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What’s On & Expat Oct. 9- Oct.15,2005
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Federalism: Will it Solve RP's Problems?
By Loraine Balita

As the Philippine Government considers the "federal option"-shifting from a unitary form of government to a union of more or less independent states-as a possible answer to the country's continuing political and socio-cultural turmoil, ambassadors, governance experts, policy makers and advocates gathered on October 3, in a Makati hotel for a high-level international conference on Federalism and Multiculturalism to shed light on this much-talked-about issue.

Sponsored by the Swiss Embassy, the conference included House Speaker Jose De Venecia, Senator Aquilino Pimentel, Swiss Ambassador to the Philippines H.E. Lise Favre, Philippine Ambassador to Switzerland H.E. Rora Navarro-Tolentino, Prof. Thomas Fleiner of Switzerland's Institute on Federalism and Jose Abueva, Chairman of the Philippines' Consultative Commission on Charter Change.

The participants held press briefings in between the phases of the conference.Experts from different Federalist countries also flew in to give their insights and share their respective countries' experiences under their own federal governments, explaining how have managed to foster harmonious relationships among different, often conflicting cultural groups.

Dr. Abueva's Consultative Commission is to submit a final recommendation before December 15 on whether to change the country's current unitary presidential form of government to a parliamentary-federal system.

Senator Pimentel, for one, is submitting that the Philippines ought to have 10 federal states: four in Luzon-Central Luzon, Southern Tagalog and Bicol; Metro Manila, the possible fourth, might be vested with powers similar to those of Washington, D.C. in the United States, Canberra in Australia or Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.
The Visayas, he added, ought to have three federal states: Eastern Visayas, Western Visayas and Central Visayas. Mindanao too ought to have also three federal states: Northern Mindanao, Southern Mindanao and the BangsaMoro.He also stressed that federalism will solve the country's problems of the misuse and maldistribution of economic wealth, because it will end the overcentralized system of government we currently have.

Overcentralization, he believes, has caused the selective modernization of favored areas to the detriment of the rest of the nation, as well as social, economic and political problems such as poverty, familial dislocations and armed insurgencies.

"In my opinion the federal system will (1) propel the economic development of the country to greater heights; and (2) lead to the political stability of the nation."

The senator explained that federalism would bring about power sharing, because federal states will be given ample powers to develop their own social, economic, and political potentials. In a country as multicultural, multilingual, and multi-ethnic as the Philippines, federalism will prevent and solve conflicts by recognizing that individuals have their own worth and dignity as human beings, no matter how culturally different they might be from the dominant group. It will bring the government closer to the people and will allow unique and innovative methods of solving social, political and economic problems of each state.

Swiss Ambassador to the Philippines Lise Favre said that a federal system could also lead to economic progress, as it will result in political stability, which is the best way to attract investments to the country.

Philippine Ambassador to Switzerland Rora Navarro-Tolentino, in an interview with What's On & Expat, said that the decision to change the government is a sovereign one that has to be made under the present constitution. "I think that the Congress, both the Senate and the House, must deem it necessary to make the fundamental shift, now. I think substantively when that decision has been made it will not be good enough if they just do it. I think what is important is that our people must have a basic acceptance of it. They must be well informed, first of all, to make an informed choice because in the end, when Congress does decide, the final decision still lies on the people."

And just how can the people have a grasp of this issue? The estimable ambassador stressed the role of the media in informing the people. "It is the media through which this will be propelled to the nation. This [conference] will only be effective if it reaches a greater sector of our country, and that is the role of the media," she added.

What is Federalism?
Unlike the presidential unitary form of government, federalism is a mode of political organization that unites independent states in a central political framework distinct from that of the states, while still allowing each state to maintain its own political integrity. While the distribution of power between states and the federal authority will vary from system to system, all federal systems preserve the ability of state governments to decide matters of local importance without interference from the federal superstructure.
States are not merely regional representatives of the federal government, but are granted independent powers and responsibilities. With their own legislative branch, executive branch and judicial branch, states are empowered to pass, enforce, and interpret laws, provided they do not violate the (federal) constitution. This arrangement not only allows state governments to respond directly to the interests of their local populations, but also serves to check the powers of the federal government.

Experience is Still The Best Teacher
Such countries as Belgium, Canada, Germany, India, Malaysia, Micronesia, Spain, the U. S. and Switzerland have been under a federal form of government for years.The latter, whose embassy sponsored the conference, has possibly the oldest existing multicultural federation in the world, dating to 1291. Their federal government became a motherland for minorities as it introduced the right to be different. The principle of shared rule was strengthened as their government guaranteed that the different communities had a role in the constitution-making process, as well as in the entire decision-making process of the confederation. Federalism in Switzerland created good conditions for economic development, and the country's progress is strongly influenced by the competition and cooperation between the cantons (states).

No Walk in the Park
"There is no one magic formula for federalism," Ambassador Tolentino reiterated. What has worked for other countries may not necessarily apply here, but it is worth listening to the "experience sharing" from experts so that Filipinos can choose the best features for a federal system design suited to this country's needs. The process of shifting from the present form of government to a federal one is not a walk in the park; if it does push through, moreover, it will not be a panacea for the country's problems either.

Though Federalism seems to promise a viable political solution to the destabilizing and divisive features of multiculturalism, critics argue that the system can fortify political dynasties and perpetuate feudalism in the provinces, strengthening even further the tight hold of entrenched political leaders on their respective turfs, and in the end actually hindering development in some parts of the country.

Other negative consequences include the duplication of government functions and inefficient overlapping of or contradictory policies in different regions or states; increasing inequality between the states, which could lead to unhealthy competition and rivalry; and over government with more than enough local governments to serve some areas with small populations.Further examination and studies will bring about more advantages as well as disadvantages of this recommended fundamental shift to Federalism.

So, will it be the answer to our problems? It is devoutly to be hoped. Instead of doing the usual "wait and see", this time it would be best for Filipinos to "research, analyze, discuss and decide" before moving on to the wait and see part.