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การประชุมวิชาการสถาบันพระปกเกล้า 119
ครั้งที่ 20 ประจำาปี 2561
ประชาธิปไตยไทย: ก้าวย่างเพื่อการพัฒนา

Although a strong push for the adoption of a federal form of government has been
given by the incumbent administration, the federalism agenda should not be equated to a

Duterte-led movement and should in one sense, therefore be insulated from partisan politics.
It should be as inclusive as possible. Its ultimate goal is to empower sub-national govern-

ments by providing the enabling framework for meaningful decentralization and development.
As former Senate President Koko Pimentel clarified, “Federalism is not for President Duterte”

and explained that “Our party [administration party PDP-Laban] has been advocating federalism
since 1982. President Duterte was still in shorts then. So this advocacy is not about him.”

Nation Building and Further Devolution

for Democratization

The proposals to shift to a federal form of government should be seen as part of
a process in nation building. Nation building is a continuing process that takes time and is
context-specific. Public sector reforms – which are among the imperatives in nation build-

ing – may address specific concerns confronted by a nation during a particular historical mo-

ment, or particular historical period. It is within this context that popular public sector reform
interventions – including the massive reorganization of government, the decentralization of
powers to sub-national governments and the shift to a federal structure of government –

may be appreciated and understood. It is also an instrument for development to address

the inequities among the regions, and a way to address the conflicts in Mindanao. It is an
instrument to recognize diversity and preserve the ethnic identities and culture of the
indigenous peoples of the country.

Philippine politico-administrative history has shown that the decentralization of pow-

ers to sub-national governments has been a continuing demand of local governments as part
of the clamor for autonomy. The proposals to adopt a federal form of government should

be framed within the discourse of deepening decentralization and granting more autonomy
to sub-national institutions. It is thus considered as a part of the public sector reform for

nation building and democratization within the context of providing an enabling framework
for meaningful participation.