THE BIG FEDERALISM PROJECT IN THE PHILIPPINES: MISSED OPPORTUNITIES AND UNFULFILLED PROMISES

Abstract

The “big federalism project” in the Philippines is considered a missed chance to enhance governance, reduce regional disparities, and decentralize political power. Promoted as a reform during Duterte’s presidency, it involved a consultative body of legal and political experts. However, calls for reform failed due to resistance from political elites, underdeveloped party structures, and negative public perceptions. This study synthesizes historical and current discussions to examine the theoretical framework, concerns, and unrealized opportunities of federalism in the Philippines. It uses qualitative research to analyze policy actions, theoretical constructs, and topics of decentralization and governance. The study also observes that federalism has not been given much attention because there are new challenges and the government that followed is not fully dedicated to it. Therefore, this paper concludes that federalism remains a practical solution to the challenges of governance.