities that will help you be introduced to the lesson.
2. Learn – This is the discussion part. You will be required to read the lesson and
understand the important concepts discussed in this part.
3. Engage – In this part, you will be doing activities that would allow you to apply
what you have understood about the lesson.
4. Apply – This is the assessment (test/quiz) part of the activity. You will be required
to make papers or answer questions to determine whether or not you understood
the lesson.
The objectives of this module are best achieved if the learners fully understand the concept, relationship
and importance of politics. Additionally, learners are required to:
1. Read and understand the instructions properly;
2. Write your answers in intermediate paper;
3. Answer the pretest prior to the lesson proper;
4. Take note of the terminologies (mark and labeled as bold) cited relevant to the study of Social
Sciences;
5. Perform critically the activities instructed in this module; and
6. Answer the given assessment test after thorough study of the lessons.
NOTE: In answering activities, or writing reaction or reflection papers, or answering tests or quizzes, ALWAYS
USE ONE WHOLE SHEET OF INTERMEDIATE PAPER. Also, WHEN ANSWERING PRETESTS or PRE-
DISCUSSION ACTIVITIES, AVOID READING OR REFERRING TO THE “LEARN” PART FOR YOUR
ANSWERS. DO NOT CHEAT. ANSWER HONESTLY AS POSSIBLE.
What I Need to Know
This learner activity sheet will help you understand the concept, relationship and importance of politics,
governance and government.
After you have completed this activity sheet, you are expected to:
1. Explain the concept, relationship and importance of politics, governance and government.
Lesson Concept, relationship and importance of politics, governance and
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1 government
1.
1, Explore! 2.
3. 4.
5. 6.
7. 8.
ACTIVITY 1- I Believe. What comes to your mind if you hear the words politics, government, or governance?
On your lecture notebooks, write the definition of the word politics, governance and government, then
examine the pictures below and identify to which concept this picture belongs. Your answer should always
start with the words I Believe and followed by because. Example: I believe picture 1 is a picture showing
what governance is, because. Answer in your answer sheet and label this Lesson 1 – Activity 1.
2.
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In every aspect of man’s life, there is always conflict and disagreement. Some disagree about the
distribution of powers and resources as well as how to resolve such disagreement. Questions such as “Why do
different group choose to solve conflict through war?” What causes poverty and how do we solve it? Why is
corruption so common in the government? How can we improve the lives of Filipinos? These questions call
politics to come in.
What is Politics?
What is politics? Politics comes from the Greek word polis, a small independent self- contained political
society. Thus, from polis, we have the word polites, meaning citizens and politikos, meaning government
officials.
As the heart of political science, politics is the activity of people where they create, preserve and amend
laws under which they live. As the art of government, politics is what defines the activities of the government
and of the state. All government officials and all those working in government are participating in politics. As
public affair, politics is played by everybody, politicians or not.
In politics, Aristotle said that “man by nature is a
political animal,” this means that it is only within a political
community that human beings can live the good life. Thus,
politics becomes necessary to create a just society. As
compromise and consensus, politics is meant to resolve
conflict. In politics, compromise, conciliation and negotiation
become necessary. It is through these means that issues
and problems are being resolved. Thus, politics becomes
the process of conflict resolution. As power, politics happens
in all human interactions: within the family, among friends,
among office mates, etc. Politics can, therefore, be seen as
struggle over scarce resources, and power can be seen as the means through which struggle is conducted.
Politics focuses its study on the actual actions or decisions of the state. As defined by Harold Laswell,
“politics is the study of who gets what, when and how”. This includes determining who gets power,
authority, and leadership, when are they able to get it and how were they able to it. Thus, politics is the
exercise of power, the science of government, the making of collective decisions, and the allocations of scarce
resources.
Politics, as defined within political science refers to human behavior with regard to matters related to
government activities such as the formulation and execution of policies, creation of laws, selection of
government officials; negotiations with foreign governments and other entities or organizations; protection of
territorial boundaries; preservation of cultural heritage and tradition; and upholding the public interest and
welfare. Politics is often associated with the concept of power and the exercise of legitimate authority in a
state.
Characteristics of Politics (Shievely, 2013)
1. Politics always involves the making of collective decisions for group of people;
2. Those decisions are made by some members of the group exercising power over other members of the
group.
The Science of Politics
1. It is the basic knowledge and understanding of the state and the principles and ideals which underlie its
organization and activities.
2. It is primarily concerned with the association of human beings into ‘body politic’ or in a political community.
3. It deals with those relations among men and groups which are subject to control by the state with the
relations of men and groups to the state itself and the relations of the state to another state. As pointed by
Robert Dahl, “politics is the existence of rules or authority within the state. It is therefore the study of power
relationship among the people in a given society as well those relationships among states in the international
community (Lazo, 2009).
Approaches to Defining Politics
In Heywood citing Hay (2002) and Leftwich (2004) identified two broad approaches:
a. Politics as an Arena or location – In here, politics is associated with an arena or area, in which case
behavior becomes ‘political because of where it takes place’. This includes the art of government and public
affairs.
b. Politics as a Process or mechanism – In which case, ‘political behavior is behavior that exhibits
distinctive characteristics or qualities, and so can take place in any, and perhaps, all social contexts. It includes
compromise and consensus, and power and the distribution of resources.
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The Meaning of Governance
The concept of “governance” is as old as human civilization. Governance was defined as “the process
of decision-making and the process by which decisions are implemented (or not implemented). It also refers to
how various institutions of government, from local to the national level, work together to successfully implement
policies and programs.
It is through governance that a government is able to have a direct and significant impact on the lives of
its citizens.
Characteristics of Good Governance (UNESCO for Asia and the Pacific)
1. Participation – as one of the aspects of good governance, by both men and women, must partake directly
or indirectly (having a representative) in every governmental process. This is because participation is an
essential cornerstone of good governance.
2. Rule of Law – this means to say hat good governance manifested through the impartiality of their legal
framework such as the promotion of a full protection of human rights and dignity especially those members of
minority.
3. Transparency – this means that decisions were taken, and their enforcement are done in a manner that
follows rules and regulations. It also means that information is freely available and directly accessible to those
who will be affected by such decisions and their enforcement. It also means that enough information is
provided and that is provided in easily understandable forms and media.
4. Responsiveness – Good governance requires that institutions and processes try to serve all stakeholders
within a reasonable time frame.
5. Consensus oriented – Good governance requires mediation of the different interests in society to reach a
broad consensus in society on what is in the best interest of the whole community and how this can be
achieved. It also requires a broad and long-term perspectives on what is needed for sustainable human
development and how to achieve the goals of such development.
6. Effectiveness and Efficiency – Good governance means that processes and institutions produce results
that meet the needs of society while making the best use of resources at their disposal. The concept of
efficiency in the context of good governance also covers the sustainable use of natural resources and the
protection of the environment.
7. Accountability – is a crucial requirement for good governance. Not only governmental institutions but also
the private sector and civil society organizations must be accountable to the public and their institutional
stakeholders.
https://www.governright.com.au/good-governance/2016/11/24/the-7-pillars-of-good-governance
The Concept of Government
Government refers to the agency or mechanism through which the will of the state is formulated,
expressed and carried out. The word is sometimes used to refer to the person or aggregate of those persons in
whose hands are placed for the time being the functions of political control. This “body of men” is usually
spoken of as “administration.” The ordinary citizens of a country are a part of the state, but are not part of the
government.
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Purpose and Necessity of Government
1. Advancement of the public welfare – Government exists and should continue to exist for the benefit of
the people governed. It is necessary for the protection of society and its members, the security of the persons
and property, the administration of justice, the preservation of the state from external danger, and the
advancement of the physical, economic and cultural well-being of the people.
2. Consequence of Absence (What if there is no government?) – Government exists to do these
things by which their very nature, it is better equipped to administer for the public welfare than any private
individual or group of individuals. It is obvious that without an organized structure of government, anarchy and
disorder, and a general feeling of fear and insecurity will prevail in society, progress and development will not
be possible, and values taken for granted in a free modern society such as truth, freedom, justice, equality, rule
of law, and human dignity can never be enjoyed.
The need for government is so apparent that even the most primitive societies, history shows, had
some form of it.
Government and Governance
Once a government is deemed functional, governance follows. Governance refers to the process by
which laws and policies are enacted by the government through the implementation of programs that uphold
the general welfare. Governance also refers to how the various institutions of government, from the local to the
national level, work together to successfully implement government policies and programs.
It is through governance that a government is able to have a direct and significant impact on the lives of
its citizens. In this regard, good governance in the Philippines is indicated in recent times by key components
such as sound financial management, environmental management, social security, peace and order, disaster
preparedness, access to services and information, and a competitive business-friendly economy. These
components are significant both at the national and local government levels.
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The study of politics provides us with a view of the principles and ideals that influence the
development of politics and governance through the centuries. Many of these ideals, however, are
rendered imperfectly in the real world.
As citizens, we are aware of the ideals that our government and officials must live up to. “Real life
politics”, however, shows us that certain actions by governments and individual politicians do not necessarily
conform to what we consider as ideal behavior. We often hear news reports on politicians accused of unethical
actions, of government workers and members of the police allegedly abusing authority and are inefficient. Graft
and corruption have become popular by words that characterize Philippine politics and governance at present.
This friction between the ideal and the real is best exemplified by the notion of realpolitik – which is politics
that is primarily driven by the current needs, circumstances, or the prevailing reality in the state, instead of
political ideals and moral and ethical standards. In its most negative sense, realpolitik pertains to politics that
uses force and violates moral standards to achieve its goals. Conventional ideas regarding politics often
emphasize power, access to services and opportunities, and control over resources, particularly money.
Other perspectives that offer descriptions of regarding real-life politics include political realism, which
believes that politics is defined by conflicting interests among individuals and groups as they compete for
power in government and society. This perspective believes that politics is a continuous struggle among
people with varied interests and needs. Complex interdependence, meanwhile, is a perspective which
believes that societies, governments, and states are all linked together through economic and political
activities. The relationships established among individuals and groups play an important role in defining the
characteristics of government. Global justice, on the other hand, believes that inequality is a reality. However,
it also stresses that it is the role of government to address inequality and other social issues, and promote
human dignity, justice, equality, and adherence to the law. These three views enable us evaluate more
critically the various activities and structures that define our government.
It is important for citizens to understand how government works, as well as an awareness of its various
limitations and problems. Issues such as bribery, graft and corruption, inefficient public service, poverty, crime,
and other social problems are indications of the limitations of government.
As citizens it is our responsibility to participate in the discussion of political issues to clarify, define and
make sense of the political problems we face. Having adequate information regarding government and
governance will enable us to work together to formulate plans and programs that will engage the government
in addressing its limitations and, in the long run, uphold good government and effective governance.
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3.
Engage
Lesson 1 – Activity 2 (Polvenn Diagram). List in circles what you have learned about Politics, Governance
and Government. On the overlapping parts, write your ideas on how both topics are interrelated. Use an
intermediate paper in making this activity.
POLITICS GOVERNANCE GOVERNMENT
Lesson 1 – Activity 3. At the back of your Activity 2, answer this question: Which of the three concepts of
government and politics (political realism, complex interdependence, or global justice) is observed/can be
observed in our society? Give bases or justifications for your answer. (You may choose only one, or two, or all
the three concepts as long as you are able to defend or justify your answers.
4. Apply
Lesson 1 Activity 4 – Political Cartooning.
Materials needs:
1. 1 pc short-sized bond paper
2. pencil
Task: Draw a cartoon of what good governance would look like.
Rubrics in Grading your cartoon
Clarity of concept (the concept is easily understood; the presentation is clear and direct)- 15 points
Artistry (drawing is clear, shows excellent talent, and pleasing to the eyes) - 10 points
Workmanship (includes neatness of work; work follows instructions) - 5 points
Total - 30 points
References:
Joven, Arnel (2017). Philippine Politics and Governance. Quezon City, Philippines. C&E Publishing, Inc.
Tabajen, Rhene & Pulma, Erlinda (2016). Philippine Politics and Governance. Pasay City, Philippines. JFS Publishing
Services
Should you need any further information, please do
not hesitate to contact me.
GUADA FE F. VELMONTE
0945 248 8508
Facebook: Guada Fernandez
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