Pros and cons of federalism in the Philippines

What are advantages of federal form of government and why is it attractive to Filipinos?

Firstly, under a federal government, states are empowered to make their own decisions. They no longer need to
rely on the central government to decide for them. This is important to note in the Philippine context because of the
vast geographical and cultural differences between regions - differences that the central government may not always
be able to cater to.

Furthermore, decentralization in the Philippines would allow states to keep more of their income to themselves.
They do not have to rely on collecting real estate tax and business permit fees - 80% of their total earned income
stays, while only 20% goes back to the national government. This means that states are able to channel their own
income for their own development, creating policies and programs suitable for them without having to wait for the
national government to approve. Within the 80% budget that remains with these states, 30% will be funneled to the
local state government, and 70% will be allocated to the provinces, cities, municipalities and barangays.

Because states are able to both make their own decisions and retain the income they have to fund these decisions,
it's possible for federalism to promote specialization and competition. This affects both the national government
and the states - since the national government turned certain administrative powers over to the regional
governments, it can now funnel its resources more intensively towards the issues it is assigned to, such as foreign
policy and nationwide defense. Likewise, the states are now better able to nurture their individual strengths and
selling points because the people who have the decisions and funding are the people who are personally involved in
the state's development.

These self-reliant states will compare their growth to the growth of surrounding states. Hopefully, this will lead to
friendly competition between states that will help raise the quality of life and economic development for everybody
involved.

Mayor Duterte presents federalism as a possible solution to the Mindanao conflict instead of implementing the
Bangsamoro Basic Law. According to him, "nothing short can bring peace in Mindanao.". This is likely a reference to
the numerous revisions the BBL has undergone, and the number of years it has stayed in Congress

What are disadvantages of a federated Philippines?

Like all forms of government, federalism has its ugly side too. The first problem the Philippines would have to iron
out would be the overlaps in jurisdiction. Unless responsibilities of state governments and national governments are
very clearly stated in the amended Constitution, there will be ambiguities that can lead to conflict and confusion.

Next, there is always a chance that it will bring more division than unity in the Philippines. It can arise from more
than just increased hostility between ethnic groups - competition between states can quickly become unhealthy, and
can lead to the regionalism that is currently already challenging the unity of the country.

Moreover, development of the states in a federal form of government might not even work at all. Some states may
not be as gifted or as ready for autonomy as others. A major concern is that while some states may progress faster,
the converse is also true because other states may devolve faster as well - even more so without a national
government to back them up. However, in some federal countries, the national government provides funds to help
underdeveloped states. A proposed Equalization Fund will use part of the tax from rich states for the funding of
poorer states.
One advantage of federalism is that by allowing the central government to delegate many government functions to
states or provinces, it has more time to focus on world issues and policies. With such a system in place, the state
governments can focus on local responsibilities, which works better because state and local representatives are
closer to the issues and problems that affect their population. In addition, it is impractical for a national government
to assume it can have one central location; the government cannot cover large areas of geography nor can it keep up
with population growth. As a result, federalism brings the government closer to the people because the people have
easier access to local officials and they also have a greater influence on how local governments govern.

Disadvantages of a federal system include the division among subcultures. When individuals of the same mind
become concentrated in one area, problems erupt that demand intervention from the federal government. For
example, the South generated a strong subculture, which lead to the Civil War. In addition, a single party can
sometimes dominate local governments, they seem to block progress at times, and they are more open to
corruption. While certainly local governments have the potential to become corrupt and dominating, the advantages
and results gained from using federalism as a means of governing prove to be the most successful.

https://www.quora.com/Would-a-federal-government-be-beneficial-to-the-Philippines

Why no to federal parliamentary system  ?

Here are the reasons

1. There’s no Filipino want to lose their right to vote a President- voting the President of the
Republic is the proud symbol of Philippine democratic development.
2. There's no Filipino want to lose their mandate- that's why the Filipino people elect a President
who represent the people's mandates and the mandate of majority people.
3. There's no Filipino want to make the judicial institution as abandon worthless branch of
institution due to Parliamentary Supremacy- we cannot trust our politicians to posess a power
called parliamentary supremacy  it means the Governing majority party (Governing coalition
parties) of Parliament can pass laws whatever they want without being judge, question or
challenge by the judicial branch of government to review the constitutionality of bill(s) from
Parliament.
4. There's no Filipino want to risk their constitutional civil rights and convert it into parliament act
civil rights- it means the Governing majority party (Governing coalition parties) of Parliament
decide what will be or what shall be the civil rights of the Filipino people due to parliamentary
supremacy  instead of enshrine in the codified constitution. That's why in constitutional
supremacy (judicial review) if any lawmakers wants to change the constitution it
needs constituent assembly  it needs to be voted via supermajority vote by the elected members
of Parliament, constituent convention  it needs to be voted via supermajority vote by the elected
delegates and referendum or plebiscite  to confirm or to consent the citizen if they agree to
reform the entire constitution or an article of the constitution.
And we don't want to end up like in Belgium having 500 days without government which means no single political
party occupy the Parliament via absolute majority nor no coalition parties make an absolutely majority in the
Parliament.

Why no to federal presidential system  ?

1. We don't need an super powerful President where executive powers solely vested to the
President- in this case we are tired of super powerful President where his executive powers solely
vested to the President it seems like we have an temporary dictator or maybe it will lead to pure
dictator. Presidential system have biggest possibility to creep to authoritarianism.
2. Too much Gridlock between Congress and President- the President can block any bills regardless
if the bill is constitutional or unconstitutional, the Filipino people cannot afford gridlocks anymore.
3. Sugarcoating “balimbingan”  in the Congress- in Presidential system the sugarcoating is part of
political culture or political system because the political parties doesn't have political mandate or
 political platform, it only focus on popularity, so every lawmakers have their own trip. Even US is
Two Party System for example the Democrat lawmakers doesn't abide or follow the democratic
party mandate nor platform and the Republican lawmakers doesn't abide or follow the republican
party mandate nor platform. Even if there's constitutional provision to prohibit sugarcoating
or “balimbingan”  it will become an unenforce constitutional provision if that's presidential
system.
4. Lack of political party disciplinary- in Presidential system every lawmakers have their own trip not
discipline by a political party, if the President wants to push his/her legislative agenda it becomes
rigid if no pork barrel/priority development assistance fund  . The purpose of pork barrel or
priority development assistance fund are to improve the congressional districts of
Congresspersons but it was corrupted.
And we don't want to end up in US having a Government Shutdown where it doesn't make any sense at all, the
Government Shutdowns even a lots of money flow in the Government. We don't need pork barrel or PDAF.

It would be a double-edged knife for the country.

Sure, federalism can give numerous provinces and regions throughout the country great power to solve socio-
economic issues on their own, but keep in mind that majority of the provinces in the country were being controlled
by single families having their own political dynasties who are ruling their own like as if it was their own personal
estates. If federalism could be passed, that could be a recipe for an even more grave political disaster across the
country. So it should be considered that before federal government is implemented, a tight and strict law against
political dynasties should be passed and implemented first.

And also, more or less, Filipinos across the country of different ethnic backgrounds may think first and foremost of
their ethnicity rather than being Filipino, e.g. locals of Cebu being proud of being Cebuano first that being Filipino,
Tagalogs being Tagalogs, Bangsamoro locals being Moro/Muslim etc. Not sure about the sense of unity among
Filipinos, except it is only present when it comes to Pacquiao’s boxing matches, international women’s pageants etc.
but when it comes to economics and statuses in their respective regions that is when and where all hell comes loose,
all thanks to regionalism. The lack of sense of unity among Filipinos is the chief reason why Philippines lost the
Philippine-American War in the first place. Should federalism be implemented even as this problem prevails, it would
only tear the country apart and ultimately balkanize it, therefore seeing a breakup of the country potentially much
worse than Yugoslavia had in the 1990s as the potentiality of regions breaking away from the Republic is far much
greater in a federal government given its people’s regionalism.

Besides that, Philippines will not be the same as federal Malaysia when federalism would be implemented in the
country. Both each have different socio-economic situations.

Something better needs to be done before a federal government in the Philippines should be implemented in order
for its citizens to benefit more from it in the future.

Federalism sounds good on paper but in reality it does not suit the country.

What we’ll end up with are chiefdoms/fiefdoms each ruled by the most powerful, richest, feared family or families
that have been already been controlling the area for generations. Who will make sure that they are actually using
the funds given to them to better their constituents lives instead of just pocketing most of it?

There is the anti-dynasty bill that is supposed to curb the practice of generational political families but will it get
implemented and actually enforced? I doubt that the corrupt politicians in this country allow this to pass or they can
put in loopholes worded vaguely enough that they can skirt the law it on the thinnest thread of legality.

I understand he wants to distribute the wealth of the country to better it but I can’t help but be cynical on what will
really happen.