OROSA, Gabrielle E.

PCOMM
1-BPS Ms. Susan Butac

IMPERIAL MANILA: THE CAUSE OF MANY OF THE NATION’S PROBLEMS

Imperial Manila—is a defamatory epithet used by sectors of the Philippine society

and non-Manileños to expound on the idea that all affairs of the Philippines, whether in
culture, economy and business, or politics are decided by what goes on in the capital
region, Metro Manila without acknowledging the needs of the rest of the country, mainly
because of urbanite snobbery and a centralized government.

President Rodrigo Duterte got it right when he pronounced that Imperial Manila is
the cause of many of the nation’s problems. Who exactly are the people of Imperial
Manila? Imperial Manila is not the businessmen nor the social elite who operate in the
capital contrary to what many think. It is really those running the affairs of government,
those dictating policies. Our congressmen, senators, cabinet secretaries and political
appointees, along with their entitled next of kin. It is like an unholy brotherhood that
protects its own. Members of the said epithet have an unspoken rule to remain silent
when graft and corruption is committed.

According to President Duterte’s charter change committee, the Philippines has a

“failing democracy” by reason of the current unitary government being “Metro Manila-
centric”. Former Chief Justice Reynato Puno once said in a speech at the Philippine
International Convention Center that “Our government is Metro Manila-centric.
Everything orbits in Manila. The result is a catastrophe. Metro Manila wallows in
prosperity while the other regions sink into poverty.” the statement by (Puno, 2018) just
goes to show that the abusive ways of Imperial Manila have made the gap between the
rich and the poor wider and is also the reason why the country can’t seem to get its act
together and the reason why our institutions are weak, policy-wise. As a solution, the
current administration proposes federalism to help destruct Imperial Manila’s iron-grip
on power.

Certainly, federalism offers many advantages. From devolving powers out of the
capital region, Metro Manila, by reducing tax contributions to the national government to
allowing the federal states to alter-fit their laws according to what is meaningful to them.
Accustoms them from their dependence on Metro Manila and fortifies them to be
responsible fiscally at the same time promoting the specialization of industries based on
they geographic and demographic advantages. Masigan, A. (2019) stated that however,
it will still not rid the political system of dynasties. Under a federal system, the ruling elite
that comprise Imperial Manila will simply reinvent themselves into members of
parliament, ministers, governors and mayors. It will be the same cast of politicians ruling
the country, albeit not physically based in Metro Manila.

Having a federalized government will not guarantee the total destruction of

Imperial Manila. Within the article of Masigan, A. an economist which he wrote in 2019,
what we need is a revolution of personalities, a revolution of leadership, and a
revolution of laws.

A revolution of personalities summons the enactment of the Anti-Dynasty Law.

Where in it is stipulated that elected officials cannot be succeeded by members of his/
her household up to the first degree of affinity, Neither can any several members of a
family may occupy various available positions in the government, simultaneously.
Enacting the law will break the stronghold of power of political’s elite.

A revolution in leadership begins with a vision and a national vision is a

statement that can tell what the nation is to become over a period of time and
leadership is the key if we are to move forward as a nation.

Masigan (2019) stated that “A national vision like that of Malaysia, duly broken
down in measurable matrixes, is what we need. It provides the general direction for the
formulation of national policy, provides concrete targets for government agencies to
aspire for and a rallying point for the private sector. Without vision, we are adrift.” A
genuine leader sets the mood of the nation to the right path, leading with discernment
eyeing towards national reconciliation, social development, and economic development.
The less politics, the better.

A revolution of laws—everything changes over time and we must evolve our laws
and policies in step.

This paper talks about ‘federalism’ as what the government thinks is the solution
and three solutions from the people to end Manila Centrism in PH. We can only move
forward to a brighter future if we take down what’s holding our nation back: political
dynasties. People who are hungry for power. President Duterte is known to be elected
by the biggest margin in history because he was viewed as a reformist and we are
approaching the mid-point of his presidency, and the time has come to deliver on
reforms.
REFERENCES:

Bw_mark. (n.d.). Imperial Manila and the Revolution We Need. Retrieved from https://
www.bworldonline.com/imperial-manila-and-the-revolution-we-need/

Manila–centric. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://news.mb.com.ph/2017/11/13/manila-

centric/

Leonen, J. N. (n.d.). PH a failing democracy as current gov't too 'Metro Manila-centric' -

Puno. Retrieved from https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1006589/ph-a-failing-democracy-as-
current-govt-too-metro-manila-centric-puno