Federalism?

Why do we have a unitary government? Why are we sticking with a centralized government responsible
for all of the Filipinos? Is the government really capable of carrying out uniform policies and avoid
corruptions throughout our country? Can we not have state and local governments?

There are lots of advantages of decentralization but here are our top 3 arguments:

1. Federalism will prevent red tape, delays, bureaucracy and confusion. Instead of controlling
everything from a central government, activities in every community in the nation like police,
schools, roads, fire departments, garbage collections, sewage disposal, street lighting will be
managed by states and communities. Decentralization encourages people to be involved and to
be part of the experimentation and innovation in public policy in their respective states. For
example, Philippines can have the state of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Each state has respective
representative/head that will control and govern. Mindanao will not wait anymore for the
president who is in Luzon to make the needed steps in case of problems.

Evidence: In 2014, 67 government agencies failed to the anti-red tape act report car
d according to survey conducted by Civil Service Commission (CSC). Last February 5, 2018, CSC has
recorded a significant improvement in the results of the said survey for government offices in 2017.
Of a total of 583 offices surveyed, 81.65% passed. (Source: PhilStar)

2. When each state and community are given the power to follow their own policies, it would reduce
the pressures that are building up in the central government since they are deciding on
everything. Federalism will allow citizens to decide many things at the state and local levels of
government and avoid conflict over single national policies to be applied on the entire nation.
Conflict management will then be easier. Same with previous example, each state will have their
own capacity to come up with policies that will benefit their respective states.

Evidence: Broader issues in Mindanao such as poverty and education should be addressed by the
government when it starts its rehabilitation efforts in the besieged city of Marawi. Atty. Benedicto
Bacani, executive director of the Institute for Autonomy and Governance at the Notre Dame
University, is proposing the formation of an independent commission involving different sectors to
plan the rehabilitation of Marawi. (Patrick Santos, ABS-CBN News)

3. The nationwide distribution of power will serve as a protection against dictatorship. With
Federalism distributing the power, state and local governments also provide a political base for
the survival of the opposition party when it loses national elections.

Evidence: Ferdinand Marcos was a murderous, thieving, deceitful dictator whose regime brutally
slaughtered at least 3,200 Filipinos and tortured tens of thousands more. He and his family stole
up to US$10 billion, stashing the plunder abroad. (Alan Robles, ABS-CBN News)