FAQ&A

Frequently Asked Questions & Our Answers:

What type or model of federalism are we adopting?
There are many models around the world. But our own experience have been with a Presidential type with two houses of Congress and not Parliamentary. This is the US model. Come to think of it, why were the Americans did not adopt the Federal set up to our country in the first place? That is because they want a unitary system for easy subjugation and control.

What will be the division of work and responsibilities?
The Federal national level will principally be in charge of 1) national defense 2) foreign affairs 3) custom, immigration and quarantine 4) currency 5) national development plans 6) national standards
The Regional States will be responsible for the many governmental functions for economic, social, cultural development including infrastructure, agriculture, education, social services, etc.
Internal security or police will be a shared responsibility. There will only one police force and bureau of investigation at the Federal national level and supervises and controls Regional State police and bureau of investigation.
There will be inter-state agencies and federal commissions to ensure coordination amongst the Federal national level as well as Regional State level.

What will happen to LGUs?
Local governments at the Provincial, City, Municipal and Barangay levels will remain. But instead of being supervised by the heretofore DILG, it will now be under the supervision of and will coordinate with Regional States agencies. The LGUs will continue to have shares both of Federal national and Regional state internal revenues and shall collect their own taxes at their particular levels.

Will we still elect our President?
Yes, if we adopt a Presidential type like in the US federal system, the qualified citizens can still vote directly their President, who is both the head of state and head of government. In a Parliamentary system, it is still possible to have a President but largely of ceremonial nature as head of of state, and the parliament elects a Prime Minister as head of government.

How many state will there be under a federal Philippines?
Our proposal is to adopt the existing regions as Regional States. There already exists a structure like department regional offices as well as the Regional Development Councils. These are the core that will eventually help run the new Regional State Governments. But what is essential in the new federal set-up are the new regional political leaderships that will carry each region's well-rounded development with more powers, more resources and have autonomous decision-making.

How will small or poor regional states cope up with lesser resources?
There will be an Equalization Fund at the Federal national level where big states contribute proportional big amounts and small states give small amounts. However, in the distribution, it will be the reverse. Small states get the biggest chunks, big states the smallest shares. Hence, there will be a leveling off of resources to help smaller states pursue their own development. Moreover, there are also Federal Funds to assist the States.

What will happen during the transition?
If we approve a new Federal Constitution in 2019 plebiscite, we will have three years to prepare both at the Federal national level and the Regional State level to transition towards the federal system by 2022. The new Constitution will define such requirements under the Transitory Provisions. The first election of the new officials under the new Federal Constitution will occur in May 2022. The new Federal Constitution may empower the incumbent President to appoint Transitory Officials who will preside over the preparations towards the implementation of the new federal set-up. Funds will also be set aside for this purpose.