Duterte reveals platform of government
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano were set to lay down their platform of government in a forum on Thursday (January 7) at the Plaza Independencia in Cebu City.
In a press conference prior to the event, Duterte revealed some plans he had once elected as president. He said that his administration would be "left leaning" and he has a socialist principle.
Duterte said that he would push for an end to the insurgency problem with communist rebels, having direct contacts with the NPA-NDF leaders such as Joma Sison.
Duterte also said that he was against contractualization of laborers and would push for reforms in the income tax law which will cover more exemptions such as for those earning below P20,000 a month.
The Davao chief executive also said that he would not declare martial law — unlike the "doomsday" scenario painted by his opponents.
"But I tell criminals not to push me to go the extreme," Duterte warned.
Duterte also specifically said that he would end the problem of illegal drugs in just three to six months into his administration.
Organizers and supporters of Duterte said that it would be the first time for the tandem to lay down their platform of government.
Duterte: Polls on federalism in 2 yrs
DAVAO CITY—Presumptive President-elect Rodrigo Duterte projected a two-year timetable to submit to a referendum his proposal to dismantle the current presidential, unitary form of government and put in place a federal one.
Duterte said he would give himself up to two years to submit the federalism proposal to a plebiscite or a referendum.
“Not later than two years, we will submit the (federalism) issue for a plebiscite or a referendum,” Duterte said.
He reiterated that nothing short of federalism could appease the restless Moro population, whose high expectations from the outgoing administration was doused by the failure of Congress to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).
In a press conference here, Duterte said he would create a commission to accept proposals on the switch to a federal form of government.
The commission, he said, would have Moros, Christians and lumad as members.
Prior to the election campaign, Duterte has gone around the country to promote federalism, saying the current system of government is no longer working.
The commission that would be created, Duterte said, would also include experts on the federal form of government.
Duterte has been consistent in his criticism of the unitary, presidential form of government saying it has led to unequal distribution of wealth.
The commission’s main task, Duterte said, would be to start the discussion on how the country could effect the shift to a federal form of government.
“After that, I will call for a constitutional convention and will have to ask the Filipino people about the need for a federal system of government,” said the incoming President.
The 1987 Constitution, ratified under the administration of the late President Corazon Aquino, provides for a unitary form of government, which needs to be amended if the country is to switch to federalism.
Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez, tagged as the next Speaker of the House of Representatives, said the federalism campaign of the Duterte administration would render “moot” the pending BBL.
But a top leader of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) raised a howl of protest over Alvarez’s statement that negotiations for a settlement with the Moro people would have to start from scratch.
“He (Alvarez) does not know what he is talking about,” said Mohagher Iqbal, MILF chief peace negotiator.
“What are we going to do with our 17 years of negotiations?” Iqbal said.
Iqbal said the MILF would reject a restart of negotiations and was amenable only to an enhancement of BBL.
He also protested Alvarez’s statement that there was no public consultation on the BBL.
Iqbal said Alvarez was not aware of the more than 200 public hearings held on the BBL nationwide.
Muslimin Sema, chair of the Moro National Liberation Front, also said Alvarez’s position would not help resolve the decades-old conflict in Mindanao. Germelina Lacorte with reports from Jeoffrey Maitem and Charlie Senase, Inquirer Mindanao

Duterte to propose constitutional convention in next 2 years to pave way for federalism
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 11 May) – Incoming president Rodrigo R. Duterte is proposing to Congress amend the 1987 Philippine constitution by starting within the next two years the process that will pave the way for a parliamentary federal form of government from a unitary type.
Peter T. Laviña, in a press conference at the Royal Mandaya Hotel here Tuesday, said that this is part of the three-point agenda which the presumptive president would push under his administration.
The other two – battling drugs and criminality and forging of peace agreements with rebel groups.
He said that they will ask Congress to call for a constitutional convention to start with the drafting of a new constitution.
Laviña said that they expect members will be convened by early next year so they can start with the draft and hold national consultation with stakeholders, including Filipinos abroad.
“That will require a wide national consensus beginning with the asking of Congress to call for a constitutional conventional electing our delegates in a democratic way. We will undergo a national study of these proposals,” he said.
Once prepared and approved, Laviña said they will present the proposal to the Filipino people to be voted upon through plebiscite, which is being initially planned either earlier than or simultaneous with the 2019 midterm elections.
He said if things get going in the first few months of the Duterte administration, then plebiscite could be held simultaneously with the Sangguniang Kabataan elections in October 2016. “But of course we have to deal with the new Congress,” he added.
Laviña said that Duterte made it a point that his immediate acts as incoming president would be to ask Congress to pass a law calling for a constitutional convention to start the process by electing the new framers of the constitution.
If push comes to shove, he said only then that new regional states will be set up and ready from 2019 to 2022, the last three years of the Duterte administration.
“The first elections for the federal officials will be 2022. It is a wrong notion that the president will become the president of a new federal government. He will only preside towards that transition, the federal state as well as the regional states by 2022,” he said.
During the constitutional convention deliberations, Laviña added they expect that review on the country’s economic provisions and its foreign relations will also be taken up.
He said the Duterte administration will give “primacy” in crafting new policies for overseas Filipino workers, which he said will create a major shift in the country’s foreign policy.
Although pushing for a federal system, Duterte said that he will respect the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) and the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) signed between the government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
National unity
Duterte has offered his “hands of friendship” and called for a national unity with rivals, Laviña said, to counter the most pressing problems like drugs, criminality, and corruption.
He mentioned about fighting against external threats that have been rumored to be massing in the Southern Philippines who are advocating for violent extremism.
“We are being threatened by China over West Philippine sea – islet grabbing – there are existing global problems like global warming, human trafficking, properties, and monopolies of big countries over trade relation,” he said.
Duterte’s third agenda, Laviña said, will be forging of peace agreements and establish political settlements with the rebel forces in the country.
He said armed conflicts have to be stopped in order to build peace in the country.
“We need to end the internal conflict that has been attempted to be solved by the past administrations,” he said.
He added that this is Duterte’s “golden opportunity” since the presumptive president is close to the communist rebels but he was quick to clarify that the incoming president is not a member of any communist group.
“The mayor is not close [to the communist group] in a sense that he is a member of the communist party or bring them all to the government or convert the country into a communist state,” Laviña stressed.
The 71-year-old Davao City patriarch will take his oath as 16th president of the Philippines at noon of June 30.
One nation united: Is Duterte’s federalism PHL’s path to growth?
BusinessMirror Reporters VG. Cabuag, David Cagahastian, Manuel T. Cayon, Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz, Cai U. Ordinario, Mary Grace C. Padin, Catherine N. Pillas, Joel R. San Juan and Butch Fernandez
MANILA and DAVAO CITY–HE’S excited. For Manuel, a confidential National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) staff, the excitement comes from the possibility of being regarded as an FBI agent.
That is, if the plan of President-elect Rodrigo R. Duterte to adopt federalism as a form of government comes into fruition.
“That could happen [changing the NBI into the Federal Bureau of Investigation], couldn’t it?” Manuel said in an interview with the BusinessMirror.
Beyond the possible changes in labels of government agencies, Federalism has ramifications in a country that has grown used to considering its citizens in all the more than 7,100 islands follow a socio-political homogeneity.
There are, however, people like former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno, who told BusinessMirror he has been calling for a shift from presidential-unitary form of government to a parliamentary-federal system. Puno attributed the problems plaguing the country, such as graft and corruption, poverty, insurgency, weak judiciary and others, to the present system of government.
There’s also Lito Monico Lorenzana, graduate of the Harvard University-Kennedy School of Government, who said he spent 40 years of his life advocating for federalism in the Philippines.
“Let me tell you the first anomaly: When the Americans that last controlled us gave us the presidential form of government, it was actually a form of government even alien to them,” Lorenzana told the BusinessMirror in Davao City, where Duterte reigned as elected mayor before being voted into president on May 9.
However, Puno and Lorenzana may have the gravitas as they advocate for Federalism, the push to unify the islands of the Pearl of the Orient is complicated.
Complicated vs tedious
UP College of Law Professor Edgardo Carlo Vistan noted, for one, that the current judicial system is incompatible with a federal system such that major changes would be necessary.
He explained to the Businessmirror that in a federal system, the judicial system will most likely be more complicated, but pursuing court cases may not necessarily be more tedious.
He said that most likely, a state or local courts will be created and administered by the various component states in accordance with their own laws.
“The independence that each component state will likely be granted in making laws effective within their jurisdiction will affect not only the variety of the judicial structures and systems across states,” he said. “But, more important the state laws that each Filipino will have to deal with in going from one state to another.”
He added that there will also be a federal system of laws and courts that would be distinct from those of the component states, adding another layer of complication.
“So, in many instances, one has to deal with both federal and state laws,” he pointed out.
But, he noted that not all court matters should be brought before both the state and federal courts.
“Most cases would usually end within the state judicial system and should not be allowed to cross over to the federal judicial system,” he explained.
Vistan said if the state judicial system is simple and not as multi-layered as what we have under the unitary-presidential form of government, then the disposition of cases may be hastened.
He said it would be ideal to three levels of courts at the most.
“Efficiency, however, would ultimately be affected by how the state courts are administered, the procedures they adopt in handling and deciding cases, and how these courts would actually handle cases brought before them,” he added.
Judicial strength
PUNO believes the country’s judicial health can withstand the changes that would come with federalism. Puno indicated that, under the federal form of government the Judiciary can fully exercise its independence under the federal form of government as compared to the present system.
The Supreme Court, he said, “is one of its kind in the world” for having a vast power to strike down any laws and policies promulgated in grave abuse of discretion.
But, Puno noted, despite having such powers, independence of the Judiciary is “insufficiently insulated in our Constitution” considering that appointments in the Judiciary is tainted with politics.
“Undeniably, the judiciary has never been given its financial independence by the political branches of the government. Lack of financial resources is one reason the Judiciary cannot liquidate its backlogs of undecided cases,” Puno said.
Former University of the East Law Dean and constitutionalist Amado Valdez said the judicial branch is expected to function more efficiently under a federal form of government.
While the country may maintain the present setup of the Judiciary, a State High Court may be created for the speedy disposition of court cases.
“A decision of the State High Court may be appealed to the Supreme Court as court of last resort,” Valdez said. A State High Court, he added, would result in the abolition of the Court of Appeals.
“A State High Court in every federal state will surely expedite disposition of cases,” he added.
Charter change
THE momentum in the federalism tack could be expected to come from the Lower House.
On Wednesday returning Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez said his leadership will prioritize a measure changing the 1987 Constitution. Alvarez is being eyed as speaker of the House of Representatives in the Duterte administration.
He said Charter change (Cha-cha) and the revival of the death penalty will be prioritized in the 17th Congress.
“Revising the present Constitution [will be the first legislative item in the 17th Congress],” Alvarez said in a news conference. “Ang gusto ng ating bagong pangulo ay palitan ito into federal form [of government].”
He added they will undertake the changing of the Charter through a constitutional convention (Con-con).
Other lawmakers earlier told the BusinessMirror they are “still carefully studying” the proposal to change the country’s form of government from republican to federal.
Party-list Rep. Neri J. Colmenares of Bayan Muna and Marikina Rep. Romero S. Quimbo said the next administration should be specific on his federal form of government proposal.
“We want to hear more specific proposal[s] from him,” Colmenares said.
Quimbo, meanwhile, said he’s “not at all familiar with the concept, particularly, the form [the] incoming president has in mind.”
The so-called Visayan bloc, led by Negros Occidental Rep. Alfredo D. Benitez, tackled the proposal on Wednesday.
The 46-member Visayan bloc has expressed support for Duterte’s legislative priorities, particularly on peace and order, poverty reduction, public health and education.
Revisiting initiatives
FROM all indications, the process of getting to a federal form of government would be a circuitous route. This is why PDP Laban party president Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III has started revisiting previous legislative initiatives he led with LP Senator and fellow Mindanaoan Teofisto D. Guingona III, to start selling federalism to their Congress colleagues and the electorate.
Asked about the prospects of a bill on federalism in the current Congress, Pimentel said this would have already been included in the agenda of the proposed Con-con embodied in a resolution he and Guingona had earlier submitted for congressional approval.
“Filed na ang resolution on Con-con early this year pa,” Pimentel told the BusinessMirror, even as he clarified the envisioned agenda of the Con-con is “not necessarily” focused only on incoming President Duterte’s favored shift to federalism.
Saying the proposed change in the form of government will require revision of the Constitution, he confirmed their consensus is to let the Con-con tackle the matter.
“The preferred mode to amend the Charter is Con-con, not the current or future Congress (sitting as a constituent assembly),” Pimentel said. “Specific body ang Con-con to study Charter change.”
The senator added that once it is convened, “the entire Constitution is open to change.”
Asked if the current Congress can still pass the Con-con resolution so that the assembly can convene soon, he lamented that their proposal was virtually “ignored” by the Senate leadership and didn’t even reached plenary consideration.
“Hindi pinansin ’yun [Pimentel-Guingona] Resolution, hence, no more time this Congress. Sa next one na. I have to be realistic about it.”
But Pimentel voiced confidence that with Palace backing this time around, the refiled Con-con proposal will have a much better chance under a new leadership.
“Next Congress it be would impossible to ignore such a reso,” Pimentel said.
Congress is key
ACCORDING to Lorenzana, Congress is the key to the Federalism push. He said the three administrations that attempted to push for a federal form failed for various reasons, including the suspicion to preserve and extend their tenure in Malacañang.
But the common denominator of it all was Congress, which showed its natural dislike for federalism due to the common demand of people in the three separate national consultations that they wanted an end to political dynasties.
The two attempts during the term of former Presidents Fidel V. Ramos and Joseph E. Estrada were derailed over suspicion of term extension, while that of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo reached Congress. Proponents, led by Lorenzana and former University of the Philippines (UP) President Jose V. Abueva, had to ask the Supreme Court to allow the federalism issue take its due course through the constitutionally guaranteed People’s Initiative.
The hope was booted out by one vote in the High Tribunal.
Lorenzana said federalism “is not just an overnight thing.”
“We cannot just legislate it tomorrow and then we have federalism,” he said. “It is a journey, and observes several principles, including subsidiarity, structural and institutional reforms and constitutional change.”
In a news conference on Monday, Duterte projected it would take two years to shepherd the process of getting people to approve federalism in a referendum, to be called after the enabling legislation is passed by Congress.
Political capital
IT is a common and logical view that any push for Cha-cha should start from the President and that its success depends on his political will and the trust that the people have in him.
Prospero de Vera, vice president for Public Affairs of the UP, said Duterte should do so while the iron is hot.
“It’s the correct move to push for federalism immediately at the start of his [Duterte’s] term because it is at a time when he has the biggest political capital,” de Vera said.
He pointed out that previous presidents had made the mistake of pushing for any kind of charter change later in their tenure, which resulted only in fear and agitation among the people as to the real intentions behind the moves for Cha-cha.
An example of this distrust is the failure of the administration of President Aquino to enact its charter change initiative. The outgoing administration confined itself only to the economic provisions of the Constitution to lift certain limits imposed on foreign ownership, ostensibly to minimize the peoples distrust for any moves to change the Constitution.
Mr. Aquino did not push for federalism, except for his support for the peace process with the Muslim secessionists in Mindanao, wherein his administration signed an agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to establish a new autonomous entity, named the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region. The law, which would have effected such agreement, however, did not pass Congress.
Isabela Rep. Rodolfo T. Albano III told the BusinessMirror the bill is a good template for federalism.
“We’ve been waiting for the proposal,” Albano said. “The best template is the BBL [Bangsamoro basic law] if it was passed,” he said.
He believes federalism will empower provinces through more authority and having their own funds.
Roxas solution
AQUINO’S anointed successor, Liberal Party standard-bearer Manuel A. Roxas II, echoed Mr. Aquino’s position against federalism. Roxas also countered that Duterte’s campaign for Federalism would not solve the problem of poverty in the countryside.
Roxas’s proposed solution is to pour more resources into the provinces to solve poverty and, consequently achieve peace and order.
Arroyo also had the same misgivings regarding federalism. She argued the economic zones are not developed enough for the resulting federal states to stand by themselves without subsidies from the national government.
Ramos also tried to change the Constitution toward the end of his term, which was met with strong opposition because of his outright pitch for the lifting of term limits of public officials.
De Vera said these concerns regarding the details on the proposed federal system of government could pose obstacles to the Cha-cha movement, and should be addressed through the careful crafting of the proposed constitutional amendments, while taking into consideration the pecularities of the Philippines and its people to come up with a federal system that will work, instead of merely copying the different federal systems of other countries.
Resolving conflict
THE underlying agendum to resolve the conflict in Mindanao via federalism is a logical one, as conflicts are among the reasons why economic growth and development have been slow in coming to the country’s largest island-group.
One is Mamasapano, the site of a massacre of 44 policemen. Located in Maguindanao province, it is among the poorest regions in the Philippines.
Poverty incidence in this municipality was pegged at 73.7 percent, according to the 2012 Small Area Estimates released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Maguindanao province in part of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), where the poverty incidence rate averaged 48.7 percent in 2012, according to the PSA.
The poorest municipality nationwide, Bacolod-Kalawi in Lanao del Sur with a poverty incidence rate of 84.8 percent in 2012, is also found in the ARMM region.
The National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) said armed conflicts and security problems in the area, as well as natural hazards that affect the agriculture sector, where most of the poor depend on for their livelihood, are among the reasons many places in Mindanao are poor.
“It can also be partly explained by the high dependence on agriculture and the underperformance of the agriculture sector as a whole,” Neda Director General Emmanuel F. Esguerra earlier said. “We should note that more than 70 percent of all workers in the region are employed in agriculture sector.”
Benefits seen
MINDANAO’S land area covers six regions—the Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region, Soccsksargen (South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos City), Caraga (Region XIII) and the ARMM.
But the six regions in Mindanao only contributed 14.439 percent to the country’s total GDP of P7.16 trillion in 2014, based on constant prices. According to a BusinessMirror computation based on PSA’s 2014 constant GDP data in the 2015 statistical yearbook, all 6 regions contributed some P1.034 trillion to GDP that year.
Based on the 2014 Gross Region Domestic Product (GRDP), only Davao Region posted a higher rate of economic performance at 9.4 percent from its GRDP of 4.1 percent in 2012.
This is the reason only Davao, the economic star among regions nationwide in 2014, was the only one that posted a poverty rate of 25 percent, better than the national average of 25.2 percent in the full year of 2012.
Economists believe federalism could be one of the most effective ways to spur growth and development in places like Mindanao.
University of Asia and the Pacific Vice Dean Cid Terosa said under a federalist form of government, small regions and municipalities will have a say in their development. Terosa said this will result in tailor-fit solutions that are designed to address area-specific economic and policy problems needed by the locale.
“The burden on the national government to alleviate poverty and unemployment will now be diffused to local regions or areas. The NCR won’t be the focus of programs and projects that promote or facilitate growth,” Terosa said.
“Federalism can, thus, reduce poverty and unemployment rates with an efficient, effective and enlightened federal government,” he added. “Initially, federalism will be administratively difficult to carry out since many regions or areas in the Philippines are prepared for it.”
Shrinking agencies
FOR pundit Bienvenido Oplas, Federalism would mean there would be shrinking of many national government agencies, including the Department of Agriculture (DA).
“If you have a strong and meaningful federalism, you have to shrink many national agencies, including the DA, in favor of the federal states or regions,” he said.
Meganomics Specialists International Inc. President Pablito M. Villegas explained this would mean the country will have a national agriculture agency, while each federal state or region would also have its own state-level or decentralized agency on agriculture.
Villegas said the national agriculture agency would focus more on policy making and strengthening of international trade.
He added the decentralized DA would focus on formulating strategic plans and programs in line with the national agricultural policy but will prioritize commodities and enterprises within the state. Doing so will give these federal agencies a comparative and competitive advantage based on the factory and resource endowments in the area and generate more employment for the population.
As the national and decentralized agencies would be able to focus on their respective functions, Villegas claimed federalism would be “advantageous” for the agriculture sector.
Ateneo Center for Economic Research and Development Director Leonardo A. Lanzona Jr., for his part, said this decentralization would also mean the agriculture structure would be more “responsive” to the needs of the farmers in their respective communities.
Oplas offered, as an example, the weather-based decision-making that farmers do in every region. He said, as rainfall patterns in various areas tend to be different even during same periods, the planning of crops to plant should be a responsibility given to the regions.
He added thatfederalism would also promote competition among the states or regions, as they would be given more leeway to decide on trade and fiscal policies.
“For example, if I am Masbate, I want to encourage agriculture processing here,” he said. “So I will offer them different types of fiscal or tax incentives and tell [these companies] come here instead of Negros or Cebu.”
“Or for example, if I am Manila, and I need produce like onion, garlic, etc., these islands would have to fight among themselves to get the market share in Manila,” Oplas added.
Infra possibilities
POLITICAL analyst Ramon C. Casiple said there are two ways by which the state can implement infrastructure development under a federal form of government.
“First is that a federal government has to get a local state to agree to a federal project,” said Casiple, who is also the executive director of the Philippine Institute for Political and Electoral Reforms.
Deals under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Program of the national government fall into this category. For example, the P19-billion Davao Sasa Wharf Modernization deal will have to be approved by the state of Southern Mindanao before being auctioned off.
This might prove to be quite problematic, especially since the local state will be given more power to implement infrastructure development deals on its own.
“The second one is that local states can undertake their own infrastructure-development projects and get outside financing on its own,” Casiple said.
Currently, local governments implement such projects also under the PPP scheme.
PPP Center Executive Director Andre C. Palacios noted, however, that infrastructure-development should not be stunted by any form of government.
“Infrastructure is urgently needed in the Philippines, whatever the form of government. If federal government means greater local autonomy and greater responsiveness to local needs, then we can expect more public spending for public infrastructure,” he said.
Trade and commerce
UNDER the federalist system in the United States, when it comes to the area of trade and commerce, the general guiding provision is found in its Constitution, the so-called Commerce Clause.
One interpretation of the said clause dictates that Congress has power to regulate interstate commerce, commerce with foreign nations and commerce with Indian tribes. However, the scope and jurisdiction of this power, and Congress’s sharing of authority with state legislature is still highly debated. State legislatures often contest that the clause impedes their power to rule on economic activities within their jurisdiction.
In the Philippine setup, however, the regulation of trade and commerce in a federal government would largely depend on a strong Executive arm, notes a trade and investment lawyer.
“Federalist states in the US started off with strong, individual states,” Kristine F. Alcantara, managing partner of trade and investment firm AAA Law, said. “In Canada there’s the same, equally efficient system. This can possibly work with the Philippines if you have functioning local government units [LGUs].”
While the question of division of power in regulating trade and commerce is difficult to answer, Alcantara remarked that a degree of autonomy, at least in determining the direction of a region’s economy, will be an advantage for self-determined growth.
“If federal states have more incentive to determine their own economy, to contract with private parties and incentive to grow on their own, they’ll have more incentive to grow,” Alcantara said.
Banking and Finance
FOR Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) economist Nicholas Antonio Mapa, proper backbone is still needed in the country before rushing to shift to a federal system of government, as it could post more harm than good.
“Federalism may offer some allure to the regions as it would seem to be a way to gain equity with long-standing imperial Manila,” Mapa said. “But changes to the economic landscape do not happen overnight, and in some cases, may not happen at all.”
The economist further elaborated that in federalism, states or regions that play host to more progressive cities or business districts have very different capabilities than the less-developed areas. As such, switching to federalism, with the current gap between urbanized and rural areas, may widen the divide between the two.
“National budgets have been devolved in theory through the LGU code and, perhaps, the reason behind the economic disparity is not as closely linked to our current form of government as most would think,” Mapa said. “My fear is that with the current disparity, more developed regions would be able to offer much better business perks and tax cuts that less-developed areas would be hard-pressed to match. This would simply perpetuate the situation.”
As such, Mapa said more projects still need to be carried out in lesser-developed regions in the country to level the playing field.
“Connectivity is key in all forms, through transport and communications. The current administration has supposedly gone on an infrastructure binge by building more roads than previous administrations combined,” he said. “From this we can see how far we need to go before we get our infrastructure up to speed with the region.”
Worries, concerns
THE push to a federal form of government has also prompted concerns from other sectors.
Lanzona expressed concern that the capacity and resources of local communities might not be enough to support agricultural production, so aid from the national government might still be needed.
For former PPP Center Executive Director Cosette V. Canilao, implementing infrastructure projects under a federal government would prove to be not so beneficial to provinces with low incomes.
“Among the local governments or provinces, there are only a few that can sustain infrastructure development under a federal system, like Manila, Cebu and Davao,” she said.
Canilao is worried on how low-income provinces can implement their own PPPs, since there are two ways by which private sector can be repaid under the scheme.
“How are they going to make their own, PPPs—especially social infrastructure? There are two means by which private sector can benefit from PPPs, first is through user charges and the other being availability payments,” she explained. Examples of user charges are tariffs—payments collected when a certain facility is used. Toll roads, railway systems and airports, for instance, are other examples. Availability payments are subsidies given to private-sector partners for projects that are less commercially viable.
“There’s a difference between financing the project, and the private proponent getting repaid on their investments,” Canilao said. “So, I think the provinces with high income are the only ones that can sustain infrastructure development under a federal system.”
Studious market
FOR CEOs like Januario Jesus Gregorio B. Atencio III and Andoni F. Aboitiz, the federalism tack should be carefully studied.
Atencio, 8990 Holdings Inc. president and CEO, said the federalism proposal should be carefully studied by the Executive and the Legislative branches with wide consultations as possible because of its implications to business and society.
“The Local Government Code had already devolved a lot significant functions to the LGU. I doubt if there’s anything more that federalism can devolve at this stage. Besides, we can always devolve more functions to LGUs, which I think is the safer route,” Atencio said.
“Federalism might create city-state fiefdom and encourage more dynasties,” he said.
For Aboitiz, president and CEO of Aboitiz Land Inc., a property developer mainly in Cebu, said he will have look first the federalism proposal of Duterte in order for him to decide if it is good or not.
“There are many types of federalism. Which one they will possibly adopt we still don’t know at this point. We have to look at it first to determine if it is good for us a company and for the Philippines,” Aboitiz said.
Echoes of colonialism
ACCORDING to Lorenzana, the country must grapple with several problems that are echoes of its subservience from American colonial rule.
One of the problems, he said, is the “subservience to the national government in all aspects.”
The next problem would be to have adaptable horizontal and vertical structures, where the national government devolves the functions to LGUs.
“[But] after several decades of political patronage, would Congress just give in their political influence to the locales who would be suspected also of building their own political influence?” he said.
He added that the structure of Congress, especially the Senate, is also an anomaly that federalism should be able to address.
“In the US’s presidential-federal form of government, when one elects the president, it carries with it the president’s running mate, unlike in the Philippines where each is voted separately, where we have the perennial bickering and separation with each administration,” he said.
And the senators are elected by each state, with each state sending two to the US Congress. “In the Philippines, the senators are elected universally, where eventually they think they are as powerful as the president,” Lorenzana said.
In 1935 the US colonizers formed only two political parties, the Liberal and Nacionalista, “which are basically the same faces of the same coin, and ruled by the same oligarchy.”
“The concept of governance here and the participation of the local governments failed because of the strong centralized power, that eventually give rise to political dynasties,” he said. “These are the anomalies of the Philippine type of democracy.”
Federalism in the Philippines
Wiki
History[edit]
One of the first proponents of federalism in the Philippines is University of the Philippines professor Jose Abueva who argued that a federal form of government is necessary to more efficiently cater to the needs of the country despite its diversity.[1] The primary goals of a constitutional amendment is to increase decentralization, greater local power and access to resources most especially among regions outside Metro Manila which has long been dubbed as rather imperial.[2] Aside from Abueva, senator Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. is a prominent supporter of federalism who, since 2001, has advocated for federalism. He sees the proposed system as a key component in alleviating the Mindanao crisis and appeasing Moro insurgents. Federalism will also hasten economic development since resource and financial mobilization is upon each states' or provinces' discretion without significant constraint from the central government.[3]
Due to the Senate and Congress resolutions supporting charter change, an estimated 13,000 to 15,000 people gathered in Makati in 2009 to protest against administration proposals for constitutional reform. This is in line with speculations that Philippine presidentGloria Macapagal-Arroyo would use such amendment to extend her hold in office.[4] In addition, Pulse Asia published in the same year their survey regarding public support towards the proposed charter change. Their report stated that four out of ten Filipino adults or 42% of all respondents opposed the amendment. Meanwhile, 25% were still undecided and 33% were in favor. Pulse Asia furthered that from 2006 to 2009, there was no significant change of sentiment against charter change, but indecision increased by 6%.[5]
Beginning in late 2014, Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte launched a nationwide campaign promoting a charter change for federalism. During his visit to Cebu City in October of the same year, Duterte stated that federalism will facilitate better delivery of services to the people.[6] He also saw the current system as "antiquated"[7] where distribution of public funds is disproportionately biased towards Manila. Aside from the economic aspect, federalism is also seen as the best means to address problems in Mindanao which suffers the most from ethnoreligious conflicts.[8] He added that the current unitary form of government has not worked well given the ethnic diversity in the country.[9] In spite of rejecting several calls for candidacy for the 2016 presidential elections, he also cited his reforms if he were to be president. Parallel to his campaign for federalism, Duterte plans to privatize tax collection and abolish the Congress to make way for a unicameral legislature, whereby the latter is contrary to the originally proposed Joint Resolution No. 10.[10]
Movements for federalism were further intensified since the draft of the Bangsamoro Basic Law was submitted by Philippine president Benigno Aquino III to the Congress in September 10, 2014.[11] If approved, this law establishes the Bangsamoro as an autonomous region with its own parliamentary government and police force.[12] Approval of the Bangsamoro structure provides federalism proponents and supporters added confidence to clamor for the national government to enact reforms towards a more decentralized system for the rest of the country.[7]
Politics[edit]
Islands are organized into three distinct island groups according to regions: Regions I to V, CAR and NCR are for Luzon, Regions VI to VIII and XVIII are for the Visayas, and Regions IX to XIII and ARMM are for Mindanao. If a province is reassigned into a new region, it can also be reassigned to a new island group, as is the case with Palawan, when it was reassigned to MIMAROPA. The island groups themselves do not have governments of their own, but are instead divided into provinces, cities, municipalities andbarangays, which do have their own local governments.
Although the island groups do not have local governments, hence capitals, certain cities have become the political, economic and cultural centers of the island groups. Manila is the national capital and is the de facto capital of Luzon, though Quezon City, a former capital, has more inhabitants than Manila. Cebu, on the province and island of the same name, is the chief city of the Visayas. Mindanao's main city is Davao, towards its southeast.
Failed attempts[edit]
Template:You may also see
Joint Resolution No. 10[edit]
The resolution might have required the revision of 14 of the 18 Articles of the 1987 Philippine Constitution and the addition of two new articles. It sought to adopt a federalpresidential bicameral form of government. This proposed resolution was backed by the 13 senators of the Philippines:[14]
In 2008, senator Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. proposed Joint Resolution No. 10, which would revise the current 1987 constitution and have created eleven autonomous regions out of the Philippine Republic, establishing eleven centers of finance and development in the archipelago.[15]
Eleven "states" plus one federal administrative region was proposed.[16][17]
Within the joint resolution are certain proposals such as election of senators based on states, senators representing overseas voters and the state governor and vice-governor as one team. The Judicial and Bar Council which screens nominees to the judiciary would be abolished. Geographic locations of the three branches of the government would also be reconsidered. In the proposal, the legislative department would be transferred to what would become the State of Central Visayas while the judicial department would be moved somewhere within the State of Northern Luzon. The executive department would remain within the federal administrative region of Metro Manila.[18]
House Concurrent Resolution No. 15[edit]
Rep. Monico O. Puentevella on May 7, 2008, filed House Concurrent Resolution No. 15 which supported Senate Resolution No. 10 backed by 16 senators. Unlike the Nene Pimentel Senate Resolution, Puentevella included the option of holding a constitutional convention, but excluded the People's Initiative mode.[19] Prospero Nograles, a self-proclaimed advocate of federalism, on May 1, 2008, announced: "This federal system of government is close to my heart as a Mindanaoan leader and I'm sure most of the leaders in Mindanao will agree that we have long clamored for it. Senate Resolution 10 is a pleasant surprise because the Senate has a long history of opposing any move to amend the Constitution."[20] The joint Senate resolution called for the creation of 11 federal states in the country, by convening of Congress “into a constituent assembly for the purpose of revising the Constitution to establish a federal system of government.”
10 things Duterte promises to do as President of the Philippines
Our country is in a tough situation and cannot move forward unless a good leader takes its helm. Despite its affluent natural resources, the Philippines left far behind other lesser-endowed countries because of weak leadership at the top.
Ever since Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte filed his candidacy for President of the Philippines, people have been talking non-stop about his unorthodox style.
He has openly admitted to killing, womanizing, and even more recently - he even cursed at the Pope, drawing the ire of the Catholic leadership.
Despite all of those, the most talk politician in social media got an overwhelming rating in a nationwide survey conducted by Social Weather Stations (SWS) in the last week of November, ranking as the No. 1 voter's choice not only from all socioeconomic classes but also from all geographic areas.
It came no surprise as Duterte promised a lot of things for the country to be a better place to live in. We listed the ten of them.
10. MULTIPLE PARTNERS (POLYGAMY) WILL BECOME LEGAL
A satire website stated that Duterte promised that if he becomes president, he will legalize polygamy, a practice that is not allowed under Philippine laws as well as the laws of the Roman Catholic Church.
While it is apparent that this will never get the approval of the Filipino majority, Duterte has not given any indication that he plans to change his womanizing ways.
9. CONGRESS, ON THE OTHER HAND, WILL BECOME ILLEGAL
The Davao mayor said he would replace Congress with a parliamentary federal form of government.
"If you elect me, in six months to one year, I will try to fix [the] government. If I cannot get the reforms that I want, I will declare a revolutionary government. Then I will fix the government, I will close the congress. I was once a congressman. Then I’ll fix everything," he said.
8. PARTYING AFTER 1 AM WILL BECOME ILLEGAL THANKS TO CURFEW
He will implement a 1 a.m. curfew for commercial establishments if he is elected president.The discussion on curfews came about after the mayor recalled a party thrown by a friend at a Manila-based resort and casino. He reasoned that the welfare of the service staff and the young patrons of these establishments must be considered in their service hours.
7. HE WILL PUSH FOR HIGHER WAGES FOR GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES
He said private and government workers earning P25,000 per month and below would be exempted from paying taxes.
6. DUTERTE WILL KILL TRAFFIC AND IMPROVE MASS TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS
The mayor said moving the sea port and airport away from the metropolis will decongest it aside from dispersing progress. “You have to have a fast train with two points of entry somewhere in Metro Manila that is not too crowded,” he added to explain how the goods will be transported to the metro.
Duterte also plans to improve mass transport which will make it more attractive even to the middle and even upper class.
5. HE WANTS TO RESOLVE THE CHINA CRISIS WITH THE HELP OF THE AMERICANS ...
“If I am the one to decide, I will cut Palawan lengthwise into two. The inner half will remain with us. The outer half I will lease to the United States,” the mayor said.
Duterte hinted that he will be willing to lease the allocated area to the Americans for, “say, $5,000 a month” where they will be face to face with the Chinese.
“You can kill each other there,” he added. He said the two countries are “there for each other anyway”, in reference to the fight for political supremacy between the US and China in the Asia-Pacific region.
4. ... BUT AT THE SAME, HE WANTS AMERICANS OUT OF THE COUNTRY
“No more Balikatan,” he said referring to the war exercises that are being opposed by leftist organizations suspicious of American intentions to perpetuate US presence in the country.
The mayor has repeatedly opposed American presence in the country and categorically declared he will not allow drones in Davao City.
3. DUTERTE EMBRACES PEACE TALKS WITH REBEL GROUPS
Duterte vowed to pursue peace talks with communist rebels. The mayor said that under his administration, he wanted all rebels to come down and talk peace with his administration. Duterte said that the 46-year-old Communist insurgency has to end and he hopes to achieve that soon.
2. HE ABSOLUTELY HATES ILLEGAL DRUGS! (REMEMBER KIDS, NO PARTYING AFTER 1 AM)
He warned drug traffickers to leave the country or commit suicide instead of facing his wrath. “If I become president, I advise you people to put up several funeral parlor businesses because I am against illegal drugs… I might kill someone because of it,” Duterte said
1. LAST BUT NOT LEAST, HE WANTS A SAFE AND COMFORTABLE PHILIPPINES .... FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS
Duterte promises of spreading Davao’s level of safety throughout the rest of the nation. He has promised a “comfortable country” where “you can go out at night and you don’t have to worry about your children.”
Duterte: Federalism allows regions to keep most of their income
In vote-rich Rizal province, Duterte proposes a federal system in which regions keep 70% of their income and send only 30% to the central government
ANTIPOLO CITY, Philippines – Regions with more resources to fuel their development is one promise federalism can deliver, said the tandem of Rodrigo Duterte and Alan Peter Cayetano on Monday, March 7.
Their call for a federalist form of government was one aspect of their platform the pair highlighted when they campaigned in vote-rich Rizal province.
They were received at the provincial capitol in Antipolo City by former governor Casimiro Ynares Jr, the patriarch of the Ynares politican clan. Casimiro’s wife, Rebecca, is the incumbent governor seeking reelection in May.
With provincial officials and mayors in the audience, Duterte and Cayetano said local government units (LGUs) will be the primary beneficiaries of federalism.
“The most outstanding feature of a federal set-up is that our resources are ours to benefit from. If it is P100, you get P30, ipadala mo doon sa federal government (give it to the federal government), you retain P70,” said Duterte.
The problem with the current unitary form of government, he asserted, is the unfair distribution of funds between the local government and national government.
LGUs remit all of their income to the national government and receive an Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) – 40% of the taxes collected by the Bureau of Internal Revenue.
Duterte said the IRA is a “pittance” compared to how much funds federalism will make available to regions.
Cayetano said federalism is the only way to turn around the supposedly defective system in place.
“Lahat nangangako sa inyo ng pagbabago, pero lahat gusto pareho sistema eh. Iisang kandidato, si Mayor Duterte, ang nagsabing palitan natin ang sistema. Federalismo, ang pera ng Rizal, mapupunta sa Rizal,” said the vice-presidential bet.
(Everyone is promising change, but all of them want to have the same system. Only one candidate, Mayor Duterte, is saying we need to replace the system. In federalism, the money of Rizal stays in Rizal.)
Duterte, a mayor of Davao City for 22 years, has said his experience as a local government official in Mindanao has given him the insight to propose federalism.
“Nothing short of federalism will bring peace to Mindanao,” he said one of his oft-repeated mantras on the campaign trail.
He claims that separatist groups in Mindanao are likely to agree with federalism as long as key aspects of the configuration in the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law are retained.
No Ynares endorsement
Despite the Ynareses' warm welcome of Duterte, Casimiro Ynares Jr said their family is still waiting for Nationalist People’s Coalition founder Eduardo Cojuangco Jr’s decision on who to endorse for president. Ynares is a member of the NPC, the second largest political party in the country, whose senior leaders endorsed Grace Poe but was questioned by some local members.
Aside from Duterte, Liberal Party standard-bearer Manuel Roxas II and Vice President Jejomar Binay have visited Rizal, the 8th most vote-rich province of the country because of its 1.45 million registered voters.
Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr, running for vice president, has also campaigned here.
Rebecca Ynares, Rizal governor, was not present during Duterte’s visit because she was “feeling under the weather,” said Mayor Ynares.
Duterte’s spotlight on his federalism proposal is his latest addition to his campaign speeches. In previous speeches, he dealt heavily with his promise to suppress drugs, crime, and corruption.
He delved into explanations of federalism in provinces dominated by political clans: first in Ilocos Norte, a bailiwick of the Marcoses; second in Ilocos Sur, dominated by the Singsons; and now in Rizal where the Ynareses fill the top posts.
Some critics, including presidential bet Grace Poe, have pointed out that federalism can only further entrench political dynasties.
Asked about this con, Duterte told reporters: “That is another form. They will have to reinvent [federalism] on how to do it.”
Duterte himself is, in a way, head of a political family. His daughter Sara was once Davao City mayor and is now seeking the same post. His son, Paolo, is serving as his vice mayor.
Asked about whether he will support an anti-dynasty bill, Duterte said: “I’m sure we cannot make a sweeping statement that just because they are members of a political family or clan or an elite doesn’t mean to say they are not capable of running government. At the end, it’s the individual.”
During his speech, he said federalism will put pressure on citizens to vote for the right regional officials precisely because these officials will have more power than in the current system.
Thoughts of a fellow mayor
Antipolo Mayor Casimiro "Jun" Ynares III, a former governor and the son of Casimiro Jr, said he sees the pros and cons of federalism.
“Because of the present situation as discussed by Mayor Duterte where, number one, there is a problem with the sharing of funds between the national and local government units, different cultures mean different laws apply. For several reasons, it’s favorable,” he told Rappler.
But federalism without proper coordination between regions could create a confusing patchwork of policies, he said.
“For example MMDA, there’s color coding. Color coding in Makati is different from the color coding in Pasig, different in Marikina. In other countries, there is a tendency to come together. Tayo dito sa Pilipinas, ang hilig maghiwalay-hiwalay (We in the Philippines prefer to be separated),” Ynares III said. – Rappler.com
What benefits will PH get from Duterte’s federal government
Former Senator Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr., founder of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) says in an interview on Monday that the country’s shift to federalism, a system of government new to the country, is favorable for the local government units (LGUs) as they will be empowered and will have access to a bigger budget.
The founder assured that this system of government will bring more power on the part of the LGUs. “Kung mamarapatin pupunta na tayo sa federalismo na ating naiisip, mas makadagdag yun sa kapangyarihan ng ating gobyernong lokal,” former senator said.
(If it pleases, we are now heading to the federalism we always thought of, it will give more power to our local government.)
He said that the Local Government Code of 1991 or Republic Act 7160 would be amended so that the regions will be entitled to more funds for various development programs, which would meet the need of different provinces.
He also assured that the provinces will not be abolished.
“Ilalagay lang sila sa isang federal government para mas madali ang pagbigay ng solusyon sa kanilang pangangailangan imbes na pupunta pa sila sa Metro Manila,” he explained.
(The will just be placed in a federal government to provide easier solutions to their needs instead of going to Metro Manila.)
Presumptive President and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte is working on the overhauling of the three-decade-old 1987 Constitution of the Philippines and is proposing a shift to a federal-parliamentary form of government, according to the mayor’s spokesman, Peter Laviña.
“There will be a major rewriting of the constitution,” Laviña said.
“We have seen the failure of the presidential form (of government),” he added.
Mayor Duterte will request the Congress to pass a law for the election of members to a constitutional convention that will draft the necessary amendments to the charter. This will be done within the first six months of his term.
“That will require a wide national consensus beginning with asking congress to call for a constitutional convention,” Peter Lavina said in a media interview.
He also said that such amendments would be submitted to a plebiscite by year 2019. The first federal elections could possibly be held in 2022 or at the end of his term.
Duterte desires to keep foreign affairs, customs, and national defense under a central government and decentralize the rest.
“He (Duterte) will be president towards that transition,” Lavina stressed.
Duterte's pitch for federalism: Centralized system holds back PH
The rest of the country suffers due to corruption in the national government, says Duterte. The solution is to give power to local governments through federalism.
DAGUPAN CITY, Philippines – In the heart of Ilocos region, Rodrigo Duterte made his pitch for his most radical proposal for change in the country: federalism.
Speaking to around a thousand people in a gym in Dagupan City, Pangasinan, Duterte began his argument with the premise that the present centralized system of government is not working.
He first complained about the “tiny” budget that regions get from the national government, a fund called an Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA).
“Napakaliit po. Walang one-fourth sa pinapadala ko. Davao is I think remitting P5 billion* a month. Pagdating sa amin, suwerte ako kung makakuha ako ng P2 [billion] or P3 billion a month. Pero ang balik sa akin kaunti lang,” he said.
(It is so small. Not even one-fourth of what I send. Davao is I think remitting P5 billion a month. When it gets to us, I am lucky to get P2 [billion] or P3 billion a month. What I get back is so small.)
But what’s even worse is that the money that regions remit to the national government appears to line the pockets of corrupt politicians in Metro Manila, asserted the presidential candidate.
“Pero magpili ka ng presidente at kongreso at kayo lang naghati-hati ng pera ng Pilipinas tapos kakaunti lang ang ibalik ninyo sa akin, ubusin niyo dito sa livelihood, pork barrel,” he said.
(You are chosen as president and members of Congress and you divide the money of the Philippines among yourselves and then only a small amount is returned. You use the money for so-called livelihood projects, pork barrel.)
Corruption holding PH back
His 22 years of serving as Davao City’s mayor and a one-time congressman has made him familiar with various modus operandi of abusive government officials.
The norm, he claimed, is for officials to demand 30% of the total cost of a project.
“So P100-million project, ilan na lang ang naiwan, P70 [million]. Maghihingi pa ang barangay captain, maghihingi pa ang city engineer, anak ka ng... Ang project is P50 billion so sasabihin mo, ito ba yung project na P100 billion? Ito yung mahirap, ‘yung korupsyon. Nauubos ang pera ng Pilipino, kalaki ng pera ng gobyerno, kinukurakot eh,” he said.
(So for a project costing P100 million, only P70 million is left. The barangay captain and city engineer will ask for their kickback, son of a... The project is worth P50 billion and then you say, is this the P100-billion project? That is the difficulty, this corruption. The money of Filipinos is used up, government has so much money but it gets stolen.)
The presidential bet from Southern Philippines said this current state of affairs has brought misery to Mindanao because “we are far from the money, we are far from the leaders of this country.”
But the people of Northern Luzon are swallowing the same bitter pill, he told the Pangasinenses.
“Kami mga Bisaya, pati Mindanao, pati kayo, ‘oo’ nang ‘oo’ lang. Eh walang problema ‘yan. Ang problema, binibigay sa atin, mga lider, mga corrupt na walang alam,” he said earlier in a public gathering in Lingayen plaza.
(We in the Visayas, you too in Mindanao, we just keep on saying yes. That's not a problem. The problem is, the leaders we get are corrupt and stupid.)
'Centerpiece' of campaign
His proposal of federalism, he told reporters, will address the gap between congested Metro Manila and the rest of the country.
This is because federalism will allow regions to take the lead in developing their economy instead of the national government based in Metro Manila.
“Federalism will pave the way for competition. They can invite foreign investors directly. It will eliminate bureaucratic greed. Manila gets everything so regions are forced to beg. The benefit of federalism, you can go directly. They won't have to go through departments like DOTC [Department of Transportation and Communications], NEDA [National Economic Development Authority],” he said.
A federal form of government creates autonomous regions or states where state governments administer their own affairs independent of the central government.
The central government will only handle areas of nationwide interest like national security and foreign relations.
Countries with federal governments include the United States, Australia, Malaysia, and India.
Duterte called federalism “the centerpiece of my campaign.”
He believes shifting to federalism through a Constitutional Convention and weeding out corruption will usher in progress throughout the Philippines. Read about the rest of his platform here.
Other presidential candidates, like Senator Grace Poe, have expressed reservationsabout federalism. Poe has said that federalism may further entrench political dynasties in provinces.
Pangasinan is the 3rd province in the Ilocos region that Duterte has visited. Last February, he was in La Union and the Marcos bailiwick of Ilocos Norte.
Pangasinan, with 1.7 million registered voters, is the most vote-rich province in the region. – Rappler.com
*The article originally misquoted Duterte as saying Davao remittances per month were P5 trillion. He said "billion." We apologize for this mistake.
Will federalism address PH woes? Pros and cons of making the shift
At least 3 presidential and vice presidential candidates in 2016 are pushing for a change in the Philippine system of government
Some candidates in the 2016 national elections have been vocal about their support for federalism.
Presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte, and vice presidential bets Alan Peter Cayetano (his running mate) and Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr, in particular, have been championing it.
Supporters of federalism say it will evenly distribute wealth across the country instead of the bulk going to "imperial" Manila. Detractors, like presidential candidate Grace Poe, say it will further entrench political dynasties in the regions and create confusion over responsibilities.
Read on to find out more about federalism and its perceived advantages and disadvantages.
What is federalism?
It is a form of government where sovereignty is constitutionally shared between a central governing authority and constituent political units called states or regions.
In basic terms, it will break the country into autonomous regions with a national government focused only on interests with nationwide bearing: foreign policy and defense, for example.
The autonomous regions or states, divided further into local government units, will have primary responsibility over developing their industries, public safety, education, healthcare, transportation, recreation, and culture. These states will have more power over their finances, development plans, and laws exclusive to ther jurisdiction.
The central government and states can also share certain powers.
How is it different from what we have now?
We presently have a unitary form of government. Most administrative powers and resources are with the national government based in Metro Manila. It's Malacañang that decides how much to give local government units. The process is prone to abuse, with governors and mayors sometimes having to beg Malacañang for projects they believe their communities need.
How local government units spend their budget has to be approved by the national government.
In federalism, the states will have the power to make these decisions with little or no interference from the national government.
Examples of federal countries: United States, Canada, Australia, Brazil, India, Malaysia.
PROS
Locals decide for themselves. Regions have their own unique problems, situations, geographic, cultural, social and economic contexts. Federalism allows them to create solutions to their own problems instead of distant Metro Manila deciding for them.
The states can establish policies that may not be adopted nationwide. For example, liberal Metro Manila can allow same-sex marriage which the state of Bangsamoro, predominantly Muslim, would not allow. In the United States, some states like Colorado and Washington have legalized recreational marijuana even if other states have not.
This makes sense in an archipelago of over 7,000 islands and 28 dominant ethnic groups. For decades, the national government has been struggling to address the concerns of 79 (now 81) provinces despite challenges posed by geography and cultural differences.
With national government, and thus power, centered in Metro Manila, it's no surprise that development in the mega city has spiralled out of control while other parts of the country are neglected.

More power over funds, resources. Right now, local government units can only collect real estate tax and business permit fees. In federalism, they can retain more of their income and are required to turn over only a portion to the state government they fall under.
Thus, local governments and state governments can channel their own funds toward their own development instead of the bulk of the money going to the national government. They can spend the money on programs and policies they see fit without waiting for the national government's go signal.

Promotes specialization. The national and state governments can specialize in different policy domains. With most administrative powers now with the regional governments, the national government can focus on foreign policy, defense, and other nationwide concerns, like healthcare and taxation.
States have more autonomy to focus on economic development using their core competencies and industries. The state of Central Luzon can focus on becoming an agricultural hub. The state of Mimaropa, home to Palawan, can choose to use eco-tourism as its primary launch pad.

Possible solution to the Mindanao conflict. The creation of the state of Bangsamoro within a federalist system may address concerns of separatists who crave more autonomy over the administration of Muslim Mindanao.

Decongestion of Metro Manila. Through fiscal autonomy for state governments, federalism will more evenly distribute the country's wealth. In 2015, 35% of the national budget went to Metro Manila even if it represents only 14% of the Philippine population.

Lessens dependence on Metro Manila. When there is political upheaval in Metro Manila, other regions that have nothing to do with the chain of events are left waiting for the resources that ony the national government can release. With federalism, regions work independently of Metro Manila for most concerns.

Brings government closer to the people. If detractors say federalism will only make local political dynasties more powerful, supporters give the argument that, in fact, it will make all local leaders, including those part of political dynasties, more accountable to their constituents. State governments will no longer have any excuse for delays in services or projects that, in the present situation, are often blamed on choking bureaucracy in Manila.
Assuming more autonomy for regions leads to economic development, there will be more incentive for Filipinos to live and work in regions outside Metro Manila. More investors may also decide to put up their businesses there, creating more jobs and opportunities to attract more people away from the jam-packed mega city.
\
Encourages competition. With states now more self-reliant and in control of their development, they will judge themselves relative to how their fellow states are progressing. The competitive spirit will hopefully motivate state leaders and citizens to level up in terms of quality of life, economic development, progressive policies, and governance.
CONS

Possibly divisive. Healthy competition among states can become alienating – creating rivalries and promoting the regionalism that some say already challenges the sense of unity in the country. It could enflame hostilities between ethnic groups in the country like Tagalogs, Cebuanos, Bicolanos, Ilocanos, Tausugs, and Zamboangueños.

Uneven development among states. Some states may not be as ready for autonomy as others. Some states may not be as rich in natural resources or skilled labor as others. States with good leaders will progress faster while states with ineffective ones will degrade more than ever because national government will not be there to balance them out.
But in some federal countries, the national government doles out funds to help poorer states. A proposed Equalization Fund will use a portion of tax from rich states to be given to poorer states.

Confusing overlaps in jurisdiction. Where does the responsibility of state governments end and where does the responsibility of the national government begin? Unless these are very clearly stated in the amended Constitution, ambiguities may arise, leading to conflict and confusion. For instance, in times of disaster, what is the division of responsibilities between state and national governments?

May not satisfy separatists in Mindanao. Separatists are calling for their own country, not just a state that still belongs to a larger federal Philippines. Federalism may not be enough for them. After all, the conflict continues despite the creation of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
How the Philippines would look when federal
In some proposals, there will be 10 or 11 autonomous states. Senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr envisioned 11 states plus the Federal Administrative Region of Metro Manila.
Here's how the Philippines will look like as laid out in Pimentel's 2008 Joint Resolution Number 10.

Cost of federalism
Shifting to federalism won't come cheap. It would entail billions of pesos to set up state governments and the delivery of state services. States will then have to spend for the elections of their officials.
Attempts at federalism in PH
There was an attempt during the administration of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. One of her campaign promises was to reform the 1987 Constitution.
A consultative commission she created recommended federalism as one of the goals of the proposed charter change. But the attempt failed because of opposition from various sectors who believed Arroyo wanted to use the reform to extend her term limit.
(Note that shifting to a federal government does not necessarily mean an extension of term limits for the sitting president. Such an extension would only take place in a shift to a parliamentary government.)
In 2008, Pimentel Jr and Bacolod City Representative Monico Puentevella filed joint resolutions to convene Congress into a constituent assembly with the goal of amending the constitution to establish a federal form of government. – Rappler.com