FEDERALISM PH: Things to know more about.

FEDERALISM: Equitable Development

Currently, Philippines is under a unitary form of government with power and authority vested in Manila. Now, under a federal government, power will be divided between central and local state government by which each states shall be empowered to handle their own:

1. laws
2. finances
3. development plans
4. health
5. education
6. infrastructure

Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said,

“Now you create opportunities; now you create jobs; now you allow them to manage their own economy; now you give them the chance to chart their own destinies."

Alvarez said some regions, under a federal setup, may thrive using their strategic advantages in their natural resources by giving  these local government units power over their own resources will help boost regional development.

At the same time, Minority Leader Danilo Suarez also said that,

"If we adopt the federal system of government, each state or regional government will be required to produce its own income. Towns, cities, and provinces will not be welfare-dependent."

"In a federal government, provinces and regions that are rich in natural resources can enjoy the entirety of the revenues they generate by supplying raw materials and producing goods out of these raw materials," Suarez said.

"The Minority believes that the time is right to adopt a new system of government that would take advantage of the currently favorable economic condition of our country," Suarez said.

“Federalism will catalyze progress in all the geographic areas of our country by allowing them to be more self-determining, and less dependent on the national government," he also added.

Federalism: The Five (5) States

On the proposal submtted by the House constitutional amendments committee, the territory of the future Federal Republic of the Philippines will be divided into five states composed of:

1. Luzon
2. Visayas
3. Mindanao
4. Bangsamoro
5. Metro Manila

By which each states shall have unicameral state assembly with legislative powers, and a premiere exercising executive powers.

State governments shall be entitled to at least 50 percent in the proceeds of the utilization and development of the national wealth including sharing the same with the inhabitants by way of direct benefits.

The proposed federal charter retains the position of the President, who would act as head of state, and introduces the position of a Prime Minister, who would be the head of the government.

The President shall be elected by direct vote of the people for a term of five years with one re-election, while the Prime Minister shall be elected by a majority of all the members of the Parliament from among themselves.

The proposed Parliament shall consist of the Federal Assembly as the national legislative department, and the Senate, as the legislative body representative of the regions.

The bicameral parliament shall be composed of a 300-member Federal Assembly and a 15-member Senate, with each state electing three senators.

Eighty percent of the members of the Federal Assembly shall be elected by plurality votes with each legislative district having one seat in the parliament.

The remaining 20 percent of the members of the assembly shall come from federal sectoral parties or organizations which shall be elected at large. (Cervantes, PNA, 2018)

The information is courtesy of Philippine News Agency.