Rock Solid and Federalism

Ihave always said that for a people to be truly civilized, they must learn the value of reading books. It is obvious that a lot of people are very vocal about their positions on political and economic issues; but betray their shallow ignorance when they start explaining their positions. Others simply argue or resort to name calling as a substitute for reasoned debate.

The tragedy is that these people, mostly on social media, do not want to read books. Today, two of the burning issues confronting our people are the West Philippine Sea and the shift to federalism. Here are two books I would highly recommend to those who want to learn about these topics. Both are written in very readable style.

Rock Solid: How the Philippines Won Its Maritime Case Against China by Marites Danguilan Vitug, published by Bughaw 2018 Manila.

Marites Vitug is one of the most accomplished journalists in Asia. She has won numerous awards and has written several bestsellers on current affairs. She is currently editor at large of Rappler. Among the many critics who have praised the book, Yusuke Takagi of the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies wrote:

“Marites Danguilan Vitug, seasoned Filipino journalist has surprised us again with this riveting story of how Filipino policymakers and lawyers came together to put this fight against not just a regional but a global giant over territorial ownership of the rocks in the West Philippine Sea. Readers will appreciate the unpacking of the complex nature of Philippine national interest that stretches from fishery and natural resources to security concerns and the territorial integrity of the nation. Everyone interested in maritime natural resources, energy and environmental issues, maritime security, and geopolitics in the region should read this book before making any judgment.”

The book reminds me of other bestsellers like All the President’s Men – political drama written in a form that reads almost like a novel. The book has 22 chapters divided into four parts: Part One, The Present and the Past; Part Two: Factors That Matter; Part Three, The Main Actors; Part Four, The Case. As an example, Part Three, The Main Actors is divided into the following four chapters: Carpio’s Voyage, Fighting A Bully, Taking China to Court, Reichler’s Cause.

Why did Vitug write the book? She answers that question in her Preface when she wrote:

“The idea for this book came from a stunning event that put the Philippines in the global spotlight. On July 12, 2016, the Philippines won its historic maritime case against China – a date that will be engraved forever in the annals of public international law.

I take a leaf from what a foreign commentator wrote in Foreign Policy soon after July 2016: ‘ Having seized control of the narrative, Manila must hang onto it... the Philippines must...tell its story well and often.’ Here I tell the story of this victory that gave the country so much but was not accorded the attention it deserved. The Philippines gained not only an undisputed vast body of water rich in resources but also something intangible, a sense of national self-esteem.

In writing this book, I was guided by these core questions: Why did the Philippines sue China? What led to this brave decision? What were the hurdles that had to be overcome? How did the Philippines frame the case and build it in such a compelling manner? Who were the main actors? What was the outcome and its impact?”

It was indeed an overwhelming victory. Justice Antonio Carpio explained what the victory meant for the Philippines: “The Philippine EEZ in the South China Sea is about 381,000 square kilometers. The contested area has been reduced to 4,650 square kilometres only. Thus the Philippines has an EEZ of about 376,350 square kilometers in the South China Sea. That is free from any Chinese claim. This maritime area is larger than the total land area of the Philippines of approximately 300,000 square kilometers. All the living and non-living resources in this huge maritime area – fish, oil, gas and other minerals – belong exclusively to the Philippines.”

Marites Vitug has indeed told the story of the victory very well. This is a must read book for anyone who is proud to be a Filipino. The Quest for a Federal Republic: The PDP Laban Model of Philippine Federalism. Edited by Jonathan Malaya, published by the PDP Laban Federalism Institute with the assistance of the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung 2017.

Since it was founded in 1982, PDP Laban has always advocated for a federal form of government. This book is a collection of 14 scholarly articles on the different facets of federalism.

In the foreword, Senator Koko Pimentel explains the rationale for a federal form of government. He also defines the distinction between the powers of the regional and national governments. The other articles are as follows:

Federalism: The Next Logical Step After Devolution by Dr. Alex Brillantes Jr.; Federalism and the Challenges of Politics and Administration in the Philippines by Prof. Edmund S. Tayao; Prospects of Federalism as a Solution to the Mindanao Conflict by Atty. Benedicto Bacani; The Semi-Presidential (Semi-Parliamentary) System as a Preferential Option for the Philippines by Dr. Eduardo Araral Jr.; The Advantages of a Federal-Parliamentary System by Orion Perez Dumdum; Strengthening the Partylist System as a List Proportional Representation Electoral System; by Dr. Julio C. Teehankee; Political and Electoral Reforms: A Necessary Ingredient for the Success of Federalism by Ramon Casiple; The Fiscal Imperatives of Federalism to Ensure Equalization and Sustainable Development by Dr. Romulo Miral; Incremental Federalism: Steps to a Successful to a Federal System by Atty. Alberto Oxales; A Grand Bargain: Supporting Federalism with a Package of Mutually Reinforcing Reforms by Dr. Eduardo Araral; Removing the Restrictive Economic Provisions of the 1987 Constitution by Gary Olivar; Executive Summary: The PDP Laban Model of PH Federalism 1.0 by Jonathan Malaya; The Proposed Amendments to the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines (Proposed Constitution of the Federal? Republic of the Philippines), by the Federalism Study Group.

For those who are for or against or are still neutral about federalism, this collection of scholarly articles is an educational book.

Creative writing classes for kids and teens Young Writers’ Hangout on Sept. 1 and 15 (1:30 pm-3 pm; stand-alone sessions) fiction writing with Sarge Lacuesta on Sept. 22 (1:30-4:30 pm) at Fully Booked BGC. For details and registration, email writethingsph@gmail.com. *** Email: elfrencruz@gmail.com