“The Good and   Bad of Federalism in the Philippines”

               As defined, Federalism is a form of government in which there is a division of powers between two levels of government of equal status ⁽¹⁾. Further, it is a compound mode government, wherein it combines a general government (the central or 'federal' government) with regional governments (provincial, state, Land, cantonal, territorial or other sub-unit governments) in a single political system ⁽²⁾.

 Advantages of Federalism include the following:

1.   A federal government would enable the needs of a nation to be achieved while providing a space for diversity. As a phrase goes, it provides “unity in diversity”. The federal structure devises a flexible arrangement for varying forms of self-government to suit different circumstances and contingencies ⁽³⁾      .

2.  Federalism will respond to the demands of local leaders for their release from the costly, time-consuming, stifling, and demoralizing effects of excessive centralization and controls by the national government in the present unitary system ^{(4 )}      . 

3. The structures, processes, and responsibilities of the federation will challenge and energize the people and their state and local governments. Such further democratization will encourage creativity, initiative and innovation, spur interstate competition, and foster state and local self-reliance instead of continued dependency^{(4 )} . 

4. A federal system will greatly increase the capacity of the people and the government to deal with the country’s problems because the removal of the centralized structure that impose and sustain local dependence and stifle local initiative and resourcefulness will provide greater freedom and home rule. Therefore, they will be more interested in state and local governance because it is closer to them and will deal with under-development – local poverty, unemployment, injustice, inadequate social services and infrastructure, and low productivity^{(4 )}      . 

On the other hand, the following are the disadvantages of Federalism:

1. Tensions between territories may arise. These were found in federalist countries such and federation as a way to appease and quell military conflict has failed recently in places like Libya or Iraq, while the formula is simultaneously proposed and dismissed in countries such as Ukraine or Syria.^[5] 

2. States and local governments can block important national policies such as civil rights. ^[6]

3. Allows the power of local interests to go unchecked and allows big variations in how people are treated ^[6]

4. States and local governments may lack the necessary expertise and money to accomplish important goals ^[6].

             Philippines is composed of numerous tribes. It is also an archipelagic country. In a sense, there are so many differences in the culture and way of living of every region in the country. There are religious differences, even though we are a predominantly Christian Nation.  These differences are the main causes of our internal security problems. If we further dig in through the problems of our country, most of our problems are caused by differences, injustices, poverty and inefficient governance. As we have  gone through the definition of Federalism, advantages and disadvantages of Federalism, I can asses that there is  a need for us to check on our present form of government and further study the possibility of having a Federal form of government for the Philippines. I may be right in my own assessment. It is because in my twelve (12) years as member of the AFP, I have been to most if not all the regions of the country addressing internal security problems. I have seen the differences among the cultures in our country. There are laws that cannot be applicable to certain cultures and we cannot discount that these are the main reasons for people or communities to rebel against the government. Some would claim that these laws are crafted mostly for the Majority and as the saying goes “It is  still the law of the land”, but what about the minorities? Aren’t they Filipinos too?  Will federalism answer this question? I will leave these questions for you to ponder.

                                                           

1.      Kenneth Wheare identified the two levels of government in the US as 'co-equally supreme'. In this, he echoed the perspective of the founding fathers of the Constitution, James Madison in Federalist 39 having seen the several states as forming 'distinct and independent portions of the supremacy' in relation to the general government. Wheare, Kenneth (1946) Federal Government, Oxford University Press, London, pp. 10-15. Madison, James, Hamilton, Alexander and Jay, John (1987) The Federalist Papers, Penguin, Harmondsworth, p. 258.

2.      Law, John (2013) 'How Can We Define Federalism?', in Perspectives on Federalism, Vol. 5, No. 3, pp. E105- http://www.on-federalism.eu/attachments/169_download.pdf

4.      Abueva, Jose, Towards a Federal republic of the Philippines with a Parliamentary Government by 2010 in “Towards a Federal Republic of the Philippines with a Parliamentary Government by 2010: A Draft Constitution”, Kalayaan College, Marikina City, 2002, pp. 5-6.

5.    Why Talk Federalism Won’t Help Peace in Syria Foreign Policy

6.    'The Federal Experience in Yugoslavia', Mihailo Markovic, page 75; included in 'Rethinking Federalism: Citizens, Markets, and Governments in a changing world', edited by Karen Knop, Sylvia Ostry, Richard Simeon, Katherine Swinton|Google books

REFERENCES

 -Abueva, Jose, Towards a Federal republic of the Philippines with a Parliamentary Government by 2010 in “Towards a Federal Republic of the Philippines with a Parliamentary Government by 2010: A Draft Constitution”, Kalayaan College, Marikina City, 2002

-Federalism by Dr Patrick Scott

-Law, John (2013) 'How Can We Define Federalism?', in Perspectives       on Federalism, Vol. 5, No. 3, pp. E105-6. http://www.on-   federalism.eu/attachments/169_download.pdf