Papers, Reports & StatementsPosition Statement on Federalism

The Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy believes in amending the Constitution. This position is brought about by a climate of growing discontent over ineffective governance and the continued lack of sustainable progress in the country. In addition, the position is in line with the realization that structural change is unavoidable if we were to effectively address the country’s problems.

A number of positions and proposals from different sectors seek for another structure of government to be created, i.e., the state government. PCID, however, favors on consultations made on pushing federalism amidst the impending Bangsamoro bill that MILF urges to pass first before federalism. In terms of structure, PCID is inclined in creating one federal state for Mindanao, including a federal regional government created through a convergence of agreements with Moro fronts.

According to a rough and quick survey conducted by PCID during the Forum on Federalism, Autonomy, and Mindanao Peace Process on December 2016, 100% of the respondents said that the Constitution should be amended or revised, 77% of that said through constitutional convention, and that if the amendment is through constitutional convention, 75% said the two houses should vote separately.

This result was resonated in a bigger platform such as Pulse Asia who cited that big pluralities to small majorities in Metro Manila (45%), Mindanao (54%), and Class ABC (48%) are supportive of the proposal to change the country’s system of government to a federal one.

Support for a shift to a federal system of government is more notable among those with a great deal/sufficient amount of knowledge about the 1987 Philippine Constitution than among Filipinos as a whole (47% versus 39%). Levels of indecision and opposition to the proposal are nearly the same in both sub-groupings (28% versus 26% and 33% versus 28%, respectively).

While tied to the rationale of Muslim insurgency in the South and the Bangsamoro’s aspirations for self-determination, big pluralities (Mindanao 54%) is supportive of the proposal to change the country’s system of government into federal. According to a separate forum survey result by PCID, participants from Regions 11, 12, and ARMM favored an immediate shift into a federal system, foregoing even the proposed ten-year transition period.

Any constitutional change at this point is timely for the Bangsamoro. The Muslim community should not reject any opportunity to discuss openly about federalism and constitutional reforms. The violent conflict in Mindanao has been triggered by the continued denial of the Philippine government of the aspiration for independence by the Bangsamoro people.

Position Statement on Federalism (259 downloads )