If Federalism Will Push Cagayan de Oro Will Be the Capital of Northern Mindanao
Should Federalism be pushed through, these are the three states which will emerge in Mindanao as proposed in the senate with the corresponding cities belonged to them. Accordingly, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, and Marawi are the capital cities of Northern Mindanao, Southern Mindanao, and Bangsamoro State respectively.
Pimentel said the federalization of the republic is meant to accomplish two main goals: 1. Cause the speedy development of the entire country by unleashing the forces of competitiveness among the component federal states, and 2. Dissipate the causes of rebellion in the country, particularly in Mindanao.
“The federal proposal will hopefully provide a just and lasting redress of the grievances of the powerless and the neglected sectors of society, like the Moro peoples of Mindanao,” the opposition senator said in a keynote address at the seminar on federalism hereunder the auspices of the UP Center for Local and Regional Governance/National College of Public Administration and Governance (UP CLRG/NCPAG) and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Manila Southwoods, Golf Country Club, Carmona, Cavite.
Under the 63-page resolution, Pimentel proposed the creation of 11 federal states out of the existing political subdivisions of the country, and one federal administrative region.
To be established are the federal states of Northern Luzon, Central Luzon, Bicol and Southern Tagalog in Luzon; the federal states of Minparom (Mindoro-Palawan-Romblon-Marinduque), Eastern Visayas, Central Visayas and Western Visayas in the Visayas and the federal states Northern Mindanao, Southern Mindanao and Bangsamoro in Mindanao.
Metro Manila will be converted into a federal administrative region along the lines of Washington D.C. in the United States, New Delhi in India or Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.
“The move to federalize the country is not simply a ‘political’ undertaking. It is also an economic effort. By creating 11 federal states and by converting Metro Manila as a federal administrative region, we immediately establish 12 centers of power, finance and development throughout the country,” Pimentel said.
