Factors affecting Political

participation of Seniors
particularly on education,
gender, class, and social
connectedness

Submitted by: Karen Abdosan

Angela Carpio
Judy Anne Lazaro
Yeddah Marie Buenviaje
Kingbert Ancog

Submitted to: Prof. Noami Solano

Introduction:
Politics intimidates a lot of people because to most, it seems like the most complicated
thing in the world and in a way, it kind of is. Although this doesnt mean that we should keep
ourselves away from it. This doesnt mean that we should be afraid to be involved. The matter of
fact is we actually cant, we cant stay away from politics. Politics exist everywhere, politics
reflects our culture, and politics will continue to exist as long as there is conflict. So it is most
likely possible that we know at least one person who is very involved in politics.
What are the variables that say which one is which? Which means more political
involvement and which means less? What is it that makes some more politically involved than
the others? And how do these variables affect a persons political activeness? There are actually a
lot of variables and factors that could point out whose going to be more active in politics than
whom. Some more accurate than the others but we cant exempt the fact that these factors are
quite legitimate. These factors were tested and studied, and those studies has shown proofs that
there might be reasons why some people are just not into politics like the others. These variables
not only show whos more politically active but it also declares some of human personalities that
could be the cause why they are more interested in politics.
Our research will not only show whos more politically active but it will also present the
advantages of being politically involved. Furthermore, our research will declare just how many
people will come to agree to what Woshinsky has presented in his book as the variables and
factors that shows who participates in politics and who doesnt?

Statement of the problem:

Major problem:
1. How do variables affect in the political participation particularly among Senior citizens?
Minor problems:
1. How do the following variables affect political participation:
a. Education
b. Gender
c. Class
d. Social connectedness
Hypothesis:
Ho1 Education does not affect in the political participation among Senior citizens.
Ha1 Education does affect in the political participation among Senior citizens.
Ho2 Gender does not affect in the political participation among Senior citizens.
Ha2 Gender does affect in the political participation among Senior citizens.
Ho3 Class does not affect in the political participation among Senior citizens.
Ha3 Class does affect in the political participation among Senior citizens.
Ho4 Social connectedness does not affect in the political participation among Senior citizens.
Ha4 Social connectedness does affect in the political participation among Senior citizens.
Significance of the study:
Participation in electoral processes involves much more than just voting. Political
participation derives from the freedom to speak out, assemble, and associate; the ability to take
part in the conduct of public affairs; and the opportunity to register as a candidate, to campaign,
to be elected and to hold office at all levels of government.

From a sociological perspective, the rapidly increase in interest in active citizen

participation in democratic activities especially is significant because of the possible insights it
provides about the relationship between civil society and political institutions. In taking an active
role in any political participation, ideas of community and active citizenship operate as
strategies, enabling the state to govern more effectively. The govern mentality of community
underlines the way in which practices are not imminent in the state but are disposed throughout
society.
This thesis will give a more complete understanding on why education, gender, class, and
social connectedness affect political participation of individual; senior citizens mainly.
If we can understand these factors affecting political participation then it will allow us as
a citizen to truly make a difference.
Scope and delimitation:
This study will be focused the factors affecting the political participation of seniors
particularly on education, gender, class, and social connectedness. Thus, our main respondent
will be the Senior citizens because they are the ones who are mostly appropriate for this topic.

Conceptual paradigm:

Environmental
conditioners
Encouraging or
Discouraging
Political
participation
(strong unions/
parties, easy
voter
registration, etc.)

Genetic Factors
(Physical power,
Intelligence,
Aggressiveness,
etc.)

Interactional skills
Social standing
Political
Knowledge

Self-confidence
Self-esteem

Social Factors
(Educational,
social ties,
gender, class,
etc.)

Likelihood of
political
involvement

Likelihood of
political Influence

Conceptual framework:
The schema shows that the sum of genetic factors and social factors affects self-esteem or
self-confidence of one person to have more interest in politics because every study of political
participation shows that those with self-confidence, a strong self image and positive view of their
own potential are the most likely people to become political participants. Those factors can set
from anyone of environmental conditioners, encouraging or discouraging, political participant
(strong union, parties, easy voters registration, etc.)
Definition of terms:
1. Education- the process of learning and training

2. Gender- the classifications by which word are grouped as feminine, masculine or neuter.
3. Social-connectedness- is the measure of how people come together and interact. IT involves
the quality and number of connections one has with other people in a social circle of family,
friends, and acquaintances.
4. Social factor- these are the factor that affect our though and behavior in social situation.
5. Interactional skill- is any skill facilitating interaction and communication with others.
6. Political involvement- any voluntary act to influence elections or public policy.
7. Political influence- the extent to which an individual, group, organization, company, interest
group or any stakeholder can change the way political decisions are made.

CHAPTER 2
RELATED LITERATURES AND STUDIES

Local Studies
Emphasizing Womens Political Participation (WPP)
Philippine politics is patriarchal and elitist. Rich, famous men dominate the political scene. The
few women who make it into significant government positions are elite women from wealthy
families who do not experience the same problems faced by ordinary women. Overall, women
occupy less than 11% of all elected positions in government.
The importance of effective and meaningful womens political participation cannot be
overstated. DSWP firmly believes that advocacy will be easier if more feminist grassroots,
community and sector-based women are in political positions, both in government and within
mixed organizations and movements. Participation in elections as candidates, organizers and
supporters is important, but it is not enough to make politics more inclusive and participatory.
Politics continue long after the election winners are proclaimed. Continuous and sustained
womens political participation through informal and formal channels is imperative.
Election-related activities
Electoral advocacy has primarily focused on increasing the numbers of grassroots women elected
to public office at the local level. To this end, DSWP has been involved in:
Discussions and training on politics as an arena of womens organizing;
Orientation on the electoral system, laws, guidelines and other technical matters;
Training and support for community-based women to run for public office at the local level;
Developing area core groups which fulfill election-related technical requisites;
Planning, coordinating and implementing campaigns, including fundraising, media work, and
managing, conflicts;
Assisting in the development of the platform of government;

 Monitoring elections;
Training on the Local Government Code (LGC) with focus on opportunities for womens
participation in
Local Government Units (LGUs) and Local Special Bodies (LSBs); and
Negotiating with women candidates and select men candidates on the Womens Agenda.
One key advocacy issue was the need for the LGUs to implement the 5% budgetary allocation
for gender-specific initiatives. This is a provision in the General Appropriations Act (GAA)
which mandates government agencies at all levels to reserve at least 5% of their budgets for
womens concerns. The provision has existed since 1995 but has been poorly implemented. Few
candidates and incumbent officials know about it. The women of the DSWP have become the
source of information as well as materials on this issue.
In 1997 DSWP decided on criteria for chapters to use in selecting candidates. These were: a) the
candidates positions and track record on womens issues, such as VAW, health, poverty,
womens political participation and the delivery of social services; b) commitment to the
Womens Agenda; and c) the candidates program of government. Where there were specific
candidates averse to womens issues, DSWP groups actively campaigned against them.
(Cunanan-Angsioco, 2000)

Republic Act No. 7160, also known as the Local Government

Code of 1991, formed the Katipunan ng Kabataan (KK) to tap and harness the energy,
enthusiasm, and idealism of young people. Those aged 15 to 17 years old in a barangay could
register in the KK and have the right to vote and be voted into a governing body called the
Sangguniang Kabataan (SK). The SK chairperson assumes a seat in the Barangay Council, and is

given full powers and authority like any member of the Council. The idea is truly ahead of its
time: a pioneering effort that sets the Philippines apart. The law sets the stage for the youth to
acquire leadership skills by actually becoming leaders: learn how to speak and be heard in the
world of adults, and be empowered to create programs and policies that will help solve societys
problems. (Balanon, et. al., 2007)

Since independence, however, the Philippines has enjoyed remarkable cultural cohesion within
its political elite. The Muslim or Protestant segments in a dominantly Catholic society have fitted
in well on all except the most ecclesiastical occasions. Families of Chinese origin frequently
intermarried with Filipinos and were rapidly assimilated to national society. Tagalogs, Ilocanos,
and Visayans were balanced by an unwritten rule which distributed presidential, vice presidential
and senatorial nominations among the major tongues. Nor did these linguistic differences
represent significant cultural cleavages and in any case the language of all government transactions, until recently, was English.

Furthermore, old families of great wealth without losing their own disproportionate influence
welcomed or even sponsored poor boys with talent into the elite circle, so that differences in
social origin did not become the basis for lasting elite cleavages either. Despite the contrasts in
wealth, there were no impermeable class barriers. Differences in economic interest within the
elite have been more open causes of controversy in the Philippines than elsewhere in Southeast
Asia, however. This was permitted because of the very cultural unity we have described. Thus
examination of socio-economic backgrounds becomes more important for Philippine elite
analysis than for that in most Southeast Asian countries.

Filipino elite cohesion helped produce a period of political stability for twenty-six years after
independence, consistent with the expectations of the conventional political science wisdom.
That stability was nevertheless disrupted in 1972 by the intensity of interfactional struggle,
despite that cohesion. It is our primary purpose here to review the changes that have taken place
in the Filipino political elite in recent years and to assess the implications that they hold for the
future, both for the Philippines and for developing countries generally. (Wurfel, 1979)

Foreign Studies
The UN Millennium Project (2005) emphasized that to be empowered women, they must not
only have equal capabilities (such as education and health) and equal access to resources and
opportunities (such as land and employment), but they must also have the agency to use those
rights, capabilities, resources, and opportunities to make strategic choices and decisions (such as
is provided through leadership opportunities and participation in political institutions). And for
them to exercise agency, they must live without the fear of coercion and violence.
In a UN Habitat (2008) publication on Best Practices in Gender Mainstreaming, it highlights that
women empowerment involves practical measures to enhance womens participation in decisionmaking and in governance processes, and generally to uplift their status through literacy,
education, training and raising awareness. It also includes poverty reduction programmes which
lead them to generate income and enhance access to job opportunities; underlying issues are also
taken into account such as the protection of a womans human rights, her reproductive health as
well as property ownership. (Alvarez,2013)

Class voting is a much disputed scientific debate nowadays. But it is not only the party
preference that might differ with social class, but also the propensity to vote itself. As from an
economic perspective voting can be understood as an act that is connected with costs (time and
information costs), persons might have different motivations to participate in a vote. In addition,
as the individualisation of society accelerates, social pressure to vote diminishes and especially
individuals from a lower socio-economic background are left behind with a feeling of frustration
towards party politics. Disoriented and disappointed citizens, if not offered any alternative by
parties that claim to act in their interest might choose to use vote abstention as a sign of
disapproval towards the political system that they feel more and more alienated from.
Furthermore, while not being a sign of active disagreement, abstention can also express general
disinterest in politics. (Franke, 2012)

Ethnic and religious minority groups across Europe are often excluded from political
participation by formal as well as informal barriers, despite the fact that participation in political
processes is a fundamental human right and a crucial requirement for integration. Political
participation is essential to functioning democratic systems; it is important that everyone plays
an active role as voters, community participants, workers, activists and political party members.
However, ethnic and religious minorities are unable to exercise their political and civil rights.
Finally, while two aforementioned approaches tend to underline the political context and
organizational factors in affecting migrants political participation, research also shows that the
socio-demographic and socio-economic characteristics of individuals, their education, income,
gender and age tend to be important factors as well. This holds true for immigrants and ethnic
minorities too. Consequently, where policies tend to encourage the participation of immigrants in

specific sectors of the labour market producing an ethnic segmentation of the labour market
structure, this may be not only an impediment to immigrants socio-economic integration but it
may also have negative effects on the political integration of immigrants and the possibility of
representing their interests and identities in the political sphere. (Onyeji, 2010)