POLITICAL SCIENCE 19 (Local Government) SYLLABUS

SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY

DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

Prepared By: Mary Grace C. Baywong (gicarrido@gmail.com; gicarrido@yahoo.com;

COURSE DESCRIPTION: LOCAL GOVERNMENT

COURSE CREDIT:             3 UNITS

COURSE ABSTRACT: 

                The course introduces the political perspective of understanding the basic concepts of local governance in the Philippines with a foundation of its historical developments.  The focus is on the Local Government units administration, powers, authority, and the present thrusts and developments in the local government units in the Philippines.  A great attention shall be focused on the basic concepts and policies as embodied in the Local Government Code of 1991, understanding the basic concepts of local governance but, nonetheless, shall include the link between the laws, policies and reality.  Reality of governance in the different local government units shall be explored to identify and analyze the strengths and weaknesses of their inherent and limited powers.  The instructor shall utilize political concepts and theories in the analysis of concepts and cases to be studied.  Lectures, discussions and class presentations shall comprise the totality of the classes.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

At the end of the course, the student shall be able to:

1.       1. Be knowledgeable of political perspectives in approaching and understanding local governance issues and developments

2.      2.  Possess adequate knowledge of the development of local governance in the Philippines, in comparison or contrast to its global neighbors;

3.       3.  Know and understand the dynamics of local politics, including its political culture, structure and institutions in the context of political analysis;

4.          4.  Relate the concepts of local politics and organization with the society as a whole;

5.          5.  Corroborate socio-political concepts with current thrusts and development in local governance research.

Di   6. Displaying the ability to draw out existing knowledge from professional as well as mass audience materials. This includes the internet;  

       7. Utilizing existing knowledge to explore existing local government issues.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

1.       Class participation and Recitation

2.       Quizzes

3.       Critique papers on assigned reading materials

4.       Periodic tests ( prelims, midterms, finals

5.       Group Reports and presentations

6.       Final Research Paper

7.       Field trip (subject to University policies and guidelines)

8.       Join the google group- local gov for dissemination of class reading assignments, information and discussions

   

COURSE OUTLINE:

PRELIM COVERAGE

Decentralization

Local autonomy through Decentralization: the Key to Development ( Bautista A. 1993.  Rules and Regulations Implementing the Local Government Code, Manila: National Bookstore, pp399-417)

        Federal Republic of Germany Experience

Local Governance and local politics vs state governance and politics

Local government History and Background

        Historical Development of local government units in the Philippines

( Pre-colonial period,  Spanish period,  American/Japanese period)

Basis for Local Governance

1.       Constitutional Provisions

Article II sec 25

Article X

2.       Local Government Code of 1991

Operative Principles of Decentralization

Local Politics 

Oligarchic Politics: Election and Party List System in the Philippines; Kasarinlan: Philippine Journal of Third World Studies, Vol 23, No 1 (2008)

                                The Robredo Style: Philippine Local Politics in Transition   

   Journals.upd.edu.ph/index.php/kasarinlan/article/download/.../321

Obstacles to Empowerment: Local Politics and Civil Society inMetropolitan Manila, the Philippines http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=7&hid=126&sid=d511554f-31d1-4046-a191-84000450313a%40sessionmgr111&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=s8h&AN=3886281

Obstacles to Empowerment: Local Politics and Civil society in Metro Manila, Philippines http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=9&hid=12&sid=d511554f-31d1-4046-a191-84000450313a%40sessionmgr111

                               

Local government Powers

                General welfare;  Basic Services;  Application of resources; eminent domain;  reclassification of

 Lands; closure and opening of roads

                Corporate powers

MIDTERMS COVERAGE

Local Administration and intergovernmental relation; Inter local relations

Community Participation in Local Government

            http://www.fao.org/docrep/004/ac158e/ac158e0f.htm   Introducing participatory planning                         practices with local governments: A Philippines case study, Demetrio Imperial Jr., Philippines

Elective Officials (qualifications/disqualifications/vacancies)

Local Legislation

                Overview

                Legislative Setting and Process

                Sanggunian

                Functions/Roles of legislators

                Approaches to Policy analysis (empirical, evaluative, normative)

Local Taxation
               http://www.slideshare.net/jsndaan/the-local-government-taxation-in-the-philippinesdoc-presentation?src=related_normal&rel=580380
               http://www.picpa.com.ph/getmedia/d928305e-e0b8-41d8-b9ba-95f8a1da68c4/Local_Tax.aspx 

FINALS COVERAGE

Current Issues and developments

Political issues

                Political Parties

Economic Issues

Socio-cultural issues 

                Women in Politics(Women in contemporary Philippine Local Politics

                                                         escholarship.org/uc/item/8zk78303)

                Factionalism

Technological issues

                E-governance (e-Governance Applications for citizens

- Issues and Framework; http://content.ebscohost.com/pdf25_26/pdf/2010/B0RI/15Nov10/58663692.pdf?T=P&P=AN&K=58663692&S=R&D=s8h&EbscoContent=dGJyMNLe80SeqLQ4y9f3OLCmr0meprZSsK64SrGWxWXS&ContentCustomer=dGJyMOzprkmvq7FNubnMd%2FPk4n3w3fBT497ti%2FIA

Environmental issues

                Palawan***

                Mining in the Cordillera****

Global concerns

                Linkages

MAIN REFERENCES: (Other references, readings, journal articles shall be assigned per topic)

Local Government Development Fdn 2001, Manual on Local Legislative Agenda, Makati City: LGDF and Konrad Adenauer Stifting

The Local Government code of the Philippines http://www.bfar.da.gov.ph/legislation/lgcode/LGC1991_book1.pdf

OTHER SOURCES/ INTERNET SITES OF THE CLASS

gracecarrido.blogspot.com (Lipunan,Ekonomiya, Pamamahala atbp)

Google group (localgov@googlegroups.com) http://groups.google.com/group/ localgov

For individual / group papers to be submitted format shall be:

1.        Short bond papers shall be used (recycled paper is encouraged)

2.       Use Arial font size 10

3.       Margin- one inch on all sides

4.       No folder shall be used (staple the pages without any cover page)

5.       Indicate name/names with subject and schedule of class in the left hand corner of the first page of your paper with the class schedule and the date of submission

6.       References shall ALWAYS be indicated (only references dated 1995 onwards are allowed)

Plagiarism

Students should be aware that there are severe consequences for violations of academic integrity such as cheating or plagiarism (turning in work that is not your own, without proper credit to the original author).  I will penalize any student guilty of plagiarism with a zero grade for that assignment , and a 10-point deduction on the final semester grade.