1. Social and Political Reforms

2. The Facts and Realities of our Life as a Nation
Why change the Constitution?
The Facts and Realities of our Life as a Nation

3. Fact No. 1: Our country is rich
Facts and Realities
Fact No. 1: Our country is rich
The richness of the waters surrounding our islands extends from Benham Rise in the East to the Philippine Sea in the West.

4. Fact No. 1: Our country is rich
Facts and Realities
Fact No. 1: Our country is rich
We hold the world’s third-largest reserve of minerals in the world, valued at US900 billion.

5. Fact No. 1: Our country is rich
Facts and Realities
Fact No. 1: Our country is rich
The Coral Triangle is the global center of marine biodiversity. It is also called the “Amazon of the seas.” It includes the tropical marine waters of the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Timor-Lester. Its biological resources sustain the lives of over 120 million people.

6. The Harsh and Hard Realities
Why change the Constitution?
The Harsh and Hard Realities

7. Reality No. 1: Our people are poor
Facts and Realities
Reality No. 1: Our people are poor
One out of every four Filipino live below the poverty line
42 percent of Filipino families consider themselves poor
In ARMM, poverty is even worse, with 53.4 % poverty incidence
3 of the top 5 poorest provinces in the country are in the ARMM led by Lanao del Sur having 74.3 % poverty incidence, followed by Sulu at 65.7% and Maguindanao at 59.4%.

8. Reality No. 1: Our people are poor
Facts and Realities
Reality No. 1: Our people are poor
Two out of three heads of poor Filipino families finished only elementary
Two out of five households do not have electricity.
Three out of ten families have no clean drinking water.
One out of four families has no a sanitary toilet.
Almost half live in a house square meters in size.

9. Reality No. 2: Gaping Rich-Poor Gap
Facts and Realities
Reality No. 2: Gaping Rich-Poor Gap
26 million Filipinos survive on lower than daily minimum wage.
The income of the top ten percent of Filipino families is TEN times higher than the income of the bottom 10 percent

10. Reality No. 3: Millions are Homeless
Facts and Realities
Reality No. 3: Millions are Homeless
It is estimated that around 44% of the urban population live in slums (UN Habitat, 2008). Manila has the largest homeless population of any city in the world – 3.1 million. An estimated 1.2 million children in the Philippines sleep rough, with 70,000 in Manila (IBT, 2014).

11. Reality No. 4: Education is Prohibitive
Facts and Realities
Reality No. 4: Education is Prohibitive
Only one out of every ten Filipinos has a college degree
For every 100 children who enrol in the first grade, only 14 finish college

12. Reality No. 5: Not enough Jobs
Facts and Realities
Reality No. 5: Not enough Jobs
A quarter of the labor force is either unemployed on underemployed

13. Reality No. 5 Not enough jobs
Why change the constitution
Reality No. 5 Not enough jobs
million Filipinos work abroad
Nearly one fourth of the labor force
They make the economies of
competitor-countries better than ours
US$ 2.5 billion monthly remittance

14. Reality No. 6 Dynasties control politics
Facts and Realities
Reality No. 6 Dynasties control politics
295 families control Philippine politics
73 of 80 provinces have political dynasties
81% of governors, 78% of House members, 69% of mayors, 57% of vice mayors belong to political dynasties
56% of dynasties have existed since 120 years ago; 44% were born after the EDSA revolution
The presence of political dynasties is associated with: (1) higher poverty; (2) lower income per capita; (3) higher infant mortality rates; and (4) lower primary education outcomes (Monsod, et. al., 2012).

15. 62.04% of GDP Why change the constitution Region Poverty Rate
GDP Share
Metro Manila
4.5
37.02
Cordillera
22.6
1.82
Ilocos
17.2
3.09
Cagayan Valley
16.5
1.85
Central Luzon
13.0
9.08
CALABARZON
10.4
15.94
MIMAROPA
22.0
1.68
Bicol
30.9
2.09
W. Visayas
24.2
3.98
Central Visayas
27.0
6.58
Eastern Visayas
39.3
2.05
Region
Poverty
GDP
Zamboanga Peninsula
30.9
2.03
N. Mindanao
34.9
3.84
Davao Region
20.5
4.11
SOCCSKSARGEN
37.4
2.78
CARAGA
35.3
1.23
ARMM
53.4
0.84
NCR, Calabarzon and Central Luzon
62.04% of GDP
Regions with low GDP share have higher poverty rates

16. The economy is controlled by a few
Why change the constitution
The economy is controlled by a few
The wealth of the richest 50 families
(3.5 trillion pesos) is equivalent to:
one-fourth of the gross domestic product
GDP share of ten regions
the entire budget of the government
Oligarchs, monopolies, cartels control vital industries and businesses

17. The economy is controlled by a few
Why change the constitution
The economy is controlled by a few
The wealth of the richest 50 families
(3.5 trillion pesos) is equivalent to:
one-fourth of the gross domestic product
GDP share of ten regions
the entire budget of the government
Oligarchs, monopolies, cartels control vital industries and businesses

18. A shift from unitary to federal system of government
Why change the constitution
A shift from unitary to federal system of government
Fediralism is to touch the lives of the people,
especially the least, the last and the lost.
The least because they have less in life.
The last because they are hard to reach.
The lost because they do not know
what and how to alleviate their
poor socio-economic conditions.
Only then, government service
Finds its meaning.
Eddie Mapag Alih

20. Unitary vs Federal (Social and Political Reforms)
Failure to address most of the nation’s problems
Poverty across the regions
Corruption
Expanded civil and political rights
Giving the poor, demandable socio- economic rights (Sec , Art. III)
Adequate Food
Complete Education
Decent Housing
Universal and comprehensive Healthcare
Livelihood and Employment opportunities

21. Unitary vs Federal (Political and Social Reforms)
Failure to address most of the nation’s problems
Poverty across the regions
Corruption
Giving demandable environmental rights: (Sec. 28, Art. III)
Healthful environment and balanced ecology
Clean air, water, soil, surroundings
Seek compensation for damage to the environment
Seek court relief (writ of kalikasan) to stop activities that damage the environment

22. Unitary vs Federal (Political and Social Reforms)
Failure to address most of the nation’s problems
Poverty across the regions
Corruption
Protecting the poor against employment discrimination
(Sec. 3, Art. XV)
Providing opportunities for gainful employment for persons with disabilities (Sec. 3, Art. XV)
Protecting overseas Filipino workers (Sec. 5, Art. XV)

23. Unitary vs Federal (Political and Social Reforms)
Failure to address most of the nation’s problems
Poverty across the regions
Corruption
Providing access to free legal assistance (Sec. 15, Art. III)
Allowing release on recognizance of indigents accused of probationable crimes when the risk of flight is low (Sec. 17, Art. III)
Providing compensation to persons unjustly and wrongfully accused, convicted and imprisoned but subsequently acquitted (Sec. 22, Art. III)
To address unbridled graft and corruption

24. Unitary vs Federal (Political and Social Reforms)
Overconcentration of powers in the national government
National/Central government controls 80 percent of the powers, funds, policies, programs, projects
Failure to address most of the nation’s problems due to overconcentration of powers in the national government
Threats of secession in Mindanao
Longest-running insurgency
Monopoly of political power by political dynasties
Monopoly of economic power by business oligarchs
Governmental powers, resources, determination of policies, programs, projects are properly distributed between the Federal Government and the Federated Regions in the Constitution itself
16 Federated Regions, Bangsamoro and Federated Region of Cordilleras

25. Unitary vs Federal (Political and Social Reforms)
Overconcentration of powers in the national government
National/Central government controls 80 percent of the powers, funds, policies, programs, projects
Failure to address most of the nation’s problems due to overconcentration of powers in the national government
Threats of secession in Mindanao
Longest-running insurgency
Monopoly of political power by political dynasties
Monopoly of economic power by business oligarchs
Non-Centralization of powers
Vertical distribution of powers from the central government to regional government
Political Reforms
Breaking up the monopoly of power
Levelling the political field
Empowering the people through direct exercise of democracy
Necessary to ensure that the regions will have a vibrant and functioning political system

26. Unitary vs Federal (Political and Social Reforms)
Overconcentration of powers in the national government
National/Central government controls 80 percent of the powers, funds, policies, programs, projects
Failure to address most of the nation’s problems due to overconcentration of powers in the national government
Threats of secession in Mindanao
Longest-running insurgency
Monopoly of political power by political dynasties
Monopoly of economic power by business oligarchs
Self-executing anti-dynasty provisions
Self-executing anti-party-switching provisions (balimbing/political butterflies
Strengthening the political party system
Reforming the party-list system: Proportional party representation in the House of Representatives
Campaign Finance Reform: “Democracy Fund”
People’s Initiative, Plebiscite and Referendum: Direct exercise of legislative power

27. Unitary vs Federal (Political and Social Reforms)
Overconcentration of powers in the national government
National/Central government controls 80 percent of the powers, funds, policies, programs, projects
Failure to address most of the nation’s problems due to overconcentration of powers in the national government
Threats of secession in Mindanao
Longest-running insurgency
Monopoly of political power by political dynasties
Monopoly of economic power by business oligarchs
Levelling the Political Field
Self-executing anti-dynasty provisions (Sec. 8, Art. V)
Up to second degree
No succession
No multiple positions
Self-executing anti-party-switching provisions (Sec. 7, Art. V)
No switching parties during term
No switching parties two years before, two years after an election
Penalties: removal from office, prohibition from appointment and running in next election

28. Unitary vs Federal (Political and Social Reforms)
Overconcentration of powers in the national government
National/Central government controls 80 percent of the powers, funds, policies, programs, projects
Failure to address most of the nation’s problems due to overconcentration of powers in the national government
Threats of secession in Mindanao
Longest-running insurgency
Monopoly of political power by political dynasties
Monopoly of economic power by business oligarchs
Levelling the Political Field
Strengthening the political party system
(Sec. 4-6, Art. V)
Requires party ideology, principles, platform and program of government to be accredited by COMELEC
Requires parties to exercise of fair, honest, and democratic procedures in selection of party officials and nomination of candidates for elective positions
Prohibits contributions from religious organizations, foreigners, foreign governments and illegal sources
and corporations to contribute funds legitimately to political parties and candidates, and financially empower small political parties and women candidates

30. The time for federalism has come.” President Rodrigo Roa Duterte
“We have to move away from the unitary form of government, which has been in existence or set up originally by Spaniards. It has always been a strong central government.
The time for federalism has come.”
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte
Eidl Fitr 2018, Davao City