The Philippines has made some progress in decentralizing powers to local government units, but the government needs to do more.
 
This was what international experts agreed during the third Annual Public Policy Conference (APPC) organized by the state think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies held recently at the Marco Polo Hotel as part of the observance of the Development Policy Research Month.
 
“The Philippines is easily one of the most decentralized countries already within Southeast Asia, far more decentralized than federal Malaysia,” Australian National University Professor Paul Hutchcroft said.
 
He, however, added that there is much more to be done and consider if the country decides to shift to a federal form of government—a proposal that has gained traction since President Rodrigo Duterte assumed office in 2016 in a bid to solve the weak regional development and inefficient public service delivery in the country.
 
For one, stakeholders must remember that there is no one-size-fits-all kind of federalism, or major political reform for that matter, adding that the type of federalism to be adopted depends on the needs of the people and the preexisting political conditions in the country.