Philippine Democratization: Summing-up Key Conceptual, Institutional, and Developmental Issues 249 not provide any sense of condence that we have achieved the minimum success threshold for vertical accountability. The chapters by Azurin and Tuazon and my own contribution in this book focus on the weaknesses of our key political institutions such as the electoral process itself and political parties that are crucial to a more effective system of vertical accountability. In her chapter on political socialization, Gastardo-Conaco provides a variety of research ndings to show that the process of political socialization towards democratic citizenship also remains a highly contested process given the dynamic changes in the main sites of this experience: the family, school system, and various forms of media. Further situating the role of media in the democratization process, Teodoro stresses that this important agency for enhancing vertical accountability faces at least three major problems in the country: an ownership base limited to major business groups and families; a history of impunity by state and private agents who have targeted independent and opposition-minded media personalities; and the need for a law that would facilitate access by media personnel to government information for greater transparency and accuracy in reporting and analyzing news. Consistent with our book's inclusion of the important role of politically active citizens in enhancing accountability mechanisms, Holmes in his chapter examines the positive contribution of the broad network of civil society groupings but also points out their limitations and weaknesses. Horizontal Accountability and Democratization2 Horizontal accountability in democratic system refers to a relationship of checks and balances among key government agencies to prevent unlawful actions by any agent that may arise, for instance, from the overconcentration of powers in one agency. As explained by O'Donnell (1998: 117): This kind of accountability depends on the existence of state agencies that are legally empowered---and factually willing and able---to take actions ranging from routine oversight to criminal sanctions or impeachment in relation to possibly unlawful actions or commissions by other agents or agencies of the state. In his contribution to this book, Ronas addresses “horizontal accountability issues” among the key national agencies of government and their impact on democratization. He builds on Guillermo O'Donnell's concept of “delegative democracy” as a unifying thread to examine why executive hegemony over the legislature and judiciary constitutes an obstacle to democratic consolidation.3 In the context of a “delegative democracy”, the executive clearly exercises superior powers over the legislature and judiciary and the formal checks and balances mandated by the constitution seldom work. Ronas discusses extensively the well-established specic manifestations of executive powers over the legislature and judiciary such as the president's decree-making powers, commander-in-chief functions and prerogatives, veto powers over