FILIPINOS may not realize that the fiscal relationship between their LGUs and the national government can only be described as grossly unjust. Maybe even that would be an understatement and yet it isn’t really that surprising given the long reliance of a colonial, extractive-oriented, unitary government (colonial masters used to be foreigners and since independence has shifted to Malacañang occupants controlled by the elites) enshrined in our present centralized unitary political system; hopefully, not much longer with the possible shift to federalism as envisioned by and the coming of President Rodrigo R. Duterte.

BELIEVE it or not: Children or close relatives of elected officials are not allowed to run in the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) election on Oct. 31.

Under Republic Act No. 10742, or the SK Reform Act of 2015, candidates should not be related within the second degree of consanguinity or affinity to any incumbent, elected national official; or to any incumbent regional, provincial, city, municipal, or barangay official, in the locality where he/she seeks to be elected.

MANILA, July 20 - In a meeting in Malacañan on Monday, President Rodrigo R. Duterte approved the new “Roadmap to Peace” that will address issues with various rebel groups, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza announced during a press briefing on Tuesday.

MANILA, Philippines (5th UPDATE) – After nearly 4 years of hospital arrest, former Philippine president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will soon be free.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday, July 19, acquitted Mrs Arroyo of plunder as it granted her plea to drop the case against her. This sets in motion her release from the Veterans Memorial Medical Center, where she has been detained since October 2012.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, PH - Local businessmen and representatives of various organizations in the city of Cagayan de Oro gathered in the CDPI third national conference on the proposal to shift to Federal-Parliamentary system.

According to statement by Mr. Aldrico Manus, former President of Oro Chamber, they [local businessmen] are too enthusiastic to be part of a real political party that promotes less government control and full of participation of citizens in the decision making process.

MANILA, Philippines – With the once ruling Liberal Party hemorrhaging from defections to the new majority, Sen. Franklin Drilon wants political turncoats penalized as part of an overhaul of the party system.

Drilon has filed a bill seeking to strengthen the political system, prevent party switching and level the playing field among parties.

THE 1987 Philippine Constitution declares the Filipinos to be sovereign, and this is very interesting because to be “sovereign” means to be in “total control.” What it means in the arena of natural resources management is that the benefits derived from such are owned and managed exclusively by the national government for and in behalf of all Filipinos.

MANILA, July 14 (PIA) -- Those interested to run in the forthcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) posts may file their Certificate of Candidacy starting October 3 up to October 5.

This is based on the Calendar of Activities listed in Comelec Resolution No. 10151.

MANILA, Philippines - Representatives from Switzerland, Germany, the US and other nations with federal governments will attend the roundtable discussions set by the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan as the Duterte administration steps up its campaign for a shift to federalism.

A round-table discussion on Federalism has ensued before audiences from the government, business society, academe, and civil society in Davao city with the goal to build understanding on how the Duterte Administration can achieve this system shift.