Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-l7hp2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-30T19:31:43.882Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Restoration or Transformation? Trapos versus NGOs in the Democratization of the Philippines

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 March 2010

Kent Eaton
Get access

Extract

When the philippines returned to democratic rule in 1986, two images emerged of the new democracy that were vastly different and often hard to reconcile with each other. On the one hand, many observers commented on the great extent to which the new democracy appeared merely to restore the country's previous democratic regime from between 1946 and the establishment of martial law in 1972 (Anderson 1988; McCoy 1994, 19; Wurfel 1988, 323). In this earlier democratic period, traditional political clans dominated the country's policy-making institutions and successfully blocked equity-enhancing reforms. Over the course of these decades, elite-dominated parties mastered the politics of clientelism, in which local power brokers delivered vote blocs to national politicians in exchange for the granting of particularistic favors and the blocking of progressive legislation. Fears of a restoration in the mid-1980s appeared well founded, both in the significant presence in the reopened legislature of the country's most powerful economic elites and in the resistance to agrarian and other reforms by the new president, Corazon Aquino, herself a member of a prominent land-owning family. In many respects, democratization in the 1980s marked the return to power of traditional politicians, or trapos, as they are popularly called, a word that also means “dishrag” in the Tagalog language.

Type
Articles
Information
The Journal of Asian Studies , Volume 62 , Issue 2 , May 2003 , pp. 469 - 496
Copyright
Copyright © The Association for Asian Studies, Inc. 2003

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

List of References

Agra, Alberto, and Rood, Steven. 1996. “Reviewing the Local Government Code: Five Years After.” Journal of Legislative Development 2:21–44.Google Scholar
Anderson, Benedict. 1988. “Cacique Democracy in the Philippines: Origins and Dreams.” New Left Review 169:3–33.Google Scholar
“Biggest Anti-government Rally since Fall of Marcos Takes Place.” 1997. BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. Reading: BBC Monitering. 22 September.Google Scholar
Brillantes, Alex. 1994. “Redemocratization and Decentralization in the Philippines: The Increasing Leadership Role of NGOs.” International Review of Administrative Sciences 60:575–86.Google Scholar
Buendia, Rizal. 1996. “Decentralization and the Local Government Code: Challenging the Limits of Empowerment and Democracy.” Journal of Legislative Development 2:7–19.Google Scholar
Caoili, Olivia C. 1994. Views on the Parliamentary versus Presidential Government. Quezon City: University of the Philippines.Google Scholar
Casper, Gretchen. 1995. Fragile Democracies: The Legacies of Authoritarian Rule. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press.Google Scholar
Celestino, Alicia. 1996. “Amending the 1991 Local Government Code: A Test of Political Will.” Local Government Bulletin 30(1):1–5.Google Scholar
Clarke, Gerald. 1995. “Non-Governmental Organizations and the Philippine State: 1986–1993.” South East Asia Research 3(1):67–91.Google Scholar
Clarke, Gerald. 1998a. “Human Rights NGOs in the Philippines: A Case Study of Task Force Detainees in the Philippines.” In Organizing for Democracy: NGOs, Civil Society, and the Philippine State, edited by Sidney Silliman, G. and Noble, Lela Garner. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press.Google Scholar
Clarke, Gerald. 1998b. The Politics of NGOs in South-East Asia: Participation and Protest in the Philippines. London: Routledge.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Coalition Consortium On Electoral Reforms (CCER). 1995. “Campaign Reference Material on the Party-List and the Approved Bill by the Bicameral Conference Committee.” 1 February. Unpublished pamphlet.Google Scholar
Cohen, Jean, and Arato, Andrew. 1992. Civil Society and Political Theory. Cambridge: MIT Press.Google Scholar
Constantino-David, Karina. 1998. “From the Present Looking Back: A History of Philippine NGOs.” In Organizing for Democracy: NGOs, Civil Society, and the Philippine State, edited by Sidney Silliman, G. and Noble, Lela Garner. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press.Google Scholar
Doner, Robert, and Haggard, Stephan. 1994. The Political Feasibility of Adjustment in the Philippines. Paris: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.Google Scholar
Eaton, Kent. 2001. “Political Obstacles to Decentralization: Evidence from Argentina and the Philippines.” Development and Change 32(1):101–27.Google Scholar
Eaton, Kent. 2002. Politicians and Economic Reform in New Democracies: Argentina and the Philippines in the 1990s. University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press.Google Scholar
Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). 1998a. Country Report: The Philippines. 1st quarter. London: Economist Intelligence Unit.Google Scholar
Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). 1998b. Country Report: The Philippines. 4th quarter. London: Economist Intelligence Unit.Google Scholar
Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). 1999a. Country Report: The Philippines. 1st quarter. London: Economist Intelligence Unit.Google Scholar
Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). 1999b. Country Report: The Philippines. 4th quarter. London: Economist Intelligence Unit.Google Scholar
Emboltura, Anthony. 1994. “The Election Code: Can it Make a Difference?” Legislative Alert April-June:2–7.Google Scholar
Emboltura, Anthony. 1995. “Token Reforms: A Review of the 9th Congress’ Performance in the Area of Electoral Reform.” Legislative Alert January-March: 17–18.Google Scholar
Freedom From Debt Coalition (FDC). 1998a. The FDC Oil Campaign Resource Manual. Quezon City: Freedom from Debt Coalition.Google Scholar
Freedom From Debt Coalition (FDC). 1998b. The FDC Tax Campaign Resource Manual. Quezon City: Freedom from Debt Coalition.Google Scholar
Garcia, Cathy Rose. 2001. “Comelec Asked to Prioritize Veteran Party-List Solons in Hearings.” Business World, 6 July, 11.Google Scholar
George, Terrence. 1998. “Local Governance: People Power in the Provinces?” In Organizing for Democracy: NGOs, Civil Society, and the Philippine State, edited by Sidney Silliman, G. and Noble, Lela Garner. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press.Google Scholar
Gillespie, Charles. 1991. Negotiating Democracy: Politicians and Generals in Uruguay. New York: Cambridge University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Giraldo, Jeanne Kinney. 1997. “Development and Democracy in Chile: Finance Minister Alejandro Foxley and the Concertación's Project for the 1990s.” In Technopols: Freeing Politics and Markets in Latin America in the 1990s, edited by Domínguez, Jorge. University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press.Google Scholar
Gutierrez, Eric. 1994. The Ties that Bind: A Guide to Family, Business, and Other Interests in the Ninth House of Representatives. Pasig: Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism.Google Scholar
Gutierrez, Eric, Torrente, Ildefonso, and Narca, Noli. 1992. All in the Family: A Study of Elites and Power Relations in the Philippines. Quezon City: Institute for Popular Democracy.Google Scholar
Haggard, Stephan, and Kaufman, Robert. 1995. The Political Economy of Democratic Transitions. Princeton: Princeton University Press.Google Scholar
Hagopian, Frances. 1993. “After Regime Change: Authoritarian Legacies, Political Representation, and the Democratic Future of South America.” World Politics 45(3):464–500.Google Scholar
Hawes, Gary. 1987. The Philippine State and the Marcos Regime: The Politics of Export. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.Google Scholar
Huntington, Samuel. 1991. The Third Wave: Democratization in the Late Twentieth Century. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press.Google Scholar
Hutchcroft, Paul. 1991. “Oligarchs and Cronies in the Philippine State.” World Politics 43(3):414–50.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hutchcroft, Paul. 1998. Booty Capitalism: The Politics of Banking in the Philippines. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.Google Scholar
Hutchcroft, Paul. 1999. “After the Fall: Prospects for Political and Institutional Reform in Post-Crisis Thailand and the Philippines.” Government and Opposition 34(4):473–97.Google Scholar
Hutchcroft, Paul. 2000. “Colonial Masters, National Politicos, and Provincial Lords: Central Authority and Local Autonomy in the American Philippines, 1900–1913.” Journal of Asian Studies 59(2):277–306.Google Scholar
Institute For Political and Electoral Reform (IPER). 1994. “Position Paper on Electoral Reforms and the Proposed 1993 Electoral Code.” Archives of the Institute for Political and Electoral Reform, 12 September. Quezon City.Google Scholar
Institute For Political and Electoral Reform (IPER). 1995. “Working Paper on the Party-List System of Voting.” Roundtable Discussion on the Party-List Conference Bill, Ateneo de Manila University. 26 September.Google Scholar
Karl, Terry. 1990. “Dilemmas of Democratization in Latin America.” Comparative Politics 23:1–21.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lacaba, Joseph, ed. 1995. Boss: Five Case Studies of Local Politics in the Philippines. Pasig: Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism.Google Scholar
Linz, Juan, and Stepan, Alfred. 1996. Problems of Democratic Transition and Consolidation. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Manasan, Rosario. 1995. “The Early Years of Code Implementation.” Development Research News 13(4):10–16.Google Scholar
McCoy, Alfred. 1994. “Rent-seeking Families and the Philippine State: A History of the Lopez Family.” In An Anarchy of Families: State and Family in the Philippines. Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press.Google Scholar
Miranda, Salvador. 1996. “The Politics of Pork.” Politik 3(2):34–37.Google Scholar
Montinola, Gabriella. 1999. “Parties and Accountability in the Philippines.” Journal of Democracy 10(1):126–40.Google Scholar
Nuguid, Nati. 1996. “Revamping the COMELEC.” Philippines Free Press 88(49):18, 40.Google Scholar
Paez-Hidalgo, Maria Victoria, Saguil, Dan, and Israel, Gina. 1987. “Socio-Demographic Profile of the Members of the 1986 Constitutional Commission.” Philippine Journal of Public Administration 31(1):37–63.Google Scholar
Panganiban, Elena. 1995. “Democratic Decentralization in Contemporary Times: The New Local Government Code in the Philippines.” Philippine Journal of Public Administration 39(2):121–38.Google Scholar
Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI). 1993–2001. Manila.Google Scholar
Rocamora, Joel. 1996. “Unnatural Disasters.” Politik 2(4):46–48.Google Scholar
Rocamora, Joel. 1998. “Corruption in the Philippines: A Beginner's Guide.” In Pork and Other Perks: Corruption and Governance in the Philippines, edited by Coronel, Sheila. Quezon City: Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism.Google Scholar
Rodriguez, Agustin, and Velasco, Djorina. 1998. Democracy Rising? The Trials and Triumphs of the 1998 Party-List Elections. Quezon City: Institute of Politics and Governance.Google Scholar
Rood, Steven. 1998. “NGOs and Indigenous Peoples.” In Organizing for Democracy: NGOs, Civil Society, and the Philippine State, edited by Sidney Silliman, G. and Noble, Lela Garner. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press.Google Scholar
Rosenberg, David A., ed. 1979. Marcos and Martial Law in the Philippines. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.Google Scholar
Sidel, John. 1999. Capital, Coercion, and Crime: Bossism in the Philippines. Stanford: Stanford University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sidel, John, and Hedman, AEva-Lotta. 2000. Philippine Politics and Society in the Twentieth Century. London: Routledge.Google Scholar
Silliman G., Sidney, and Noble, Lela Garner. 1998. “Citizen Movements and Philippine Democracy.” In Organizing for Democracy: NGOs, Civil Society, and the Philippine State. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press.Google Scholar
Smith, William. 1989. Authoritarianism and the Crisis of the Argentine Political Economy. Stanford: Stanford University Press.Google Scholar
Songco, David. 1997. “Building Strategic Partnerships with Government: Reflections on People's Participation in Local Governance.” CODE-NGO Occasional Paper, Manila, April.Google Scholar
Thompson, Mark. 1995. The Anti-Marcos Struggle: Personalistic Rule and Democratic Transition in the Philippines. New Haven: Yale University Press.Google Scholar
Thompson, Mark. 1996. “Off the Endangered List: Philippine Democratization in Comparative Perspective.” Comparative Politics: 28(2):179–205.Google Scholar
Villacorta, Wilfrido. 1988. “The Dynamics and Processes of Writing the 1987 Constitution.” Philippine Journal of Public Administration 32(3–4):1–25.Google Scholar
Villegas, Bernardo. 1986. “The Economic Crisis.” In Crisis in the Philippines: The Marcos Era and Beyond, edited by Bresnan, John. Princeton: Princeton University Press.Google Scholar
Wurfel, David. 1988. Filipino Politics: Development and Decay. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.Google Scholar