Introduction This guide is base on the Plain English Guide to Political Terms (Ireland) by the National Adult Literacy Agency` The guide aims to help in increasing the voter turnout in the PUP Student Council Elections by helping the students become more familiar with some of the most common political terms. It is undeniable that every year, only a small percent of students vote in the Local and Central Student Council Election. Because of the lack of knowledge on the importance of political participation, students tend to be apolitical. The rampant irregularities every SC Elections also contributed to the increasing number of apolitical students. We hope to encourage the students to be involved in political activity – to increase their literacy and political participation. We believe that a genuine change in the current political system in our university will only happen if the students practice their rights of suffrage. We are also inviting you to drop us some feedback. You can contact us on our facebook page for comments and suggestions. Facebook.com/arspup
Aa Activism The act of taking action for a social or political cause
Activist A person who takes up and campaigns for a social or political cause
Admin Intervention A direct campaign and command of any faculty member to vote in favor of any political party or individual candidates
Agenda A list of things to be done
Air-War The act of campaigning on different social media platforms
Alliance A type political party whose membership could either be individual or organizations
Alternative Politics A transgress from traditional student politics
Assembly A group of people gathered together for a special purpose
ASTIG CCIS An independent party based at the College of Computer and Information Sciences
Bb Ballot A way of voting, usually using a ballot box and ballot paper See also ballot box
Ballot Box A container for storing completed ballot papers during an election and only opened when votes are ready to be counted
Bangon PUP A Christian political coalition whose focus is to serve the students; believes that only a changed student can change the campus
Bandwagon Effect The tendency for a candidate or proposal that seems to be
winning to gather extra support simply because of being ahead
Base Place where a party usually gathers a big amount of support
Bias cause to feel or show inclination or prejudice for or against someone or something
Cc Campaign An organized competition for votes by people who are seeking a particular result from an election or an organized course of action to achieve a particular goal
Campaign Manager A person assigned to coordinate the campaign’s operations
Candidate A person who runs for a position in the Student Council
Centre The middle point of the political spectrum, ranging from 'extreme left' (communism) to 'extreme right' (fascism)
Centre-Left An adherence to views leaning to the left but closer to the centre on the left-right political spectrum than other leftwing variants See also political spectrum, ideology, Social Democracy, and LeftWing
Centre-Right Politics that lean to the right of the left-right political spectrum, but are closer to the centre than other right-wing variants See also political spectrum, ideology, Liberalism, Conservatism, Christian Democracy, and Right-Wing
Centrist A person with moderate political opinions and policies
Certificate of Candidacy A proof that an individual or a party is participating in the SC Elections
Change To transform or convert
Charlie Charlie del Rosario building, also known as Student Center
Christian Democracy A political ideology which emerged in nineteenth-century Europe under the influence of conservatism and Catholic social teaching
Coalition A party composed of various organizations coming from different persuasion and tendencies
Collective Done by people acting as a group
COMELEC A regulating body composed of elected commissioners that is tasked to ensure a fair, orderly and honest election See also Student Council Assembly
Commissioner People elected by the Student Council Assembly to be part of the Commission on Elections
Communism An economic and political system put into place after the Bolshevik revolution in Russia in 1917 in which people share the ownership of all goods and property; also, a system, such as in the former Soviet Union, where the government
controls every aspect of a citizen's life and denies political freedoms
Communist A person who supports communism
Conservatism The disposition to preserve or restore what is established and traditional and to limit change
Conservative A person or political party who wishes to keep things the way they are, supports traditional values and opposes government interference; known as 'right', 'right wing' or 'right of centre' in politics
Councilor A member of the student council seated either by election or appointment
Dd Defamation Saying or writing something false about a living person that is proven to damage their reputation in the eyes of rightminded people
Democracy A society that favours equal rights, fair trials and freedom of speech and in which people govern themselves (direct democracy) or are governed by elected officials (representative democracy)
Democratic Rights Rights to political or social equality for all
Democratic Socialism A political ideology advocating a democratic political system alongside a socialist economic system
Demonstration In political terms, a public show of protest against or sympathy with a particular cause
Deputy Commissioner A student appointed and deputized by the COMELEC to ensure a fair, orderly and honest election
Destructive Activism The act of taking action for a social or political cause in a destructive way See also Intelligent Form of Activism
Dirty Politics Unethical and illegal methods to gain political advantage
Disqualification The state of being disqualified
Domicile A place of residence; abode; house or home
Dynamic Characterized by constant change, activity, or progress
Ee Election Choosing a person or a government by voting
Election Cook-Off A term first heard in the 2014 Student Council Elections; it means that there’s a conspiracy happening in the SC Elections
Election Day The day when the election takes place
Elector A person who votes or has the right to vote
Empowerment Making it possible for students to understand and exercise their powers and responsibilities
Ethics Studying what is right or wrong
Extreme-Left Left-wing politics that are further to the left than mainstream centre-left politics
Extreme-Right Right-wing politics that are further to the left than mainstream centre-left politics
Ff Fascism Originated in Italy during World War I, combining more typically right-wing positions with elements of left-wing politics, in opposition to liberalism, Marxism, and traditional conservatism; also sought to unify their nation through an authoritarian state that promoted the mass mobilization of the national community and were characterized by having leadership that initiated a revolutionary political movement aiming to reorganize the nation along principles according to fascist ideology
Fascist A person who believes in or sympathizes with fascism
Failure of Election Unsuccessful conduction of election due to various reasons like force majeure, violence, and fraud
Fraud All election activities, such as filing requirements, done by deceptions, tricks, and lies
Freedom of Speech A right to speak freely on social and political matters without fear of forced silence
Gg General Plan of Actions General plans of a political party; also known as GPOA
Ground War The act of campaigning personally in contrast to Air War
Groundwork something that is done at an early stage and that makes later work or progress possible
Ii Ideology A set of connected ideas, usually about a political system, or a way of looking at something
Implement Do things to make something happen
Incumbent A person who currently holds a post or office
Independent Someone who doesn’t belong to a mainstream political party
Influence
The power to change the behaviour of someone or something
Intelligence People employed in the collection of political information
Intelligent form of activism A form of activism that deviates from destructive activism; thinking of the consequences of their decisions; and upholds intellectual and critical participation
Irregularity A breach of rules, customs, etiquette, morality, etc
Kk Kabuti Mainstream political parties who only shows up every Student Council Elections
KILOS PUP A Socio-Political organization inside the university composed of Liberals; often advocating for academic excellence and promoting the spirit of volunteerism
Kunsomisyoner A COMELEC Commissioner with questionable ethics; also a commissioner who is not doing his job properly
Ll Laban COC A transformative and progressive student political formation in the PUP College of Communication that upholds intellectual and critical participation of the students, for the students
Lakas CSSD An independent political party and a dynamic leadership and service formation based at the PUP College of Social Sciences and Development; delivering campaigns, services and activities relevant to the needs of CSSD students
Landslide An overwhelming majority of votes for one party in an election
Leadership The action of leading a group of people or an organization
Left-Wing Political positions or activities that accept or support social equality, often in opposition to social hierarchy and social inequality
Leftist
A member of the political Left or a person sympathetic to its views
Legal Representative A person who is given the authority to act on behalf of someone else
Libel A published false statement that is damaging to a person's reputation
Liberal Of or characteristic of Liberals or a Liberal Party
Liberal Democracy A form of government in which representative democracy operates under the principles of liberalism, i.e. protecting the rights of the individual, which are generally enshrined in law
Liberalism A political philosophy or worldview founded on ideas of liberty (which is especially stressed in classical liberalism) and equality (which is more evident in social liberalism)
Lobby Trying to influence public opinion to change laws or certain actions, for example by writing letters, making proposals or meeting decision makers; originally comes from the UK, where people waited in the lobby (entrance hall) or corridors of parliament to talk to Members of Parliament
Lobby group A group that tries to get support for a particular cause to change laws or certain actions
Lobbyist A person who lobbies
Local Election Student Council Election held in a college to elect officers for the college Student Council
Luto A Filipino slang term meaning game-fixing or cheating; also known as ‘Election Cook-off’
Mm Magic A term used to describe a situation where a political group uses dirty tricks like tampering with the election results to get the upper-hand
Majority A number of voters or votes, jurors, or others in agreement, constituting more than half of the total number See also Minority
Member A person who belongs to an organization or body
Minority The smaller part or number; a number, part, or amount forming less than half of the whole
Movement A group of people working together to advance their shared political, social, or artistic ideas
Mudslinging Casting malicious slurs on an opponent, especially in politics
Nn National Democracy A political ideology that uses Marxist-Leninist-Maoist principles for social analysis and in carrying out people's democracy or national democracy
Nonpartisan A person who has a lack of affiliation with a political party See also Partisan
Oo Office A position of authority, trust, or service, typically one of a public nature
Organization A group of persons organized for some end or work
Pp Pacifism A belief that violence, especially war, must be avoided when resolving disputes
Paralegal A person trained to undertake legal work
Partisan A person who strongly supports a political party or cause
Petition A document, usually containing signatures from many people, that is presented to a person or group in power by those asking for action on a matter
Platform A political party's written statement of its principles and policies on a number of topics, which is published during an election campaign
Plebiscite Any expression or determination of public opinion on some matter
Political Freedom A person's right to express their political beliefs freely and to vote as they want See also Political Rights
Political Ideology A certain ethical set of ideals, principles, doctrines, myths, or symbols of a social movement, institution, class, or large group that explains how society should work, and offers some political and cultural blueprint for a certain social order
Political Literacy An awareness of political values, attitudes, arguments and institutions that allows a person to make an informed vote and take action on issues
Political Participation Any activity that shapes, affects, or involves the political sphere
Political Party An organization of people which seeks to achieve goals common to its members through the acquisition and exercise of political power
Political Rights Rights that allow a person to take part in political life, including the right to vote, hold particular political views, and join a political party
Political Spectrum The range of political thoughts, policies and approaches from the right to the left
Politics The practice and theory of influencing other people on a global, civic or individual level
Poll Asking and recording the opinion of people, for example in a survey or at an election
Poll Watcher Campaign personnel of a political party assigned to observe activities at a polling place to guard against illegal voting, fraudulent counting of ballots, and other violations of election laws
Populist A person whose public views reflect the interests and concerns of the average person
Precinct A polling precinct where students can cast their votes
President The highest position a candidate can get in a Student Council election
Progressive Something or someone that is concerned with reform, improvements and making progress
Propaganda Information, ideas, or rumors deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, group, movement, institution, etc.
Protest A public statement or demonstration against a situation or the actions of others See also Demonstration
Rr Radical Something very different from the usual or traditional or a person who favours major political or social change
Reactive Acting in response to a situation rather than creating or controlling it
Rebellion Open, organized, and armed resistance to one's government or ruler
Reform Make changes in an institution or practice in order to improve it
Reformer Someone who seeks to bring about change, especially political change
Representative A person chosen or appointed to act or speak for another or others, in particular
Resolution A plan to do something or encourage others to do it
Revolution A fundamental change in power or organizational structures; can be a violent or nonviolent revolution
Right-Wing
The conservative or reactionary section of a political party or system See also Conservative and Left-Wing
Ruling Party The political party that controls the government
Ss Sabotage Deliberately destroy, damage, or obstruct (something), especially for political or military advantage
SAMASA The oldest and broadest political alliance in PUP System; mainly composed of National Democrats and Communists
Slander Something said about a person that is proven to be false and damaging to their reputation See also Defamation and Libel
Social Democracy A political ideology based on three fundamental values: Freedom, Justice, and Solidarity
Socialism A social and economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and co-operative management of the economy, as well as a political theory and movement that aims at the establishment of such a system See also Communism, Left wing and Liberalism
Socialist A person who believes in and promotes the values of socialism
SPEAK PUP A political party based at the PUP - College of Tourism, Hospitality and Transportation Management
Spoiled Vote A vote that is ignored when counting all votes in an election because the voter has filled in their ballot paper incorrectly or has written their name on it
Spy A person who secretly collects and reports information on the activities, movements, and plans of an enemy or competitor
Status Quo A situation that is unchanged or is as it was before a recent change
Student A person formally engaged in learning, especially one enrolled in a school or college
Student Council The highest student governing body of a college or a university
Student Council Assembly An assembly of Student Councils in the Polytechnic University of the Philippines
Student Empowerment Regarding the primacy of democratic consultation and popular participation and advocating it as the basic foundation in addressing student rights and welfare
Suffrage The right to vote
Swing Voter A person who votes but whose support can switch from one political party to another, depending on the issue at stake
Tt Threat A person or thing likely to cause damage or danger
Tibak A play on the Filipino word, aktibista (activist)
Tinig CAL An independent party based at the PUP College of Arts and Letters
Transform To change in condition, nature, or character; convert
Transgress Infringe or go beyond the bounds of (a moral principle or other established standard of behavior)
Transparency The right and the means to examine the process of decision making
TRAPO Traditional politics and politicians
Uu University An educational institution designed for instruction, examination, or both, of students in many branches of advanced learning, conferring degrees in various faculties, and often embodying colleges and similar institutions
Vv Values A person's principles or standards of behavior
Vice President Second highest member of the Student Council
Violence Behavior involving physical force intended to hurt, damage, or kill someone or something
Vote A formal expression of a choice, such as putting one's hand up or marking a ballot paper See also Election
Voter A person who votes or has the right to vote at an election See also Elector
Voter Turnout The number or percentage of all voters who cast a vote in a given election
Ww Whistleblower A person who informs on a person or organization engaged in an illicit activity
The PUP Archiving and Research Society is a researchfocus student group based at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines that aims to gather information relevant to the needs and interests of the students.