Actors in the Policymaking Process

Public Policy and Program Administration

Actors in the policy process

may be either individuals or groups

Policy actors

are also called policy subsystems as they constitute a forum where they discuss policy issues, persuade and bargain in pursuit of their interest

Crozier and Friedberg, 1977

According to _____, Actors rarely define clear, explicit, or coherent objectives. They change them as they go along, if only because of the unanticipated consequences o their actions and those of other actors in the the domain of policy compels them to readjust their objectives or re-evaluate their positions.

According to Crozier and Friedberg, 1977, An actor’s ‘strategic instinct’ is characterized by two complementary aspects

An actor tends to go on the offensive when taking advantage of opportunities to improve a position and further immediate interests

According to Crozier and Friedberg, 1977, An actor’s ‘strategic instinct’ is characterized by two complementary aspects

An actor adopts a more defensive approach to maintain and broaden a margin of freedom

Official Actors

Participants in the policy process whose involvement is motivated or mandated by their official position in a government, agency, or office.

Official Actors

Legislative

Official Actors

Executive

Official Actors

Judiciary

Legislative

Major lawmaking branch

Legislative

The Legislative Branch enacts legislation, confirms or rejects Presidential appointments, and can declare war. This branch includes Congress (the Senate and House of Representatives) and several agencies that provide support services to Congress.

Legislative

it provides the legislative branch with an opportunity to inspect, examine, review and check the executive branch and its agencies

Executive

The President can wield the veto against any legislation he/she does not like on substantive or political grounds

Veto

the power of the President to reject legislation passed by Congress, which in turn may override the veto

Executive Branch

The presidency has only one person as its head and a staff that works for him in pursuit of the administration’s goals

Executive Branch

The President is more involved with agenda-setting in the policymaking process. He is empowered to suggest legislation and report the state of the nation periodically

Judicial Branch

holds the power to settle controversies involving legally demandable and enforceable rights. This branch determines whether there has been a grave abuse of discretion amounting to a lack or excess of jurisdiction on the part and instrumentality of the government.

Judicial Branch

interprets the meaning of laws, applies laws to individual cases, and decides if laws violate the Constitution. The judicial power shall be vested in one Supreme Court and in such lower courts as may be established by law.

Unofficial Actors

A participant in the policy process who does not have constitutionally or legally created incentives or mandates to be a part of the process, such as experts, all of whom are important to the policy process.

Unofficial Actors

Citizens

Unofficial Actors

Interest Groups

Unofficial Actors

Think Tanks

Unofficial Actors

Political Parties

Citizens

By voting, they are participating in the democratic process. They vote for leaders to represent them and their ideas, and the leaders support the citizens' interests

Interest Groups

A collection of people or organizations that unite to advance their desired political outcomes in government and society. There are many different ways to organize these groups by type of interest (public/ private, institutional, economic, etc.)

Lobbying

The term applied to the organized and ongoing process of persuading the legislative or executive branches to enact policies that promote an individual’s or group’s interest.

Institutional Interest Group

A group of people, usually not formally constituted, whose members are from the same institution (students at university)

Economic/ Private Interest Groups

Groups formed to promote and defend the economic interests of their members (industry associations)

Public Interest Groups

Groups formed to promote what its members believe is the broader public interest

Think Tanks and other research organizations

Independent research organizations are sometimes ideologically neutral but often identified with a particular political perspective

Think Tanks and other research organizations

The Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS)

Think Tanks and other research organizations

Ibon Foundation

Think Tanks and other research organizations

Ateneo Policy Center Stratbase

Think Tanks and other research organizations

Albert del Rosario Institute

Think Tanks and other research organizations

UP Third World Studies Center

News Media

serves as the 4th branch of the government blue by providing a check on the other three branches. This is known as the watchdog function of the media. It is assumed that the news media provide citizens with information about the government that people can use to support or challenge policy decisions

News Media

play an essential role in informing citizens about issues and what their government is doing about them.