The Philippine Administrative System

The Philippine Administrative System: Its Evolution
Report Paper
PA-202 - The Philippine Administrative System
Submitted to:
Prof. Maria Theresa Vicente-Rodriguez, BAPS-LLB, MPA
Faculty-in-charge
Submitted by:
KEVIN FRANCIS VILLEGAS DAGARAGA
HOLY TRINITY UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL
Master in Public Administration
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I. INTRODUCTION
When talking about Philippine Administrative system, first thing that comes to mind is
about the government and its political divisions in the country. It is about nation’s political
hierarchy such as the central government, provinces, municipalities and barangay. However,
these divisions and subdivions can be attributed to our past history. It is not a plant that simply
blooms from nowhere. The Philippine Administrative System is dynamic, shaped and evolved
through time. From Spanish colonial period to the present administration, the mode of
bureaucracy is adopted, patterned and improved depending on the needs and wants of the
administration. Need, in terms of the welfare of the society. Wants, in terms of what do the
current administration wanted, personally, for his society. We already learned that we were
colonized for over 300 years by the Spaniards and that our heroes fought for a long time just to
bring back our freedom.
After 1896, we had a short-lived independence before we were colonized by the
Americans.
The Philippines was colonized indirectly as opposed to the direct control of Spaniards
during the Spanish period. Americans had its strategies to control us. They allowed the Filipinos
to oversee the government with their help without us knowing that they still controlled us. The,
we had our independence in 1946 which was the start of what we can be called Filipino
Independence.
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II. DISCUSSION
The Republic of the Philippines is a constitutional democracy, with the President as head
of state. The Philippine Constitution is the fundamental basis of the laws of the land. The
country has had several Constitutions, but the current one was adopted through a nationwide
plebiscite in 1987. It is supported by other laws, such as the Civil Code, the Labor Code, the
Omnibus Investments Code, and the National Internal Revenue Code, as well as by rules and
regulations passed by government bodies. The ladder include rulings, letters or instructions,
circulars, memoranda, administrative orders, judicial orders, and pronouncements, as well as
laws adopted by local government within the scope of the Constitution.
Past Philippine presidents had their own way of governance though they are still
embracing the American’s bureaucracy.
Those things were learned and studied however, more in-depth realization regarding
the administration was not discussed. The Philippine Administrative System is not only about
learning our history and strengthening our sense of nationalism but it also understanding the
notions behind our administrative system. It is about how’s and why’s unlike the what, where
and who concepts back in our elementary days. It allows us to distinguish and differentiate the
past from the present enabling us to apply for the betterment of the future administrative
systems.
Ignorance and lack of information can be a good example. History teaches us to appreciate the
and learned from them. However, it was ignored and the process of enlightenment was not
revealed. Spaniards and Americans ruled us through bureaucracy thereby bureaucratic form of
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government was instilled in the minds of the Filipinos. Centralization connotes bureaucracy.
Centralization, as stated in various readings about the administrative system, started during the
Spanish period. There is a need for the Spaniards to centralize the country for the purpose of
consolidation of their power.
Considering that the Philippines is an archipelago, decentralization is the strongest form
of linkage and coordination between regions and provinces. There is where the president will
takes it power. He who will assign his cabinet members and the society will elect this political
positions to upheld the law and order. The issue of centralization is shaped at the time of crisis.
The virtue of governance is geared towards development, environmentally-sound
administration, and globalization. In an administrative perspective, governance deals with some
of the principles of decentralization, participation, responsiveness, and accountability.
Ideal governance is characterized by being responsive to the real needs of the public.
This kind of governance focuses on the voice of the people rather than on the voice of the
politicians and this does not concentrate on the results but on the process and implementation.
However, sometimes people do not understand this ideal because some government services
are inaccessible and sometimes not felt by them. This, indeed, is a proof that our country is still
restructuring from the old-fashioned way of governance to what we yearn as a better
responsive one.
The framework starts from the people who by them state is created. Then comes the
Philippine Administrative System where its elements, power base, and desirable attributes are
enumerated. The second flow of this framework is the empowerment process where PAS uses
its powers to empower people and build the people’s capacity. This empowerment and
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capacity-building lead to an enabled community, which the positive characteristic are present,
the molded capacities are harnessed, and the desired outcomes are materialized. All the
elements in the communities are then distributed to the empowered and enabled people in
order for them to participate in the country’s governance. The cycle of this framework goes on
and on.
Philippine Administrative System makes the people understand the sources of its
powers, its ideal attributes to exercise those powers, the use of those powers to improve the
power of the people, and how can it empower communities to actively participate in the
government.
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III – CONCLUSION
The Philippine public administration heavily relied on foreign models. We initially
derived from the American literature and government to academically study it for its
application in our own setting. However, it can also be said the Philippines also benchmarked
other countries to improve its framework of administration. However, as far as the Philippine
context is concerned, there is undeniably a disproportion in the effect of practice, study, and
politics have on the Philippine public administration. There is complexity in its practice and
theory. It can also be attributed due to the instability of who holds the power in our public
office.
The nature of administration improved after restoration of democracy. The concept of
good governance helped achieved this by making the government transparent and accountable
for the services it renders to the people. The present generation should not repeat the mistakes
and that the future generations should be freed from the bondage of colonial mentality. The
sense of nationalism is still weak. What we were before is what we are at present. As George
Santayana said: “Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Those who do
not remember their past are condemned to repeat their mistakes. Those who fail to learn from
the mistakes of their predecessors are destined to repeat them. Those who do not know
history’s mistakes are doomed to repeat them.”
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IV – REFERENCES
1. Reyes, Danilo R. 2003 “Public Administration in the Philippines: History Heritage and
Hubris”. Public Administration in the Philippines: A Reader. PM 208 Course Manual.
2. The Philippine Administrative System by Edwin Luna
https://www.termpaperwarehouse.com/edwinluna
3. Sajo, T.A. (1993). Book Review: Introduction to Public Administration in the Philippines:
A Reader. Philippine Journal of Public Administration, Vol. XXXVII, No. 4. Retrieved from
http://lynchlibrary.pssc.org.ph:8081/bitstream/handle/0/4046/11_Book
%20Review.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
4. Carino, L. V. (2000) “The Concepet of Governance” From Government to Governance.
Quezon City: Eastern Regional Organization for Public Administration (EROPA.) 1-16.
http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/eropa/monograph-worldcog-
chap1.pdf
5. Alfiler, Ma. Concepcion P. The Philippine Administrative System as an Enabling
Institution: A Framework and a Teaching Methodology. Introduction to Public
Administration in the Philippines: A Reader. 3rd ed. Vol 1. 2015

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The Philippine Administrative System: Its Evolution

HOLY TRINITY UNIVERSITY

bring back our freedom.

After 1896, we had a short-lived independence before we were colonized by the

circulars, memoranda, administrative orders, judicial orders, and pronouncements, as well as

laws adopted by local government within the scope of the Constitution.

embracing the American’s bureaucracy.

consolidation of their power.

Considering that the Philippines is an archipelago, decentralization is the strongest form

The virtue of governance is geared towards development, environmentally-sound

administration, and globalization. In an administrative perspective, governance deals with some

of the principles of decentralization, participation, responsiveness, and accountability.

restructuring from the old-fashioned way of governance to what we yearn as a better

The Philippine public administration heavily relied on foreign models. We initially

The nature of administration improved after restoration of democracy. The concept of

history’s mistakes are doomed to repeat them.”

Hubris”. Public Administration in the Philippines: A Reader. PM 208 Course Manual.

2. The Philippine Administrative System by Edwin Luna

4. Carino, L. V. (2000) “The Concepet of Governance” From Government to Governance.

5. Alfiler, Ma. Concepcion P. The Philippine Administrative System as an Enabling

Institution: A Framework and a Teaching Methodology. Introduction to Public

Administration in the Philippines: A Reader. 3rd ed. Vol 1. 2015

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