The Federal-Parliamentary System will KILL Feudalism, not feed it
Sa ngayon, ang ultimate na "Feudal Lord" ay ang mga naghahari-harian sa Manila at ang tingin sa mga taga-probinsya ay mga tanga.
When I was in government (specifically from an ad hoc office based in Malacanang), I was sent to speak in behalf of my boss in a training program for local leaders in Mindanao.
Another speaker was a Municipal Councilor from the north, who advised the local leaders to make friends with officials who were "malapit sa kusina" (near the kitchen), a metaphor for those who had a direct hand in budget making. He was, of course, referring specifically to those in Congress who had a direct hand in allocating pork barrel.
Though I was representing a national office then, the Mindanaoan inside me kicked me from within, saying, "This is why Mindanao is poor! These assh***s want us to beg and beg and beg. Damn it."
Anyhow, I managed to keep my cool then. Suffice it to say that I was at least civil, but not very warm, to that Municipal Councilor.
Reflecting today on that episode, what's clear to me is that the ultimate "Feudal Lord" in this country are the greedy and power-hungry people crisscrossing the streets of Metro Manila and occupying powerful positions in Congress who want officials in regions far from here to beg.
Metro Manila is far, very far (not to mention culturally different), from the eyes of people in Visayas, Mindanao and the outer fringes of Luzon. If they have resentments, they have to cover a big distance to express their sentiments.
(To those who are shocked by the flood of political posts from outside of Metro Manila, now you have an idea.)
With Federalism, that won't be the case anymore, as the national wealth will be automatically divided among the Federal States... and it's the Federal Government who would "beg" for the States for their share of the Federal budget.
Oh yeah, there may still be assh***s in state parliaments who want provinces in the fringes to beg... but the parliamentary system would see to it that everyone would have a voice... and the Parliamentary Hall is just a few rides away (and not culturally different) from everyone who has resentments over state policies.
There are those who say Federalism will feed Feudalism. Ahhh, from where I sit, Federalism will, in fact, kill it, at the top, in the middle, and at the bottom.
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| Source: Rappler |
When I was in government (specifically from an ad hoc office based in Malacanang), I was sent to speak in behalf of my boss in a training program for local leaders in Mindanao.
Another speaker was a Municipal Councilor from the north, who advised the local leaders to make friends with officials who were "malapit sa kusina" (near the kitchen), a metaphor for those who had a direct hand in budget making. He was, of course, referring specifically to those in Congress who had a direct hand in allocating pork barrel.
Though I was representing a national office then, the Mindanaoan inside me kicked me from within, saying, "This is why Mindanao is poor! These assh***s want us to beg and beg and beg. Damn it."
Anyhow, I managed to keep my cool then. Suffice it to say that I was at least civil, but not very warm, to that Municipal Councilor.
Reflecting today on that episode, what's clear to me is that the ultimate "Feudal Lord" in this country are the greedy and power-hungry people crisscrossing the streets of Metro Manila and occupying powerful positions in Congress who want officials in regions far from here to beg.
Metro Manila is far, very far (not to mention culturally different), from the eyes of people in Visayas, Mindanao and the outer fringes of Luzon. If they have resentments, they have to cover a big distance to express their sentiments.
(To those who are shocked by the flood of political posts from outside of Metro Manila, now you have an idea.)
With Federalism, that won't be the case anymore, as the national wealth will be automatically divided among the Federal States... and it's the Federal Government who would "beg" for the States for their share of the Federal budget.
Oh yeah, there may still be assh***s in state parliaments who want provinces in the fringes to beg... but the parliamentary system would see to it that everyone would have a voice... and the Parliamentary Hall is just a few rides away (and not culturally different) from everyone who has resentments over state policies.
There are those who say Federalism will feed Feudalism. Ahhh, from where I sit, Federalism will, in fact, kill it, at the top, in the middle, and at the bottom.
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