By Veronica Pulumbarit, GMA News

A "package of reforms" is needed in order for the Philippines' attempt to shift to federalism to be successful, an international political expert said Wednesday.

In an interview with GMA News Online at the sidelines of the Global Autonomy Governance and Federalism forum, Benedikt Seemann, Country Manager of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Foundation, said a parliamentary federal form of government might work for the Philippines.

"It has to come along with a whole package of reforms and that package must also include a shift to some kind of a parliamentary form of government, electoral reform and the empowerment of civil society," he said.

"If you have the full package around federalism, I think there is a good chance for the Philippines to become a progressive, growing and sustainable country," Seemann added.

Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, a sponsor of the federalism forum, is a global political foundation that conducts research and holds civic education conferences.

There are various types of federal governments, such as federal presidential republic (United States, Brazil, Venezuela); federal parliamentary democracy (Canada); federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy (Belgium); federal parliamentary republic (Austria, Germany, India), among others.

In a federal parliamentary form of government, the Parliament exercises both executive and legislative power. This implies that the power of the Parliament would be a combination of the powers of the government's executive and legislative branches.

Under the current unitary form of government of the Philippines, the executive branch consists of the offices of the President, Vice President as well as the Cabinet and the local government.

On the other hand, the legislative branch includes the two houses of Congress: the Senate and the House of Representatives.

In an earlier interview with GMA News Online, Seemann said it is necessary for the Philippines to study the different models of federalism to find the right fit for the country based on the specific needs of each region.

"Distinct regions have distinct identities — regional culture, languages — and different needs," he said.

Good chance

During Wednesday's interview, Seemann said, "I think the chances for federalism to be passed [in the Philippines] are good."

However, Seemann predicts "it will take way more effort, time, effort, and resources than people would have thought at the beginning of the process but in general the chances are good if everybody, all the political stakeholders stay on board."

Asked on what he considers as the greatest obstacle in shifting to federalism, Seemann said it will be the failure to share deep insights and information about this particular type of government.

"You cannot sell federalism if you don't enlighten the political decision-makers, the public and the academe about it," he said.

"If people don't know about it they will not see the benefits of it and they will not embrace it as a good kind of reform," Seemann added.