Enrique B.

Picardal Jr

Naval State University, Naval Biliran

ekyjr26@gmail.com

09093658023

Introduction

We do not need to open our Constitution. We do not need to change our 1987 Constitution.

I am convinced that the proposed highest-ranking government officials do this, as we often; we simply
eliminate one of the most powerful arguments in favor of Federalism. Federalists' teaching that for
decades the federal-provincial- emergency issues as evidence that Mindanao freedom is threatened and
that federalism cannot be changed.

Nationalism can be a destructive force when it promotes discrimination and division. But it can also be a
force for good when it is intended to protect local independence against homogenizing forces yet large
entities.

The federal spending power, eliminate federal programs with the destruction of power, and to move the
taxpayers of the province is the right thing to do from some perspective about it

First: these are the natural things to do

A basic Act is not intended to be a flexible arrangement that changes from one decade to another
depending on political self-esteem. This is what allows the violations of the Constitution- law, the whole
moral foundation of our political system is to participate in its core.

Second: this is the federalist thing to do.

Twenty-four countries in 193 countries are a federal political set-up.Looking at Earth in political history, it
can be said that there are two advantages and federalism costs. Read the following article for a broad
and profound analysis of federalism.

Solving this problem is that it is Conservative in things to do. I'm in a Neutral side and I look at the edge
of the Conservative that I believe is a big and interventionist, centralized government. But in small and
limited governments, the government is close to people as much as possible. For all these reasons, I
believe that this proposal should be brought back to the faces of our political debates. And stay there
until we are able to enforce them. When we are successful, it can be restored to our federal unity with
its former exaltation and has helped the United Kingdom create the 21st century through Life.

Federalism is a political power system divided by any central government and many regional
governments. In a written constitution to propose the sharing of powers and agreements between the
state and the units claimed to be the provincial or regional government with the power to exercise
independence, except in some areas of management. For example in America, local governments are the
absolute authority of issuing licenses, providing for public health, conducting elections and local
governments, to look after the trade direction, and so on twenty-four countries in 193 countries have a
federal political set-up.

Looking at the World in political history, it can be said that there are two advantages and federalism
costs. Read the following article for a broad and profound analysis of federalism.

Solving this problem is that it is the conservative thing to do. I have a Neutral side and see me on the
edge of the Conservative I believe is a good and intervention, centralized government. But in the small
and limited government, the government is close to people as much as possible. For all these reasons, I
believe that this proposal should be brought back in front of our political debate. And stay there until we
are able to implement they are. If we are successful, this has been restored to our federal unions in its
former exaltation and has helped the United Kingdom create the 21st century through Life.
Federalism of the World Today

Today, Federalism is studied not only in the first country like the USA, Australia, and Canada but also in
developing countries such as Mexico, India, and Brazil. I think of a change in governments set in
countries, in some countries such as Sri Lanka and the Philippines nowadays trending because of the
planned of the President Duterti to have a Federalism form of Government for the reason accordingly for
peaceful Mindanao, sadly, this idea must be brought to inform cordially to the people if all willing to
accept this kind of government, Filipino’s are well looked after in the benefits, costs and unexpected
conclusion of Federalism.

Advantages of Federalism

Every province has political, social and economic problems unique to the region itself. Provincial
government representatives live close to people and the most important of the time from the same
community, so they are in a more good position to understand the problems and offer unique solutions
for them. For example, traffic in the Philippines, Hawaii is a problem that is best resolved by local
governments, keeping local factors ideally, rather than by someone living in New York. Federalism offers
them the place where regional government measures.

As the rules of the framework, local needs preferences and opinions due to government considerations.
Rights of states of minorities are Duterte’s Con-Com eyes 17 regions, plus NCR, in planning federalism
shift

The setup will 'provide better perspective on how to merge regions later on or how to strengthen
existing regions,' says subcommittee vice chairman Edmund Tayao

Camille Elemia

7:16:14am April 25, 2018

8:26:24am April 27, 2018

FEDERALISM. The Consultative Committee on revising the Constitution eyes 17 federated regions and
the National Capital Region as federal capital. Photo by Camille Elemia/Rappler

FEDERALISM. The Consultative Committee on revising the Constitution eyes 17 federated regions and
the National Capital Region as federal capital. Photo by Camille Elemia/Rappler

MANILA, Philippines – The consultative committee (Con-Com) created by President Rodrigo Duterte to
propose revisions to the 1987 Constitution has agreed on a starting point for the federalism discussions:
there will be 17 federated regions and the National Capital Region, the proposed federal capital. (READ:
Federalism pros and cons – in artworks)

Edmund Tayao, vice chairman of the subcommittee on the creation and structure of the subnational
governments, said this would “provide better perspective on how to merge regions later on or how to
strengthen existing regions.”

The list of 17 federated regions outside NCR include the present regions and reinstates the Negros Island
Region recently abolished by Duterte:

Ilocos Region

Cagayan Valley

Central Luzon

Calabarzon

Mimaropa
Bicol Region

Western Visayas

Negros Island Region

Eastern Visayas

Central Visayas

Zamboanga Peninsula

Northern Mindanao

Davao Region

Soccksksargen

Caraga

Cordillera Administrative Region

Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao

Tayao said the 17+1 proposal is politically feasible because “no one will feel threatened that their powers
and functions are suddenly clipped.”

There would also be opt-in or opt-out provisions, which will allow provinces to identify which federated
region they would join, based on proximity and political consolidation.

On Wednesday, April 25, Duterte’s Con-Com consulted the country’s economic managers on how best to
configure “economically viable” federated regions.

Among those who attended were Socioeconomic Planning Undersecretary Rosemarie Edillon, Finance
Undersecretary Bayani Agabin, Department of Budget and Management Director Leila Magda Rivera,
and Philippine Institute for Development Studies president Celia Reyes, among others.

Also present were Office of the Cabinet Secretary Assistant Secretary Marlon Broto and Interior and
Local Government Assistant Secretary and federalism campaign chief Jonathan Malaya.

Con-Com earlier came up with indicators – called RISE UP or Readiness Index for Sustainable Economies
Under PH-ederalism – to determine how each province is ready for the shift. They assigned a value or
index to each indicator and had it checked by PIDS.

The Con-Com’s indicators include the following:

From Prof Tayao's presentation

From Prof Tayao's presentation

PIDS, for its part, questioned some indicators and suggested new ones. The Con-Com will now wait for
the updated indices from the PIDS before plotting regional division under the proposed Charter.
Federalism: Good or bad?

794

SHARES

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image: https://www.philstar.com/images/authors/1804859.jpg

FROM THE STANDS - Domini M. Torrevillas (The Philippine Star) - August 23, 2018 - 12:00am

To understand what federalism is all about, and decide to vote or not for it as our system of government,
I advise readers to get hold of a copy of “Q&A Primer on Federalism” written by Rene V. Sarmiento,
professor of law at San Beda University and lecturer at the University of the Philippines Law Center, and
a former COMELEC commissioner.

So much has been written about the issue, about eminent personalities expressing sureness about
federalism making things better in our country, on one hand, and on the other, anxious about the
consequences of the shift to the system.

Sarmiento hopes the primer will help citizens have a “robust understanding” of federalism as it talks
about its origin, of the history of federalism in the Philippines and abroad, the models of federalism, the
discussion on it in the 1986 Constitutional Commission, and what they can do in the current national
debate.

Basically, the shift to federalism means having two levels of government controlling the same territory,
writes Sarmiento. “Federalism is the mixed or compound mode of government, (the central or ‘federal’
government) with regional governments (provincial, state, cantonal, territorial or other sub-unit
governments in a single political system… (It is defined) as a form of government in which there is a
division of powers between two levels of government of equal status.”

At present, what we have is a unitary system, where the national government is sovereign and the states
are administrative arms of the central government, writes Sarmiento. As in the American federal system,
the people retain their basic sovereignty and they delegate some powers to the national government
and reserve other powers to the states. Individuals are citizens of both the general government and their
respective states.”

But let’s focus on the advantages and disadvantages of federalism. Sarmiento bases his dissertation on
the views of former Sen. Aquilino Pimentel, R. Mendoza, Miral Jr. R.E.M. Jr., the late Supreme Court
Chief Justice Claudio Teehankee, and former CJ Reynato Puno.

Below are the advantages, Sarmiento says.

• The sharing of powers in a federal system will ensure that the federal states will have ample powers to
develop their own social, economic, and political potentials. With adequate powers the federal states
will be able to modernize themselves. As they modernize, the political stability of the whole country will
be strengthened.

• The creation of a BangsaMoro Federal State is the only constitutional and legal means of dissipating
the causes of Muslim rebellions and of laying the foundations of a just and lasting peace in Mindanao.
The adoption of the federal system will enable the BangsaMoro a fuller opportunity to promote their
own identity and culture and their own economic development at their own pace without the need of
seceding or declaring their independence from the republic.

• The concentration of power and resources in the president of the Philippines over fiscal resources and
appointments in the bureaucracy can be used to secure economic rents and accumulate wealth which
can be easily abused, ushering in corruption. When corruption reaches intolerable limits, political
conflicts intensify and instability emerge.

• The Philippine experience under a unitary system of government limits the space for local
governments to take initiatives and become self-reliant.

• In a unitary government, the people are ruled by dynasties, run by economic elite, threatened by
criminal syndicates. It is far more difficult to capture powers of government in a federal state than a
unitary state.
* * *

But why are there many who opposed adoption of the federalist system? Sarmiento, takes no sides, as
he enumerates the disadvantages of federalism. Sarmiento cites the views of Davide, C. Habito, J.
Butuyan, former Sen. Joey Lina and E. Magay-Inciong.

• Establishing a multilayer of government structure consisting of central and regional governments will
be costly, creating an enlarged and bloated bureaucracy.

• The Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) puts the additional cost in the range of P44-72
billion, not even counting changes in the judiciary, if there is a shift to a federal system.

• Federalism will strengthen political dynasties in the regional governments, perpetrate themselves in
power and amass vast wealth through corruption.

• Federalism will make the poor poorer because they will be burdened with taxes of all kinds to support
and maintain the federal central government and regional governments.

• The principle of federalism – local autonomy, subsidiarity and decentralization – are already in the
1987 Constitution. What needs to be done is to operationalize these principles of

Would a federal government be beneficial to the Philippines?

Yes, if the Federal Form of Government is partnered with Parliamentary System with LIberalized
Economy. Without Parliamentary System but thus retaining the current Philippine Presidential System,
there wouldn’t be any drastic change nor there can be tons of jobs should we NOT LIBERALIZED the
Economy from PROTECTIONIST “CRONYISM OLIGARCHY” to FREE COMPETITIVE OPEN MARKET
ECONOMY CAPITALISM.

TO know more, below is my post from other question but very much related to this question herein:
Total overhaul in the country’s (1) Economic Policy, (2) System of Territorial Administrative Government,
(3) System of Government.

What are these?

CURRENT Status Quo:

(1) Economic Policy → Protectionist Economy (a.k.a. Oligarchic-Crony Capitalism)

The very reason why there are no Decent-paying Jobs in the country and where our economy is mostly
base on Monopoly which resulted to the OFW Phenomenon, Lack of Jobs, Low-Wage Jobs, Poor Service
and Sub-Standard Products and Services. All of these have affected the entire country’s culture and
behavior.

(2) System of Territorial Administrative Government → Unitary (centralism)

The very reason why Regions are Poor and Underdeveloped, and Imperial Manila is so Congested and
Polluted. Since most Economic Opportunity in Imperial Manila, people from EACH Region has to go to
Imperial Manila to look for a greener pasture.

Under Unitary Government, Regions does NOT have enough POWER to manage their own Political
Affairs, Finances & Economy, and their own Ethnolinguistic Affairs & Policy.

(3) System of Government → Presidential System (celebrity system)

The very reason why people keep on asking this questions: (i) why is our politics is like a
CELEBRITY/SHOWBIS Politics? (ii) Name-Recalls? (iii) Popularity/Personality Politics?

The very reason as well why we have HUGE Gridlocks which always result to DEADLOCKS. Because at the
end of their term, they only end squabbling instead focuses on issue. Since Presidential is a NON-
Collegial System, therefore achieving unity and to work altogether as one team is very much unlikely.

I, as member of the CoRRECT MOVEMENT, this is what I shall Propose, OUR CoRRECT MOVEMENT’s
Three Main Points Agenda for Constitutional Reform, to bring hope for our country and the Filipino
People….

CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM with it’s 3 Points Agenda:

(1) Economic Policy → Economic Liberalization (towards Free Competitive Open Market Economy)

“Attract investors. Create more jobs.”

Removing protectionist provisions so as to more easily attract foreign investors to come to the
Philippines and help create jobs to solve the massive unemployment problem of the Philippines. This
massive unemployment problem is the biggest cause of so many other major problems in the Philippines
As it turns out, a huge number of the Philippines’ problems are directly or indirectly traceable to
economic issues.

(2) System of Territorial Administrative Government → Federal (Region-Based Decentralization)

“Empower the regions, decongest Manila.”

Also called “Evolving Region-based Decentralization”, this reform proposal calls for empowering the
regions by gradually giving them the appropriate autonomy that would give them the onus to set their
own economic and political policies, allowing them to attract investments and make their own regions
economically self-sufficient.

(3) System of Government → Parliamentary System (Collegial & Party's Platform-Based System & Politics)

“True leadership, not popularity politics.”

By shifting to the , the problems of gridlock and the excesses of pork barrel politics associated with the
go away, leaving a more efficient, leaner, more agile and flexible, more stable, more transparent, more
accountable, and more professional form of government that more likely produces quality leaders, as
opposed to the old excesses of the presidential system which is more prone to celebrity popularity
politics.

How does Economic Liberalization HELPS Federalism and Parliamentary System, and Vice Versa?

1. Economic Liberalization helps both Evolving Federalism and Parliamentarism:

a) Economic Liberalization helps Evolving Federalism by creating economic opportunities that the
Regions will benefit from when they decentralize/federalize.
b) Economic Liberalization strengthens Parliamentarism by creating new emerging members of the rich
elites, new members of the middle classes, from among the ordinary citizenry who can now provide
alternative choices to the old oligarchy/warlord class during elections.

2. Evolving Federalism helps Economic Liberalization and Parliamentarism:

a) Evolving Federalismhelps Economic Liberalization by allowing each of the component autonomous

regions or “newly federalized states” to compete against each other, such that each region offers
attractive enticements such as lower taxes or tax holidays and other incentives to companies (both local
businesses and foreign multinationals) to set up