Ideas on federalism

Federalism seems to be the major agenda of our president elect.  I suggest he gets a team of private individuals from the different sectors of our society to make a final study before he gets his feet into it. No politicians allowed.

My late father Maximo V. Soliven knew Duterte.  In fact, when I met Duterte in the Philippine Star in the final stretch of his campaign a month ago, he also told me that he was a good friend of my late father. Anyway, my dad wrote about Rody Duterte’s dream of a federal state and challenged him on this idea.  Here is what he wrote a few years back:

Now, back to the Federalism mirage – and danger. I respect the views of those who honestly think that a “federal” system will make each region self-reliant, and free it from the impositions of “Imperial Manila,” etc. But this won’t be what happens, and deep down even the most dedicated to that idea suspect it.

Mayor Ed Hagedorn, who’s done wonderfully for Puerto Princesa, Palawan and indeed for his entire province; our friend Mayor Rody Duterte, kingpin of Davao, already has a city (state) coat of arms, etc. may flirt with “Federalism.” It may be a fine idea for such gentlemen. But what about the warlords and armed dynasties who’d love nothing better than to be legalized in their fiefdoms and slave empires? No wonder the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the Moro National Liberation Front, and other Islamic militants, mouth-water at the prospect of a Federal system. If Mindanao detaches itself from a strongly-centralized Philippines, bound together by a strong central government, that huge island and its satellite isles will be ripe for the picking by the well-armed and well-funded. We may wake up to see Mindanao under the control of an Islamic Caliphate – imposed by the gun, and too far from rescue from either the Visayas or Luzon.

In sum, in an archipelago of 7,100 islands, what is the “glue” which would bind our nation together if we split up into “Federal” units? Like the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao? Will there be an Autonomous Region of Christian, or of Lumad Mindanao? Or an Autonomous Region of Eastern Visayas? Or a State of Iloilo? The permutations are endless. The Marcoses will have their Kingdom of the Far North. Chavit Singson and this writer once joked about Ilocoslovakia, or the Autonomous Region of the North (ARN). Would it include Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, Cagayan, Isabela, etc.?

Pre-Hispanic times were just like that. There was no Philippines named after Felipe II. Ferdinand Magellan died trying to attack Chieftain Lapu Lapu of Mactan on behalf of his ally, the King of Cebu. The other sea captains in his doomed expedition, Spaniards, reportedly refused, when poor Magellan was encircled and on the point of going down, to go to the succor of that crazy foreigner, the “boastful” Portuguese sea captain, Magellan.

What we call Filipinas, Pilipinas, or The Philippines today had only tribes, little kingdoms, sultanates, collections of villages, or islanders, resentful, hostile or at-odds with each other, or ignorant of each other.  And to “save” our country they’re proposing to go back to that?

Adopt Federalism, and soon enough there will be no more Philippines. (Not even a Senate – which is not an altogether bad thing.) That’s what “Federalism” means for us if we foolishly adopt the idea. The proponents of that awful placebo make it sound slick, but it would be the death sentence of a unity we still have for that matter, fallen far short of achieving.

What is federalism? Federalism is defined as a form of government where sovereignty is constitutionally shared between a central governing authority and constituent political units called states or regions. Simply put, federalism will break the country into autonomous regions with a national government focused only on interests with nationwide bearing such as policy and defense.

What are the advantages of federalism? It allows for each individual state to create laws that can be applied specifically to the setting and conditions that the state finds itself; a greater level of civic participation; stops the centralization of power; and encourages research in good policy. However, there are also disadvantages to this form of government. Federalism can hinder the creation of effective national policy, create big problems regarding overlapping jurisdictions and law, and create general ignorance of the public in regards to the larger issues facing the country.

The presumptive Speaker of the House of Representatives was quoted as planning the national plebiscite during the mid-term elections in 2019. Is this the change we want to see? Will it be best for Juan Dela Cruz? Will it be worth the expected gargantuan cost to establish the new structures in the three branches of the federal government? Will the division be per province, per administrative region or will it be Federal Luzon, Federal Visayas and Federal Mindanao?

In answer to the clamor for self-determination, the 1987 Constitution allowed Congress to enact laws for the establishment of metropolitan political subdivisions for coordination of basic services. The creation of autonomous regions for Muslim Mindanao and the Cordilleras was also mandated because of their common and distinctive historical and cultural heritage, economic and social structures, and other relevant characteristics. However, only the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao was approved while the Autonomous Act for the Cordilleras was rejected in a plebiscite.

One argument for the federal form of government is the crafting of laws and policies that would specifically address the needs of the particular government unit considering relevant peculiar characteristics. It may be mentioned however that other than Muslim Mindanao, there seems to be no major differences that would necessitate different legislative measures for the rest of the country. Then there is the clamor for better benefits from resources of a particular region. At present, the earnings of mining companies in far-flung areas will go to the national government in the so-called “Imperial Manila” and then a very small percentage will trickle back to the local government unit, which suffered most in terms of environmental destruction.

A federal form of government will reverse the process and after contributing to the national government, the federal units are expected to have more funds for development. Yet, should we not also be concerned of the regions inhabited by Filipinos without much of the gifts of nature or big businesses that would need manpower resources? They need to develop too. This must be considered in the grouping, although it would appear that a Federal Luzon, a Federal Visayas and a Federal Mindanao may be viable if we really have to go federal.

Evidently, the change we need first is one within the heart and mind of every Filipino. Whatever form of government we will have, the country cannot move forward if we do not learn to fall in line, to obey simple traffic rules, to avoid littering, to pay our correct taxes, to refrain bribing our government personnel, avoid political patronage, and to really love the Philippine flag and all that comes with it. Federal or not, the change will begin with our government officials following the lead of incoming President Digong in living a simple and frugal life. Every citizen must follow the law…then we can truly see the change we want.