NO NEED FOR FEDERALISM, JUST AMEND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE

By Bayawanon

There are many proposals that are being presented by the Philippine Federalists for federalism to be a reality in the Philippines like the following: 1) Under the Federal Philippines, the sharing of the revenues of the central/federal government as against the state government shall be 20 percent for the central/federal government and 80 percent for the state government: 2) Giving more powers to the indigenous people by way of federalism.

The proposals that are presented by the federalists that can be found above can be met by not resorting to federalism but instead via amending the Local Government Code and provide such proposals therein. So, why change the constitution and push for a federal government?

By making a provision in the Local Government Code which would provide an eighty percent (80%) share of revenue in favor of the local governments and twenty percent (20%) in favor of the national government the problem/s as to this issue would already be solved.

By crafting a provision in the Local Government Code, establishing INDIGENOUS PEOPLE'S COUNCILS, properly observing the indigenous people's customs and tradition and giving them benefits by way of social justice, the problem/s as to this issue would also be solved easily.

So, why change the constitution and change the form of government from UNITARY-PRESIDENTIAL FORM to FEDERAL-PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM when the issues at hand can simply be met by amending the Local Government Code? Does it mean to say that the people behind this are simply nothing but dumb leaders who have nothing to do but just to change the constitution and also change the form or system of government or do they simply push for the same for the ends of their personal interests?

We must all bear in mind, that by shifting the form of government from one form to another system, we have to change the constitution, and we have to spend billions of pesos to do the same. We must further consider the fact that studies would show that the government has to spend forty (40) billion pesos in creating an ADMINISTRATIVE REGION, how much more will the government spend in the creation of TWELVE (12) STATE OFFICES comprised of its executive, legislative and judicial branches? Will we simply let this happen when the issues at hand can simply be addressed by the Local Government Code's amendment?