Presumptive president-elect Rodrigo Duterte. MARIANNE BERMUDEZ/INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
Political analyst Clarita Carlos is all for the shift to federalism, especially with presumptive President Rodrigo Duterte in Malacañang.
“That’s the wave of the future. I’m sure maganda nga dahil dinala nya (Duterte) sa mainstream ngayon yung pag-discuss nyan,” the University of the Philippines professor told Radyo Inquirer 990AM on Tuesday.
(That’s the wave of the future. It’s good that he has made the discussion mainstream.)
READ: Federalism, war on crime top Duterte legislative agenda
Carlos, who has done research on federalism, said the unitary system, like what the country has, is only for colonial governments that need centralization of powers.
She said sub-national units (provinces, cities, etc.) should be given their own reign, such as in the case of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) community where a country’s sub-national units are expected to directly compete in the global market.
“The way forward is really federalism. In fact, those countries na nag-claim na unitary sila, tignan mo palakad nila federal,” she said.
(The way forward is really federalism. In fact, those countries claiming that they are unitary are actually following a federal system.)
Carlos said what is important is for the public to be educated about the federal form of government so they may learn its positive and negative effects.
She has also been going around the country, talking to local executives who can then explain the concept of federalism to those under them.
That way, she said, when a constitutional amendment happens, the people can vote based on knowledge.
Duterte, who will be the first President from Mindanao, has long been advocating federalism. He is a member of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), which has been pushing for a shift to a federal form of government in the country.
Federalism is believed to empower local units by giving them more authority and a bigger budget. RAM/rga
READ: Federalism will empower LGUs — Nene Pimentel