An Assessment of the Fiscal Features of the PDP Laban Model of Philippine Federalism 1.0 and the Gonzales-De Vera Federal Model

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The paper highlights the importance of the design of the fiscal features of the federal system of government in ensuring that potential benefits from its adoption are realized. This economic literature on fiscal federalism posits a framework that delineates the potential benefits ensuing from the adopting a federal system of government and expounds on the principles that can guide the design of the elements of the fiscal architecture to achieve the benefits. This paper also presents an approach on how to assess the design of the fiscal aspects of alternative federal models and illustrates its application in evaluating the PDP Laban Model of Philippine Federalism 1.0 and the Gonzales-De Vera model. The approach of the assessment involves benchmarking of the relevant provisions of these two models against the guiding principles emanating from the fiscal federalism. The assessment also considered current practices through a review of the constitutions of various federal countries.