Make 1500 essay about politics in the philipines
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Make 1500 essay about politics in the philipines
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The politics of the Philippines take place within a three-branch governmental system. The country is a democracy, led by a directly-elected president who is both the head of state and the head of government. The President heads the executive branch, and has significant political powers. Presidents are limited to a single six-year term of office. The bicameral Congress serves as the legislature, consisting of the small Senate, elected on an at-large basis throughout the country, and the larger House of Representatives, primarily made up of representatives elected from specific geographic regions. The judiciary is headed by the Supreme Court of the Philippines, a body with expansive powers of review over actions taken by other political and administrative bodies.
The legal system is a mixture of Civil and Common law, influenced by the prior rule of both Spain and the United States. Spanish rule relied heavily on local intermediaries, setting up a system dominated by elites. A revolution that emerged near the end of Spanish rule was defeated by the United States, who consolidated power over the entirety of the archipelago. American rule led to the introduction of democracy, and institutions patterned on the American political system. Following independence in 1946, national politics took place within a two-party system. This was disrupted by the establishment of a dictatorship under martial law. Changes following the restoration of democracy led to the current multi-party system. Left-wing insurgencies have existed at various strengths since independence, and a long-running Islamic insurgency contributed to the establishment of an autonomous Muslim region with a limited sharia law system.
Elections are held every three years, although the President, Vice-President, and Senators are elected for six-year terms. Results are determined through plurality voting, including plurality-at-large for elections (such as for the Senate) with multiple winners. A mixed-member proportional representation system is used to elect a minority of the House of Representatives. Local government units have some revenue-generating powers, under a code intended to decentralize power away from the national government. Administrative structures at local levels are designed to foster civil society participation.
Politics is dominated by a powerful elite, with dynastic politics common at both the local and national levels. Political parties are weak, with elections instead dominated by individual and familial personalities. Political positions provide extensive opportunities for patronage, and clientelism and electoral fraud are common. Corruption is considered widespread, while state institutions are relatively weak. Politics has been heavily influenced at times by the Catholic Church, the Philippine military, and the United States. Despite pessimism about the potential for political change, democracy maintains strong public support, and voter turnout is high.