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superjonahguy-blog · 7 years ago

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FEDERALISM VS UNITARY-Ideal Government

By: Jonah Guy

Running a country is obviously not an easy thing to do. The economy should be managed properly, there's a huge of projects to be implemented and difinetely a lot of problems to be solved. The government officials - the one who manages the country, should be attentive on what's happening, responsible, good in decision making and are always prepared for the drastic changes. Country's progress rely on how the government take an action in every situation. Ruling a crowd of people is a challenge and therefore a big responsibility. Mismanagement of this, can affect its countrymen and probably lead to the country's ineffeciency. But did you ever asked yourself why the country of Philippines is prone to poverty? Why a lot of problems cannot be solved easily? Maybe, it's because of how the government manage its country. Because of this, there were a lot of debate happened in regards of what system should be implemented in the Philippines.

Since our country is currently facing a lot of obstacles, President Rodrigo Duterte planned to have the system of federalism for believing that this could be the best way in solving these problems. But there were also a lot of people contradicted on this project and they would rather choose the unitary system- the system that we are presently using. The difference of these two systems is that the unitary system has only one government unit in a country. In the other hand, federalism is a form of government in which there would be more than one government in a country. It means that the country itself would be divided into several smaller regions.

Some people said that it would be better if the country will have the unitary system, because it help us to unite as one nation, and being united helps the country to be a stronger one. According to Atty. Rene Espina, having a federal system make it a very expensive type of government because there would be a plenty of state officials as well as federal officials. He also reasoned out that were not yet ready for this type of government. They said that this type of government can cause uneven development among states because there are some states that is not ready for the autonomy as others do. Some states may not be as rich in natural resources ot skilled labor as others. States with good leaders will progress faster while states with ineffective one will degrade more than ever because national government will not be there to balance them out. This results in insecurity of one states to others and could probably have a conflict or war between states.

Geoffrey de Q. Walker, Emeritus Proffesor of Law at the University of Queensland expalains some of the advantages of having a federal system of government. According to him the federal system would be much helpful to the countries that have a variety of cultures, beliefs, and opinion. Supporters of federalism would like to emphasize that having a unitary form of government make it easier to abuse the power of the government. The unitary system focuses only on national issues and just ignore the issues in local. This type of system also base their decision in the national level and doesn't care about its sub states. It is said that in 2015, 35%of the national budget went to Metro Manila even if it represents only 14% of the Philippines' population. Unlike unitary, the federalism allows each regions to create solutions to their own problems instead of distant Metro Manila deciding for them. Through this local governments, there will no longer have any excuses for delays in sevices or projects that in the present situation are often blamed in the national government. It also motivates each sub state since they will compare their achievements to the other states. Thus it motivate state leaders and citizens to level up in terms of quality of life, economic development, progressive policies and governance.

Do you think there will be a progress of the regions in Mindanao and Visayas if we'll continue living in a unitary government?

Only the Luzon regions will benefit all of this because they are one who is nearer in the national government. Their problems only will be focuses and they are the one who have a bigger budget compared to the regions in Visayas and Mindanao. Visayas and Mindanao is abundant in natural resources but most of the time the Luzon benefit a lot. How can we achieve the progress that we are craving for if the government always focuses only in Metro Manila. Federalism is the best key to have a better government. Through this, each of the regions' problem will be solved easily. There will be no problem also in cultural differences because each state will have their own rules that depend on their beliefs. It doesn't mean that if we have this kind of government we just let other states to be degraded and let them suffer but the fact is, those states that suffer can be helped by the central government.

It's very hard to adjust in having federalism type of government. Improper implementation of this type of system may lead to a lots of problem. But if we cooperate in implementing this type of sytem there's a big possibilitythat we could be successful in choosing this type of government. We should take advantage of the President's willingness to propose solutions that he believes it can help to solve the huge problems we are facing today. And we can't judge directly that this type of goverment can't help us and can worsen the problems without trying it.

#21stEssay

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superjonahguy-blog · 7 years ago

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Ulirang Ina

By: Jonah Guy

Nagulat siya ng biglang may malakas na ilaw ang sumalubong sa kanya. Hindi siya masyadong makakita sa sobrang lakas nito. Papalapit ng papalapit ngunit wala na siyang magawa kundi pabayaan nalang tumagos sa kanyang mukha ang ilaw ng dambuhalang sasakyan habang bumubusina ito. Pero ang ang businang ito ay unti unting humihina sa kanyang pandinig at nakatulala lang siya sa mga ilaw. Biglang tumigil ang lahat at napaisip siya "Tama nga si Inay," sumago sa kanyang isipan ang lahat ng pangyayari. Naalala niya ang mga pagkakataon na kasama pa niya ang kanyang ina.

Maagang gumigising si Lydia para ihanda ang kanyang ititindang mga sari-saring gulay. 3:00 ng madaling araw pa lang ay gising na siya para maglinis, magsaing at lutuan ng masarap na pagkain ang kanyang nag-iisang anak na babae na si Lina. Siya nalang ang bumubuhay sa kanyang nag-iisang anak kasi may ibang kinakasama na ang kanyang asawa. 5:30 na ng umaga at umalis na Lydia para simulan ang kanyang pagbibinta ng gulay sa kalye.

"Gulay po kayo diyan murang mura lang," sabay sigaw pa niya habang naglalakad. Kahit na nangangawit na ang paa at sumasakit na ang likod niya kinakaya niya ang lahat ng ito para matugunan ang mga pangangailangan ng anak niya.

Bandang 5:00 ng hapon ay pumapasok pa siya sa isang club bilang janitress. Lahat ng hirap ay tiniis niya para sa kanyang anak. Gusto kasi niyang matugunan lahat ng gusto ng anak niya at ayaw nitong ipakita ang hirap na dinaraanan niya. Kaya naman lahat ng gusto ng anak niya ay binibigay niya kaagad.

Gabi na siya nakakauwi at kadalasan pag-uwi pa niya ay wala pa ang kanyang anak na si Lina. Kalahating gabi na umuuwi ang kanyang anak at ito ang hindi niya maintindihan. "Bakit ngayon ka lang, anong oras na?" tanong ni Lydia sa kanyang anak. "Palagi ka nalang nagtatanong bakit pag ikaw ba natagalan sa pag - uwi tinatanong kita?" sagot ni Lina sa kanyang ina sabay talikod.

"Ilang beses na kitang pinagsasabihan na layuan mo na iyang mga barkada mo, nakakasama sila sa iyo," pangangaral ni Lydia. "Ano ba ang paki mo, bakit mo ba ako pinipigilan sa gusto ko siguro iyan ang dahilan kung bakit ka iniwan ni ama kasi pakialamira ka," sagot ni Lina.

"Aba wala ka palang utang na loob eh," sasampalin na sana niya. "Sige ituloy mo, nang pati ako ay mawala sayo." Hindi na naituloy ni Lydia at lumabas na lang muna siya sa kanilang bahay.

Palihim siyang umiiyak at sinisisi ang sarili. Ang kinatatakutan niya talaga ay ang iwan siya ng kanyang anak kasi ito nalang ang meron siya patay na ang kanyang ina't ama at may kanya kanya na ring pamilya ang kanyang mga kapatid.

Maya maya ay pumasok na siya at hihingi sana siya ng paumanhin sa kanyang anak ngunit pagtingin nito ay tulog na. Hinipo nalang niya ito sa noo sabay halik.

Kinabukasan ay maaga na namang gumising si Lydia. Maya maya ay nagising na din si Lina. "May proyekto po kami sa paaralan, napag-usapan sa meeting na tig tatatlong daan ang bawat estudyante, bukas na po ang deadline."

"Huwag kang mag-alala bukas na bukas ay bibigyan kita kaagad," sabi ni Lydia sa kanyang anak sabay ngiti. "Anak pasensya na pala kagabi kung nasabihan kita ng ganoon, sana mapatawad mo ako. Tanging kabutihan mo lang ang iniintindi ko," sabi ni Lydia. Tinalikuran lang siya ng anak niya at pumasok sa kwarto. "Walang Inang gustong mapahamak ang kanyang anak," dagdag pa ni Lydia.

Pagkatapos ng mga gawain niya ay nagtinda na naman siya. Dahil sa matinding pagtatrabaho at pagpupuyat ni Lydia nagkaroon siya ng kanser sa dugo. Matagal na pala ito pero nililihim lang niya sa anak niya kasi ayaw nitong mag-alala pa ito. Pero kahit na may sakit siya ay patuloy pa rin siya sa pagbabalat ng buto. Hindi na nga nakakabili si Lydia ng gamot kasi mas inuuna niya ang gastusin sa paaralan ng kanyang anak at iba pang pangangailangan nito.

Habang si Lydia ay nagpapakapawis sa katatrabaho, si Lina naman ay panay sa pakikipag-inuman sa kanyang mga kaibigan. Lasing na siya at hiniraman niya ang motorsiklo ng kanyang kaibigan bukas na raw niya ito isasauli kasi uuwi na siya. Pinahiram naman siya kaagad at agad ng tumungo si Lina. Malakas ang pagmamaneho ni Lina at wala siyang paki basta makauwi lang siya kasi gustong gusto na niyang matulog.

Hindi niya namalayan na may paparating pala na sasakyan. Isang malakas na ilaw ang sumalubong sa kanya. Hindi siya masyadong makakita sa sobrang lakas nito. Papalapit ng papalapit at mas tumitindi pa ang ilaw nito sabay busina na napakalakas. Isa pala itong dambuhalang sasakyan. Pero parang tumigil ang lahat at humihina ang busina sa pandinig ni Lina. Naalala nito ang kanyang ina. Naalala niya ang mga pangaral ng kanyang ina at napaisip na "Tama nga si Ina." At wala na siyang magawa malapit na malapit na talaga sa kanya ang sasakyan hindi na siya makailag. Tugdug tugdug sabay sabi pa ng kanyang dibdib nanigas siya sa kaba at natulala lang siya. Bugsh, lagapak ng malaking sasakyan sa motorsiklo ni Lina. Duguan si Lina pero humihinga pa ito. Inaalala niya ang kanyang ina at hindi naglaon ay nabawian na ito ng hininga. Nang malaman ito ni Lydia agad niyang pinuntahan ang napangyarihan ng aksidente. Nanginig siya sa kilabot. Pero wala siyang nagawa kundi pagmasdan ang bangkay ng kanyang anak.

#21stShortStory

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