Do Money, Power, Family and Connections Really Matter in Politics? Analysing Factors of Success in the 2010, 2013 and 2016 Philippine Senatorial Elections

Authors

  • JOSEPH ANTHONY L. REYES
  • BRANDO GABRIEL C. ARCE
  • NICOLLE BIEN N. MADRID

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22439/cjas.v36i2.5648

Keywords:

electoral politics, campaign spending, political dynasty, political party, incumbency

Abstract

Myriad debates in electoral politics have drawn attention to the importance of and risks to genuine democracy brought about by factors such as campaign spending, incumbency, political party affiliation and political dynasties. However, only a few studies utilize integrative and multivariate approaches to understanding the contribution of these factors, and this is even rarer for studies on the Philippines of recent times, despite its being among the first and most vibrant democracies in Asia. Examining the relationships to senatorial candidates' total number of votes for the 2010, 2013 and 2016 elections findings reveal overall that total campaign expenditure has a very significant relationship with the number of votes, this being consistent for all of the elections covered by the study. Thus money matters a lot – even when compared with the traditionally highly regarded factors such as incumbency, political dynasty and membership to political parties. This article discusses the results in relation to the socio-political context of the Philippines and provides additional insights and implications of the findings.

Author Biographies

JOSEPH ANTHONY L. REYES

Joseph Anthony L. Reyes has research interests and recent publications on environmental attitudes, behaviours, discourses, and sociodemographic indicators. He obtained his PhD in Environmental Studies from Tohoku University. He was a Research Fellow in Coastal Communities and Health in South East Asia at the University of Exeter, a Research Specialist for the Foreign Service Institute, and an Associate Professor of Political Science and International Studies at De La Salle University.

BRANDO GABRIEL C. ARCE

Brando Gabriel C. Arce and Nicolle Bien N. Madrid are graduating students of De La Salle University, with research and professional experience in political campaigning, national surveys and business economics.

NICOLLE BIEN N. MADRID

Brando Gabriel C. Arce and Nicolle Bien N. Madrid are graduating students of De La Salle University, with research and professional experience in political campaigning, national surveys and business economics.

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Published

2019-02-15

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