Hopefully, with the President’s push, the process to rewrite the flawed 1987 Constitution will now begin. In a speech before the PDP-Laban anniversary the other day, the call for a shift to a federal system upon which Mayor Duterte anchored his bid for the presidency will gain impetus.
Overshadowed by the war on drugs in the last eight months simply because this is a clear and present danger, the call to dismantle a highly centralized unitary system, which is prospective in nature, had to take the back seat.
But with the pronouncement that a preparatory commission that would draft and vet the proposed constitutional changes is forthcoming, the process of real change begins.
Let the public debate the merits of a federal system to replace what colonial Spain and America imposed upon us, and the succeeding “independent” republics continued to this day.
A caveat though: Let us tread with caution. Uprooting a system that has been with us for 400 years is not that easy. As always, there must be a gradual timeline to implement systemic change.
Probably the most contentious would be how to divide the unitary into federal parts. If we go by the present administrative regional division which Ferdinand Marcos first imposed and was expanded by succeeding governments, we will be promoting tribalism rather than national unity. Further, many of the 16 or so administrative regions turned federal states simply do not have the wherewithal, now or in the foreseeable future, to govern themselves effectively.
And to impose upon the currently “rich” states subsidies for the “poorer” states may be easier said than done.
My proposal, earlier written in this space, stands: One federal state to cover all the provinces north of Metro Manila, that is, Regions 1, 2 and 3 combined, with a special autonomous region for the Cordillera.
Another federal state to cover Regions 4, 4-A and 5, perhaps with the exception of Palawan, which may be more proximate to either the Visayas or Mindanao.
One federal state to encompass all three Visayan regions. Or rather four, if we separate what the past government created in the Negros Island Region, a political gimmick intended to fortify the Liberal presidential candidate’s home base.
One other federal state for Mindanao, minus the Muslim-dominated provinces, which could be either another federal state with two special administrative regions, one for the mainland, and another for the islands. Mindanaoans know that until they finally unite, there is yet a great divide between the Maranaws, Maguindanaos and Iranons of the mainland on the one hand, and the Tausugs, Yakans, Samas, Badjaos of the islands.
Then, Metro Manila can be considered one federal state as well, or a special administrative region under the direct control of the national government for a certain period of time defined in the new Constitution’s transitory provisions.
Please note that there will be similarities in population and resources of such a division. Roughly 15 to 20 million people reside in these separated federal states (North and Central Luzon, Southern Luzon, Metro Manila, Visayas and Mindanao, with some 10 million or less for the Muslim population plus the people of the Montanosa).
While the Visayas may be a sprinkling of island groups, linking the current three main regions by a bridge would make administration more cohesive. The Regional Development Council for Region 7 for instance (by the way, congratulations are in order for the recent appointment of world-class industrial artist cum entrepreneur Kenneth Cobonpue as co-chair of the RDC) proposes ambitious but doable bridges linking Cebu to Negros and Bohol. Eventually, another to link Danao to Camotes and thence Leyte could also be undertaken. A new federal government could arrange easily for a Bacolod to Iloilo link.
Those who would dismiss these as pies-in-the-sky should go visit Hong Kong Island, which is by now inter-connected to Kowloon, Lantau, thence Macau through the longest 57-kilometer bridge cum underwater tunnel. There are other examples of such engineering marvels in the Florida Keys, in Louisiana, and China.
Yes Visayas, it can be done.
Federalism properly and equitably implemented will unleash natural competitive forces that would propel us economically, while at the same time addressing the historic grievances of our Muslim and Montanosa brothers which is what President Duterte sees as a lasting solution to our separatist conflicts.
Thenceforth, management will be by chunks rather than a difficult whole, given the physical lay of the archipelago and the wealth disparities therein.
Should we go parliamentary or retain the present presidential system?
While this is again a rather contentious matter which ought be the subject of more articles, again a personal stand: let us adopt the French model of having an elected president who shall be head of state and government, in charge of foreign affairs, national defense, internal security, central banking and the single monetary system, national communications. Let a parliament elect a prime minister in charge of the economy and day-to-day administrative affairs. During the transition period defined under the transitory provisions, the elected president shall choose the prime minister from among the elected members of parliament, his choice being duly ratified by the legislative body.
Let us not be afraid of real change.
Otherwise, after Duterte’s six-year term is over, we would regret missing the opportunity. Then we shall rue the day, and say, as the French always say: Plus ca change, plus ca reste la meme chose. (The more we change, the more we remain the same.)
It’s the system, stupid.