Political Science Society

07/03/2019

The strength of democracy lies not in the rights it guarantees but in the courage of the people to invoke them whenever they are ignored or violated. Rights are but weapons on the wall if, like expensive tapestry, all they do is embellish and impress. Rights, as weapons, must be a promise of protection. They become truly meaningful, and fulfill the role assigned to them in the free society, if they are kept bright and sharp with use by those who are not afraid to assert them.

Philippine Jurisprudence - RESTITUTO YNOT vs. INTERMEDIATE APPELLATE COURT

01/06/2018

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE VISAYAS POLITICAL SCIENCE SOCIETY (UVPSS) STANDS WITH MAYOR RELUYA

As our former college professor, mentor, and org adviser, the UVPSS stands with Mayor Neneth Reluya and her brand of uncompromising leadership and genuine dedication to public service as she battles against anti-poor and environmentally-destructive corporate interests.

Ma'am Neneth taught us to always uphold the law and to promote the welfare of the people, including their rights, above all else. She remains true to her own teachings, as she refuses to permit a non-compliant business endeavor to start its operation and bypass the legal requirements prescribed by law for it to proceed.

As these business endeavors are mere privileges, non-compliance with the legal requirements to enjoy such privileges and indifference to the rights affected by them prohibits said enjoyment. Uphold the law and promote people's rights.

Not getting their way, these big and influential business interests now retaliate with malicious and ill-motivated suits, the only purpose of which is to harass and intimidate those who stand against their caprice.

And so, as we, as an organization, stands with what is right, we UVPSS members and alumni stand with Mayor/Ma'am Neneth Reluya for she is in the right.

The proponent of the P12.5 billion port project in Barangay Sangat, San Fernando yesterday filed criminal and administrative charges against town Mayor Lakambini Reluya for allegedly suspending the project to favor another contractor. by Gregg M. Rubio

26/02/2018

"A theory however elegant and economical must be rejected or revised if it is untrue; likewise laws and institutions no matter how efficient and well-arranged must be reformed or abolished if they are unjust. Each person possesses an inviolability founded on justice that even the welfare of society as a whole cannot override. For this reason justice denies that the loss of freedom for some is made right by a greater good shared by others. It does not allow that the sacrifices imposed on a few are outweighed by the larger sum of advantages enjoyed by many."

-John Rawls, A Theory of Justice.

24/08/2017

A government of laws, not of men.

When we decided to enter into a social contract with one another, wherein we expressed our intention to abide by the terms and conditions of our relations as stipulated in the agreement, we therefore bound ourselves with the obligation to comply with the rules set forth in the contract. And, for as long as we continue to choose to live under it, we shall remain to be governed by our agreement.

As evidenced by the words inscribed in the Preamble, WE, the Sovereign Filipino People have ordained and promulgated this social contract as SUPREME LAW or, as it is officially and simply called, the Constitution. And since ours is a government of laws, not of men, the CONSTITUTION, and not the contrary directives or declarations of a government of men, GOVERNS US ALL.

01/07/2017

To understand the Duterte (or Trump) phenomenon, or even the rise of ISIS and of the Maute 'rebellion', and the reason why such mass movements took place, read Eric Hoffer's The True Believer. I borrowed a copy of this book from our Political Dynamics instructor back then, Dr. Russell Fulluzos, and had it 'calimpon-ized' so that I can have a copy of my own.

It is a good read because it is written in aphorisms. It is because of this book that I predicted that Duterte would run and win the presidency, way before he 'decided' or was 'forced' to run for the office, though it was obvious, at least to me, that it was just part of the an already predetermined plan (Duterte, after all, was also a Polsci undergrad, not to mention a 20-plus-year veteran politician, and therefore equipped with all the political strategies any Polsci would normally know). And, most importantly, the book is a good research material not just on politics but also on human nature and social behavior as well.

In lieu of the foregoing, I therefore find it most convenient to attach the link of a PDF copy of the book for those who are interested on the subject. Enjoy kids. :)

http://evelynbrooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/The_True_Believer_-_Eric_Hoffer.pdf

Next: Social Contract Theories of Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau.

01/07/2017

Eric Hoffer's The True Believer: a brief analysis of mass movements in contrast with and as proselytize by Karl Marx's Communist Manifesto and Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf. It concerns with the study of the socio-poltical conditions on which upheavals as initiated by mass action take hold and are carried out.

In this lecture we examine Eric Hoffer's fascinating analysis of mass movements. We look at their causes, those most prone to join a mass movement, the role ...

13/11/2016

THE TACITUS POSTULATE

"Corruptissima re publicae plurimae leges."

In republican politics, it has been an enduring tradition that a politician’s legacy or chance for re-election depends upon the politician’s credentials or achievements while in public office. And, that these credentials or achievements should speak for themselves – though they may lack substance, they must be tangible enough to countenance physical existence.

To put it simply, there must be upon the people the impression a re-electionist politician has actually accomplished something before they vote for him.

One of the most recognizable accomplishments a politician must have in his credentials is a list of the number of laws that he himself had written or co-authored, proposed and had gotten passed. Yes, we are talking specifically of our distinguished representatives in Congress, or as we have informally had referred to as our “honorable congressmen”.

I always thought that it is endemic upon our congressmen to have had acquiesced the habit of trying to reach a presumed ‘’quota’’ of laws that each must author or get passed in order for him or her to have earned the merit of being an accomplished lawmaker. And, that said merit would give our congressman another term in office or the influence to nominate a successor to represent his interests.

To a superficial and ignorant electorate, who are easily captivated by quantity rather than substance and quality, the higher the number of laws ‘’quota-ed’’, or bills proposed, by a congressman the more predisposed they are in re-electing him. Even though some of these laws and proposals are capricious and arbitrary (e.g. death penalty and ROTC bills). But realistically though, these laws are written or enacted not to fulfill the promise they have guaranteed but to further the interests of some.

Most laws, if not all, to carry them out, require a tank-full of money. These laws or proposals are either new or additional tax measures, budgetary or appropriations laws, those that create government corporations and utilities, or that give birth to more offices out of existing government service agencies, extending the length of the already kilometers-in-length of lines one should go through in our multi-linear bureaucracies and the hours, days, weeks, months or years he has to spend to conduct and conclude his business, thereby increasing the risks of soaring blood pressures and fatal strokes. One or the other, they each would need an allocation of our taxpayers’ hard-earned money for them to be implemented.

With a ton of our people's money involved, they will ultimately reveal their one underlying purpose: the opportunity for corruption. And these do not even account for the corruption that discretely takes place whenever interest groups and big business would “lobby” for certain pieces of legislations favorable to their cause, prior to the endorsement of proposed bills.

"In most corrupt states are the most laws."

09/10/2016

Fellow Polscians, dear Visayanians, let us show our support to our own bar operations administration, and to our 2016 bar exams takers as well, by participating in herein activity; for it is not only a fund raising activity, it is also a fun racing activity. :)

So, PA-REGISTER NA, PWEDE MAGDALA'G KAUBAN BISAG KINSA, UG KITAKITS MGA KIDS! :D

19/08/2016

"No PERSON shall be DEPRIVED of LIFE, LIBERTY or PROPERTY WITHOUT DUE PROCESS OF LAW" -Sec.1, Art. III, 1987 Constitution

Tanan nga naka-tungtong ug kolehiyo, nakasugat na ni'ng maong probisyon sa atong Batakang Balaod, ug nakasabot ngano ang maong katungod gi-garantiya sa maong balaod. At least, mao na'y presumption kay mandatory man nga i-apil isip kabahin sa ilang "curricula" ang pagtuon sa Batakang Balaod sa tanan "educational institutions" ubos mismo sa Section 3, Article XIV niini.

Ang nakasagmuyo lang niini kay mora'g absent o wa naminaw o kaha busy tingali sa uyab-uyab ang uban estudyante sa dihang gi-esplikar na sa klase ang maong probisyon -- kun ngano gimando sa Batakang Balaod nga wa'y tawo nga hikawan sa iyang kinabuhi, kagawasan o kabtangan kun wa ipaagi sa husto ug maki-angayon nga proseso, ug si kinsa ang gidid-an nga kini buhaton. Mga katungod nga personal ug gi-garantiya sa balaod ngadto sa matag usa ka indibidwal.

Apan ang mas makapasagmuyo pa gyud kaayo kay bisan mga POLSCI major mismo, mora'g wa gyud intawon makakuha sa sustansya sa maong lagda.

Ang prinsipyo sa "social contract" diin ang mga miyembro sa usa ka komunidad mihimo ug kasabotan nga magtukod sila ug usa ka estado diin usa ka gobyerno ilang patindogon nga mao'y modumala sa pagpadagan sa estado alang sa ilang kaayuhan ug mo-garantiya sa pag-amuma sa ilang tagsa-tagsa ka personal nga katungod isip limitasyon unya sa pag-ehersisyo sa gahom nga igo ra nila ug temporaryo nga gipakuptan sa nanagdumala sa gobyerno.

Nga ang nag-unang hinungdan ngano natukod ang estado mao ang personal nga katuyo-an sa matag usa ka partido ubos sa maong "social contract" nga ma-protektahan ang ilahang tagsa-tagsa ka mga kinabuhi, indibidwal nga kagawasan ug bugtong pagpanag-iya sa kabtangan nga ilang gihagoan.

Ang maong kasabotan o "social contract" mao ang Batakang Balaod. Ug, base sa atong kasabotan, kini mao ang balaod nga tumanon sa tanan, lakip na ang gobyerno nga, isip usa ra ka institusyon nga gipatindog aron mao'y modumala sa atong kaayohan ug mo-protehir sa atong tagsa-tagsa ka katungod, wa kini'y gahom mo-dumili pagsunod sa maong kamandoan kay, gawas nga dili kini partido sa kasabotan, usa ra kini ka himan nga mao'y mopatuman sa atong kasabotan.

Nga kun tugotan nato ang gobyerno nga igo ra nato gipahuwam sa atong gahom -- gahom nga bisa'g kanus-a pwede nato bawion -- nga lapason ang tawhanong katungod maski bisan usa kanato, usa ka miyembro sa estado ug usa ka partido sa kasabotan, sama ra kini nga kita mismo misugot nga buhaton upod ngari kanato ang susama'ng linuog nga buhat. Ang piniyalan, mao na karon ang hawod, ug kita nga imbes maoy soberenya mao na hinuo'y iyang ulipon.

Nakalimot na mo ani, o wa lang gyud mo nakasabot sukad pagsugod? Aw hinuon, mas importante man gyud ang uyab-uyab kaysa pag-estudyo. Ang akoa lang, kun nakalimot na mo o wa gyud diay mo kasabot, ayaw lang pud intawon mo ug sabat ngano hatagan kuno ug due process ang mga adik nga kriminal man na sila kay nakabutang pud raba sa Batakang Balaod ang "presumption of innocence until proven otherwise" ug ang mga korte ra'y naa'y gahom ug kaalam nga modetermina kun ang akusado ba napamatud-an na nga usa ka "kriminal". Kay kita yano ra kaayo 'ta mopa-ubos ug hukom, nya wa diay ta'y nasabtan kabahin anang due process.

Sa nga'an nga POLSCI kunohay ta, nya wa diay ta'y alamag sa atong gipangyawyaw, kun mahimo, akong hangyo, nga usa ta magyawyaw, balikon kaha nato ug basa atong mga textbooks. Kay kusog kaayo ta manaway sa uban, apan kun ang atoang rason o argumento sa pagpanaway na maoy basahon, aguy, juicekolord tabang, ako nala'y mauwaw para nato.

18/12/2015

ON POE'S DISQUALIFICATION

Section 2 of Article VII of the 1987 Philippine Constitution prescribes:

“No person MAY BE ELECTED PRESIDENT unless he is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, …and a resident of the Philippines for at least ten years immediately preceding such election.”

Grace Poe’s candidacy for President has been revoked using the above-cited provision as its legal basis.

My question is: has Grace Poe been ELECTED PRESIDENT for the provision’s qualifying condition to apply?

Clearly, the provision does not speak of a person’s QUALIFICATIONS TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT but particularly enumerates the QUALIFICATIONS FOR (or OF A) PRESIDENT, which may only be questioned when such person is ELECTED PRESIDENT. This means that in order for the disqualification to apply, Grace Poe must be ELECTED PRESIDENT first before any person may institute an action questioning her qualifications for having been elected President.

The law pertains to QUALIFICATIONS FOR PRESIDENT and NOT QUALIFICATIONS TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT. One has to be elected President first in order that he or she be disqualified from being elected President. You can’t disqualify a person from running for President if your legal basis is one that pertains to the disqualification of an elected President.

Using the same line of reasoning, the above-cited provision’s application is analogous to Section 4 of Article III of the same law, which provides:

“No law SHALL BE PASSED abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances,”

where any question of constitutionality against any repressive law may be instituted ONLY AFTER THE LAW IS PASSED and NOT when it is still a bill proposed and deliberated in Congress.

Hence, the ruling nullifying Grace Poe’s CANDIDACY FOR PRESIDENT based on a constitutional proscription on QUALIFICATIONS FOR PRESIDENT is not only premature but is tainted with grave abuse of discretion by said tribunal assuming jurisdiction of a controversy that is non-existent and to have proceeded with and then ruling on it, the petitioner having no cause of action to begin with.

What's your opinion, kids? :)

12/11/2015

Check out this tv program/fb page kids.

https://www.facebook.com/politicsforbeginners.tv5/

POLITICS FOR BEGINNERS
with Bayaw Jun Sabayton and Atty. Mel Sta. Maria