To Federalize or Not to Federalize

To federalize or not to federalize, that is the issue.

Recently, Senator Aquilino Pimentel presented Senate Resolution No. 10, which primarily revolves around the proposal to transform the Philippines into a federal republic.

But first, what is federalism? Although the term has many connotations, the essential feature of federalism, in simple terms, is the notion that national and sub-national levels of government are sovereign in their own right. Hence, in a federal government, functions are clearly specified. If foreign relations and national defense are exclusive functions of the national government, then garbage collection and zone redistricting of real estate property (whether a specific local area is commercial, industrial, and residential) belongs to the local government.

Each level of government then does not interfere in the actions taken and decisions made by appropriate government levels. The national government has no authority to dictate policy when it is clear that matters at issue are within the legitimate scope of local governments and vice-versa. The notion of centralized governance where frequent interference by national authorities were expected ought to be non-existent as determined by law. During the period of Spanish rule in the Philippines, this meant Madrid deciding whether Pasig river ought to have lesser number of boats in order to lessen the traffic in the canal.

This system of government certainly curtails the influence of the central government, especially with regard to one of the most important of all governmental functions, resource allocation. In a unitary republic such as the Philippines today, apppropriation of the public money, due to Marcos era decrees left unchanged even today, provides extensive appropriation powers to the Philippine President although under the 1987 Philippine Constitution, it is clear that the Philippine Congress is the de jure government institution delegated with the "power of the purse."

The result being that local government units had to literally beg the central government for money and even use corrupt practices in order to access public funds. This system must be changed. Not only does it teaches bad government habits to young politicians, local officials, and future civil servants, but also destroy the system of checks and balances purposely enshrined in the Philippine Constitution.

For the reason stated above, I vote for a shift to a federal form of government. I may disagree with the final draft of the proposed changes. But it is high time to decentralize a dysfunctional system that perpetuates graft and corruption in the Philippines, a nation so gifted with educated, professional, and skilled individuals, but cannot even elect a government untainted even by "modest" corrupt practices.

More to come on this topic.