Some Arguments for an Institutional Approach to Philippine Politics

This paper presents some arguments for the usefulness of developing an institutional approach to the study of Philippine politics. It argues that such an approach could address some of the blind sides of the more dominant society-based approaches currently used in making sense of the dynamics of Philippine politics. In addressing these blind sides, the paper argues that the institutional approach fulfills two seemingly contradictory requirements that any new conceptual approach to Philippine politics must fulfill. First of all, it is holistic enough to grasp most of the crucial forces shaping the dynamics of Philippine state and society. At the same time, it is detailed enough to allow for a finer understanding of specific political-institutional issues.