MANILA, Philippines -- Incoming Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez hopes to have the election for delegates to the Constitutional Convention together with the barangay polls and subject proposed amendments to the Charter to a referendum in time with the 2019 midterm elections.

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Senate President Franklin Drilon filed a resolution pushing for constitution convention to revise the 1987 Constitution.

Drilon said there is a need to re-examine the 29-year-old Constitution and see “if it is still attuned or responsive to the demands of present-day realities."

Federalism is the long-term goal of President Duterte. I have taken it up twice. On June 5 (Federalism 101), I explained the basics of the federal system, with the intention of stimulating public debate. The following Sunday, June 12 (Federalism 102), the five most debated aspects of this system were listed. Today, let me discuss how the system can be instituted.

The Foundation for Economic Freedom (FEF), an organization of eminent economists, recently asked for the institution of a national ID system to promote inclusive growth, and to safeguard peace and order.

Advantages of ID system. The FEF believes that the national ID system will, among others: 1) promote financial inclusion because it will enable many poor and “unbanked” Filipinos to open bank accounts, something not possible without a government-issued ID; 2) help the government identify the beneficiaries of welfare services; 3) deter identity fraud online and offline, thereby enhancing e-commerce; and 4) prevent criminals from faking their identities.

“Change is coming!” is the battle cry of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte. A cornerstone of that change is his proposed shift to the federal system. He passionately believes that only federalism can finally solve the “Imperial Manila” lament of our Southern brethren, and the centuries-old armed conflict in Mindanao. However, he did not give details of his federalist concept.

(CNN)The Great Pacific Garbage Patch has become the stuff of legend. This hotspot of marine waste, created by the spiral currents of the North Pacific Gyre, has been described as a floating trash island the size of Russia.

But when filmmaker Jo Ruxton visited the location, she found clear blue water, and a deep-rooted problem.

Benigno Aquino stepped down as Philippine president on Thursday after a six-year term that was highly regarded overseas, but partly condemned by voters at home.

After his preferred successor was soundly defeated in last month's elections, here are what political and economic analysts interviewed by AFP say were his key legacies:

FOR decades, the Centrist Democrats in the Philippines has worked for the replacement of the Manila-centric unitary state structure of the Philippines by a federal structure. In a country as big and as diverse as the Philippines, federalism is a key element of a subsidiary state structure—in which the power of decision-making is brought as close as possible to the citizens, whose lives and well-being are affected by that decision.

Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III met with the CDPI President, Lito Lorenzana and the rest of PDP-Laban officers and members in a Fellowship dinner right after the two-day Federalism Conference organized by the PDP-Laban.

In the said conference, two members of the National Board of Advisors of CDPI, Dr. Jose V. Abueva and Chief Justice Reynato Puno (Ret.) participated as its guest speakers.

DAVAO CITY -- Business leaders from the Davao Region are planning a nationwide consensus-building exercise with other sectors on the incoming government’s agenda, particularly regarding proposals to move to a federal system.

Federalism is being promoted by President-elect Rodrigo R. Duterte, who went on a “listening tour” nationwide to bat for more regional autonomy.