So as I was on question 37 in my AP Statistics booklet, instead of doing the problem, I was putting my proposed Philippine states in alphabetical order. My parents once asked me,
"Ano ba talaga ang problema ng Pilipinas?" (What's wrong with the Philippines?) Besides the obvious answers, I replied, "geography." As the second largest archipelago nation in the world, the country is composed of 7,107 islands. With a unitary form of government centered in
Imperial Metro Manila, wealth distribution and federal law enforcement are major problems.
So ever since I dreamnt of being a Philippine Senator, a few months ago, I have carved the Philippines into several state-like regions. After my parentals asked me the question above, I went up to my room, opened my laptop and went to manilatimes.net, one of my daily visited sites. And as if God himself heard me talking, the top article was about Pimentel's proposal for 11 new states plus Metro Manila. With the proposal, the Republic of the Philippines would now be called the Federal Republic of the Philippines composed of: Luzon, Central Luzon, Southern Tagalog, Bicol, Minparom, Eastern Visayas, Western Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Southern Mindanao, Bangsamoro and Metro Manila. Please Pimentel's site: nenepimentel.org. He explains that federalism will alleviate the country from worries of Muslim seperatism, unequal wealth distribution and economic instability. I REALLY support his proposal for a federal Philippines.
My only suggestion though is that instead of bulking Philippine islands together, why not just make each major island a state? My proposed 12 states and Federal Capital: Bangsamoro (BM), Bohol (BH), Cebu (CB), East Mindanao (EM), Leyte (LY), Mindoro (MD), Negros (NG), Northern Luzon (NL), Panay (PN), Palawan (PL), Samar (SM), Southern Luzon (SL), West Mindanao (WM) and Metro Manila. This way, instead of tediously island hopping to enforce state laws, state law officers can easily excercise jurisdiction. Small outlying islands will be under the jurisdiction of the nearest state. Luzon and Mindanao are divided to try and create Philippine states that are economically and politically equal. Bangsmoro is a seperate region to try and end Muslim sepratism in the country.
I really hope the proposal for federalism is discussed in Congress and amoung the citizens of the Philippines. Mabuhay. (random. what if the official name of the Philippines was
The Philippine Archipelago? just something to think about..)
matt. brb//
