The concept of a federal government for the Philippines was proposed as early as the Philippine

Revolution with Filipino revolutionaries Emilio Aguinaldo and Apolinario Mabini suggesting dividing
the islands into three federal states.[1]
One of the first proponents of federalism in the Philippines in the 21st century is University of the
Philippines professor Jose Abueva who argued that a federal form of government is necessary to
more efficiently cater to the needs of the country despite its diversity.[2] The primary goals of a
constitutional amendment is to increase decentralization, greater local power and access to
resources most especially among regions outside Metro Manila which has long been dubbed as
rather imperial.[3]
Aside from Abueva, senator Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. is a prominent supporter of federalism who, since
2001, has advocated for federalism. He sees the proposed system as a key component in alleviating
the Mindanao crisis and appeasing Moro insurgents. According to Pimentel, even though federalism
was never intended to appease any followers of any specific ideology of religion, it will also hasten
economic development, since resource and financial mobilization is upon each state's or province's
discretion without significant constraint from the central government.[4]
However, in 2009, after Senate and House resolutions supporting charter change were released, an
estimated 13,000 to 15,000 people gathered in Makati to protest against these executive
department-deriving proposals for constitutional reform. This was due to speculations that Philippine
president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo would use such amendments to extend her hold in office.[5] In
addition, Pulse Asia published in the same year their survey regarding public support for the
proposed charter change; the survey reported that four out of ten Filipino adults, or 42% of all
respondents, opposed the amendment, with 25% still undecided and 33% in favor. Pulse Asia
furthered that from 2006 to 2009 there was no significant change of sentiment against the charter
change proposal, although indecision increased by 6%.[6]
In late 2014, then-Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte launched a nationwide campaign calling for a
charter change for federalism. During his visit to Cebu City in October of the same year, Duterte
stated that federalism will facilitate better delivery of services to the people.[7] He also saw the current
system as "antiquated"[8] where distribution of public funds is disproportionately
biased towards Manila. Aside from the economic aspect, federalism is also seen as the best means
to address problems in Mindanao which suffers the most from ethno-religious conflicts.[9] Duterte
added that the current unitary form of government has not worked well given the ethnic diversity in
the country.[10] In spite of initially rejecting several calls for his candidacy for the 2016 presidential
elections, he cited his organizational reforms if he were to become president. Parallel to his
campaign for federalism, Duterte planned to privatize tax collection and abolish the Congress to
make way for a unicameral legislature, contrary to the originally proposed Joint Resolution No. 10.[11]
Movements for federalism further intensified from when the draft of the Bangsamoro Basic Law was
submitted by Philippine president Benigno Aquino III to the 16th Congress on September 10,
2014.[12] From approval, this law establishes the Bangsamoro as an autonomous region with its own
parliamentary government and police force.[13] Approval of the Bangsamoro structure would provide
federalism proponents and supporters added confidence to clamor for the national government to
enact reforms towards a more decentralized system for the rest of the country.[8]
In May 2016, President-elect Rodrigo Duterte stated that a plebiscite on the proposed replacement
of the unitary state with a federal one will be held in two years.[14] On December 7, 2016, Duterte
signed Executive Order No. 10 creating a consultative committee to review the 1987 Constitution.

Federalism advocate, Aquilino Pimentel Jr. renewed his campaign. In May 2016, Aquilino 'Nene'
Pimentel Jr., stated in an interview with Teodoro Locsin Jr. and Tina Monzon-Palma that a North
Mindanao state may be separated into two distinct states, namely, Northwest Mindanao and
Northeast Mindanao.[23]
While Pimentel Jr.'s earlier proposal for a Federal Philippines was to include the area currently
governed by the Cordillera Administrative Region to the Northern Luzon state, Pimentel mentioned
on August 2017 two possible setups for the Cordilleras under a federal government at the North
Luzon Federalism Summit: An autonomous Cordillera region within the Northern Luzon state or the
region as a separate federal state from Northern Luzon due to the existence of a long-standing
autonomy movement in the region and a provision in the current Constitution for giving the
Cordilleras autonomy. He also made the same pronouncements during a live interview with
journalist Karen Davila.[24] After the abolition of the Negros Island Region on August 9, 2017, there
have been several regional movements driven by the Negrenses in support of the unification of the
twin Negros provinces (Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental) under one federal state.[25][26]
In January 2017, under a federalism forum, Pimentel clarified twenty-eight points, namely:

 (1) the Cordillera will have its own federal state;

 (2) the boundaries of Northern Luzon state still needs to be clarified as the state includes two
distinct regions;
 (3) Masbate will be included in the Central Visayas state;
 (4) the Northern Mindanao state shall include the entire Zamboanga region, the entire North
Mindanao region including Bukidnon, Agusan del Norte, Butuan City, Dinagat Islands, and
Surigao del Norte;
 (5) the Southern Mindanao state shall include the entire Soccsksargen region, the entire Davao
region, Agusan del Sur, and Surigao del Sur; /(6) Minparom (Mindoro, Palawan, Romblon, and
Marinduque) shall be classified as a Visayan state and not a Luzon state as it is geographically
part of the Visayas, which Pimentel says is "contrary to the beliefs of Imperial Manila";
 (7) the Bangsamoro state is the most important as it is vital to peace in Mindanao and
Minparom;
 (8) Shariah law can only be applied in the Bangsamoro state if the two parties are Muslims, but if
one or both parties are non-Muslims, national law will always apply;
 (9) Scarborough Shoal/Bajo de Masinloc shall be part of Central Luzon state through Zambales;
 (10) the Philippine territories in the Spratly Islands shall be part of Minparom state through the
municipality of Kalayaan, Palawan;
 (11) if the bicameral Congress is retained, then the members of the House of Representatives
will voted the same way as its is today;
 (12) if the bicameral Congress is retained, the members of the Senate shall be voted, not
nationally anymore, but per state, where each state shall have six Senate seats, the Federal
Capital (Metro Manila) will have six Senate seats, and the overseas Filipino population will have
nine Senate seats, for a total of at least 87 Senate seats, which provides proper representation
to all states;
 (13) the Supreme Court shall be mandated to have a decision on a case within 2 years from its
filing;
 (14) the Court of Appeals, Sandiganbayan, and other appellate courts shall be mandated to
have a decision on a case within 1.8 years from its filing;
 (15) the RTC shall be mandated to have a decision on a case within 1.6 years from its filing;
 (16) the City and Municipal courts shall be mandated to have a decision on a case within 1 year
from its filing;
 (17) each federal state shall have a Federal Governor and Federal Vice Governor; (18) each
federal state shall have a Federal State Legislature, whose members members shall be
representatives from every province, highly urbanized cities, and sectoral groups;
 (19) warlordism and political dynasties shall be prohibited by the Constitution itself;
 (20) federal states shall have 80% of their respective state's revenues, while the federal
government will only have 20%;
 (21) an Equalization Fund shall be created by the Constitution so that federal states that are in
dire need of additional fund can be helped by the federal government;
 (22) there will be a unified educational system, but the indigenous peoples and Muslims shall be
allowed to input certain educational resources into their educational system to better serve their
peoples;
 (23) the Federal Executive Department will hold office in the Federal Administrative Region of
Metro Manila;
 (24) the Federal Legislature will hold office in the Federal State of Central Visayas;
 (25) the Federal Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court will hold office in the Federal State
of Northern Mindanao;
 (26) secession will not be enhanced under the federal form of government as it is a crime under
the Constitution;
 (27) the Bangsamoro state shall be divided into two autonomous regions, namely, mainland
Muslim Mindanao and Sulu archipelago, as the two Muslim areas are distinct from each other in
terms of culture; and
 (28) the Philippines will include its claim in Sabah under the federal form of government.
Pimentel, however, did not clarify that the Philippines can only claim the eastern half of Sabah.[27]
In January 2018, Pimentel suggested the inclusion of the Malaysian-administered territory
of Sabah as a Philippine federal state in itself to assert the Philippine claim over the disputed
territory in a way "acceptable under international laws".[28]
In February 2018, under a new federalism forum, Pimentel noted that new information have been
funneled in regarding federalism in the Philippines and the actual want and need of the people in a
federal form of government. In the forum, he clarified and revised six points from his initial forum
back in January 2017, namely: (1) the proposed Northern Mindanao state may be divided into the
Northwest Mindanao state (the entire Zamboanga region, Misamis Occidental, Lanao del Norte,
Iligan City, Misamis Oriental, Cagayan de Oro city, and Camiguin) and the Northeast Mindanao state
(Bukidnon, Agusan del Norte, Agusan de Sur, Butuan City, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, and
Surigao del Sur); (2) If the Northern Mindanao state is divided into two states, Agusan del Sur and
Surigao del Sur will shift into the Northeast Mindanao state from the initially-proposed Southern
Mindanao state; (3) The president and the vice president shall continue to be elected through a
nation-wide election, but they must be elected in tandem; (4) the qualifications for president, vice
president, and members of Congress shall be the same with the current Constitution, but with the
addition that the candidates must at least have a bachelor's degree from a college/university
recognized by the government; (5) the term of the elected president and vice president shall be six
years without reelection; and (6) a former president is not eligible to run for the presidency anymore
as the new Constitution shall limit the term of a president into one term only.