Philippine politics is largely controlled by the economic elite. Electoral competition did not revolve around class differences. Instead, politics was a game played within the elite classes, who manipulated and controlled the political process. The election process is the main mechanism where people participate to select those who will pass laws, formulate policies and govern. Patronage politics and “guns, goons and gold” thwart the people’s There is no substantial people’s participation in decision-making …showed first 75 words of 381 total…

…showed last 75 words of 381 total…unstable and their income is often insufficient to sustain the family’s basic needs. Most families suffer from food shortages and malnutrition. When disasters strike, they become more indebted because they have little or no savings. Because they are poor, they cannot afford strong houses nor live in safe locations. Due to low education level, they have limited access to information and low awareness of hazard risks and what they can do to protect themselves.