RELIGIOUS SYSTEM
Religion is a system of belief and practices related to sacred things that
unites believers into a moral community.
In every society, religion is a fundamental feature of all societies hence, an
important source of individual direction. The values and moral principles in
religious doctrine give guidance about appropriate roles and behaviors. Often the
values we learn through religion are compatible with the ideals we learn through
other agents of socialization.
The role of religion cannot be reduced to a mere reinforcer of society
norms and values. Religious ideas have the power to change society and the
individuals in them. Moreover, even within modern society, there are important
differences in the messages delivered by all other denominations. These
differences account for some significant variability in socialization experiences.
Religion Shapes the Life and History of the Filipinos’
Before the coming of the Spaniards, the early Filipinos had a culture of
their own. The Filipinos had a system of government, social organization, laws,
language, writings, literature, property ownership and religion. Education was
informal. However, as race accumulated, instruction began in the home by
means of crude apprenticeship. Institutionally began in the form of initiation rites
and religious ceremonies, the priests called Babylon provided a specialized
training for would-be-priests.
During the Spanish times, there was close connection between the school
and the church. The educational plan was to evangelize the islands and make
the Christian religion a unifying element. The government with the help of the
missionaries and the clergy set up parish schools and taught the Catholic faith.
This became the basis of education. As a result the schools became the principal
arm of the church in evangelizing and only incidentally were it due for literacy so
that the citizen could read the doctrine.
During the Spanish regime, Filipino boys and girls attended the parochial
schools were given religious instruction. Since the Spaniards wanted to spread
Christianity, education was predominantly religion. The children learned Christian
doctrine, sacred songs and music, and prayers required for the sacraments of
confession and communion. The rudiments of reading, writing and arithmetic
were given to brighter pupil. In other words, the core of curriculum was religion.
Things are different, however, these days. Within the separation of the
church and the State, religious matters no longer become under the control of the
government. The constitution provides that no law shall be made respecting an
establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. The free
exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without
discrimination or preference, shall forever be allowed. Freedom of religion is the
basic right, and one of the high ranks. The right of the man to worship God or
even to refuse to worship God.
Religious celebration/activities such as Christmas celebration,
baccalaureate services and bible studies are the schools’ prerogative. As
progress flourished, and with the advent of modern science and technology, the
schools become the government’s arm and nation building. Emphasis on religion
and religious practices is common among private sectarian schools only.
JUDICIAL SYSTEM
The Judicial Power refers to the authority exercised by the department of
government that is charged with the declaration of what the law is and its
construction. (Bouviers’s law Dictionary, Vol.1, p.171) Justice Miller defined
Judicial Power as the power of the court to decide and pronounce a judgment
and carry it into effect between persons and parties who bring a case before it for
decision.
The constitution provides that the judicial power shall be vested in one
Supreme Court and in such lower courts as maybe established by law. This
provision indicates that the Supreme Court is a constitutional office beyond the
power of the Congress to abolish. The Courts interpret and apply the laws to
actual controversies involving rights that are legally demandable. Legally
demandable rights are those any group can demand the courts give to them if
they feel these rights have been violated. Courts maybe established or abolished
by law but subject to the observance of a new rule now found in section 2 of
Article VIII that “no law shall be passed reorganizing the Judiciary when it
undermines the security of tenure of its members.
Under the constitution, Judicial Power includes the duty “to determine
whether or not there has been a grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or
excess of jurisdiction on the part of any branch or instrumentality of the
government” (Article VIII, Section 1).
It is now expressly provided that the judicial power includes the duty of
courts of justice to settle actual controversies involving rights legally demandable
and enforceable and to determine whether there has been a grave abuse of
discretion of the government. While the foregoing is the essence of judicial
power, the inclusion thereof in the Constitution is dictated by the imperative
desire that courts specially the Supreme Courts should not refuse to decide a
case on the ground that the question or issue raised involves a political question.
The court can also determine whether there has been grave abuse of
discretion amounting to a lack and/or over stepping of jurisdiction on the part of
any branch or instrumentality of the government. This means that if a branch or
agency of the government is pursuing its tasks, violates any person’s rights or
goes beyond the mandate allowed by law, it may be brought before the court,
and school matters are no exemptions. The schools on the other hand, as one of
the agencies that contribute to the education of the individual, are responsible for
inculcating in the minds of the young love of country, teach the duties of the
citizenship, to develop the attitude of respect and obedience to law and to the
constituted authority. In doing so, a peaceful, harmonious and just society is
assured.
The Composition of the Supreme Court
The Supreme Court is composed of a Chief Justice and fourteen
Associate Justices. It may sit en banc or in its discretion, in divisions of three, five
or seven members. So that the highest tribunal may function smoothly and well,
any vacancy therein is constitutionally required to be filled within ninety (90) days
from the occurrence thereof.
To be heard or decided en banc are:
1. all cases involving the constitutionally of a treaty, international or
executive agreement or law
2. all other cases which under the rules of court are required to be heard
en banc including those involving the constitutionality, application or
operation of presidential decrees, proclamations, orders, instructions,
ordinances, and other regulations.
3. Modification or reversal of a doctrine or principle laid down by he
Supreme Court in a decision rendered en banc or in division; and
4. When the required number of votes is not obtained in the case heard
by the division.
Summary
This module lesson brings to focus the concept of the school as a social
system. As a school system, its environment can be identified as the family
system, education system, economic system, political system, religious system
and the judicial system.
These systems are interacting to each other and either as individually or
wholly to the school system. The family system serves as sources of biological,
affectional, socialization, status, economic, recreational, social and religious
roots; educational system as basis cultural, social control, assimilating, training
and development and promotion of growth.
Other environments like economic system has to provide the citizen with
high productive and economic efficiency in order to pay their share of the costs of
government; political system in terms of maintaining peace and order justice and
public services among others; religious system as sources of morality, spirituality
norms and values; and judicial system the power to decide and pronounce
judgment and carry it into effect between persons and parties who bring the case
before it for judgment.
REFERENCES
Aquino, G. V. 1997, Educational Administration: Theory and Practice. Metro
Manila: Rex Printing Co.
Brinkerhoff, D.V. and L. K. White. 1988. Sociology West Publishing Company.
Duka, C. 1997, Historical, Philosophical and Legal Foundation of Education.
Metro Manila: Phoenix Publishing House, Inc.
Nolledo, J. N. 1992, The Constitution of the Philippine Republic (Explained).
Metro Manila: National Book Store, Inc.
Nolledo, JN. 1995. Education Acts of the Philippines (Annotated) Metro Manila:
Katha Publishing Co., Inc.
Schaefer, RT. 1983. Sociology. USA; McGraw Hill, Inc.
Zaide, CA. Jr. et., al. 1979. Sociology and Social Living. Metro Manila: Goodwill
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