PIDS calls for ‘intelligent’ discourse on federalism

Abstract

This DRN issue centers on the highlights of the 15th Development Policy Research Month (DPRM) celebration in September 2017. Since 2003, PIDS has been the lead government agency of this annual nationwide event that aims to promote awareness and appreciation of the vital role of policy research in the formulation of sound development policies and programs. With federalism being a hot button topic in the country today, with no less than the Philippine president pushing for its adoption, a lot of questions have arisen. How well do we know about it? What do we know about the positive and negative effects if we shift to a federal form of government? What reforms in our current decentralized system are necessary to advance the development of our regions? Do we really need to shift to federalism to decentralize the power Metro Manila has and alleviate the perennial problems of poverty and inequality in the countryside?