Name Phoebe Cimafranca AB- POLSCI 2

Title: Federalism vs. Unitary System: The Future of the Philippine Governance.

Introduction

Federal and unitary systems are the two primary theoretical political systems that divide the
modern world. These two systems differ from one another in terms of their functional procedures
and political frameworks. A form of government known as federalism divides authority between
the federal government and the states and provinces. Like the United States of America, which
operates under the federalist ideas. Conversely, in a unitary government system, each
administrative division only exercises the functions that have been assigned to it by the central
government, and the state is administered as a single, sovereign party. It is the central
government’s authority to create and dissolve subdivisional units and to increase or decrease
their authority. This will go into deeper detail regarding the similarities and differences between
the federal and unitary political systems, as well as the positive and negative aspects of each, in
order to learn more about these two hypothetical political structures. At last, it will address the
question of whether federal or unitary government is preferable.

Body

Unitary means that all power rests in the central government subnational authorities, whether
territorial or local, have the authority to both formulate and carry out policies, but they only do
so with the central government’s approval. Federal government depends on federalism, as
opposed to unitary governance. Federalism is the norm for dividing authority between the federal
government and the states. From a particular perspective, neither level of government may
encroach on the powers of the other because of the separation of sovereignty between the centre
and the periphery. A federation is any political organisation that implements this idea. All
government systems own their own set of advantages and disadvantages, strengths and
limitations. Federal and unitary government systems are no exception.

Moreover ,a unitary system has pros and cons, just like any other type of governance. The
relative clarity of the duties and authority of the government is one of the main benefits of a
unitary system. In contrast to a system of governance where power is shared across several
government agencies, a clear division of power during times of crisis frequently leads to more
prompt responses and aid. Because laws in a unitary government just need to be authorised by
the central authority, they typically pass quickly. Furthermore, there is very little likelihood of
contradictions between federal and state laws or, in the case of the American states, state and
municipal laws because only the federal government has the right to enact laws. There are
numerous benefits to federal governance. One of these is the citizens’ freedom of choice and
departure. A federation citizen is more free to move to whatever state they find acceptable and to
make that decision. A federation is not without its flaws, though, as citizens can compare
different political systems in the same country by moving between states, thus voting with their
feet. Different levels of well-being will be experienced by residents throughout the federation
due to the distinct governance styles of each state government. Additionally, there will be
differences in the capabilities and effectiveness of every state government, which could lead to
even more division. Policies, such as the severity of penalties for crimes, may vary in scope
throughout states. Lastly, disputes and confrontations over authority and power between state and
federal administrations are always a possibility. The federal system has many appealing and
widely applicable benefits, but these benefits can only be realised when they are correctly put
into practice.

There are various reasons why the unitary form of government is still in place today. The 1987
Constitution’s Article X grants local governments legal status. It outlines the political divisions
of the nation in terms of local autonomy and decentralisation. Federalism plans, however, are
still a component of decentralisation. The majority of supporters are not happy with the 1991
Local Government Code. Some think that the Philippines would be better off with a federal
system. The federalism movement is unique, though, as its supporters have linked these attempts
to amend the constitution. However, the political environment has not been favourable.
Decentralised governance does not lead to alienation because everyone is treated equally. When
compared to a federal system, a unitary system may have fewer rebellions and insurgent cases.
Lastly, and maybe most significantly, a federal system conversion is not practicable due to the
nation’s current degree of alleged corruption and systemic inefficiencies. The Philippines
currently have a unitary system of government, which is centralised and based in Metro Manila.
A move to a federal system might result in significant changes to the country’s dynamics,
including the creation of states for Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Compare the two in the
national context and determine which provides a greater advantage. Northern Mindanao will
benefit from the Philippines’ shift to a federal system of governance. Another political structure
that is used by other nations is federalism. Authority is distributed rather than centralised under
federalism. Federalism is, in essence, the division of authority among its components. These
divisions are the several state-level municipal governments that make up the nation. The unitary
system that our nation is now using is extremely different from federalism. The fact that uniform
laws and policies are applied nationwide under a unitary system is one of the main distinctions
between federalism and unitary government. With the assistance of the other emerging states,
certain areas lacking in natural resources, structures, or establishments will nevertheless
progress, albeit not as quickly as those that have. A portion of the income will continue to be
divided between the federal government and the several sovereign states to cover the nation’s
foreign expenses. This just indicates that the Philippine constitution will require extensive
revision and reconstruction. The number of states that will make up the nation must be decided
by the state. Additionally, as local governments would have the autonomy to enact their own
laws and regulations, residents will need to adjust and exercise greater caution when travelling
throughout the country to avoid disobeying or breaking any state laws. As a result, if the
Philippines chooses to adopt a federal system of government, a number of adjustments will need
to be made. The main draw of federalism is its ability to empower local communities, which is
why some political leaders in the nation, especially those from regions that have been having
difficulty developing their provinces and towns, find it appealing. Empowering the lower tiers of
government, especially the regional level, is the central claim of federalism.

Although proponents of federalism have argued that it will encourage regional development, this
will only be feasible with funding from the federal or national government. Since local and
regional governments will be running their affairs in accordance with their own ideas on how
they need to be run. However, this advantageous development may also turn into a drawback for
federalism. “When you give more funds, it becomes vulnerable to corruption.” Although the
current system of government faces the same issue, federalism may make it easier for some
dishonest people to avoid taking responsibility. Federalism, in my opinion, has the potential to
make matters worse and corruption may even be pervasive. Our nation is improved in certain
ways by federalism, but corruption will also result from it.
Conclusion

Although a lot has been written about the purported benefits of unitary and federal political
systems, little empirical research has been done to determine how these systems affect the
standard of governance. Which political, social, and economic outcomes are better promoted by
federal or unitary systems? Regarding the actual effect of federalism on governance, there is
cause for uncertainty in each situation. Unitarism and good governance are empirically strongly
correlated in most circumstances, and unitary systems seem to have clear advantages over federal
ones insofar as these constitutional arrangements matter. Even though the United States supports
the federal government system, it is not always the most effective form of governance in
practice, according to international leaders. A unitary political system is superior to other
political systems because it offers superior prospects in numerous areas.

Reference: https://50shadesoffederalism.com/case-studies/aligning-the-federalism-discourse-in-
the-philippines-to-the-quest-for-genuine-local-autonomy/