Rodrigo Duterte campaigned for
decentralization and a shift to federal government during the
2016 Philippine presidential election. In an October 2014 forum organized by
Federal Movement for a Better Philippines in
Cebu City prior to joining the presidential race, the then mayor of Davao City called for the creation of two federal states for
Moro people as a solution to the problems besetting
Mindanao. Mayor Duterte said that
Nur Misuari and his
Moro National Liberation Front don't see eye-to-eye with the
Moro Islamic Liberation Front which the administration of President
Benigno Aquino III had inked a peace deal with. He also said that the "template of the
Bangsamoro Basic Law is federal," but what is granted to the Bangsamoro should also be granted to other Moro groups and other regions in the country. In a dialogue with the
Makati Business Club prior to the elections, Duterte said he is open to "toning down the Constitution" in order to accommodate more foreign investors to the Philippines. He also said he is open to up to 70 percent foreign ownership of businesses in the country and foreign lease of lands up to 60 years, but will "leave it to Congress to decide." The current constitution only allows 40 percent ownership for foreigners. By the time Duterte signed Executive Order No. 10 on December 7, 2016, several legislators have filed bills to amend the Constitution, including Senators
Franklin Drilon and
Migz Zubiri who called for a
constitutional convention, and Senators
Ralph Recto and
Richard J. Gordon who asked Congress to amend the restrictive economic provisions in the Constitution. In the
House of Representatives, Deputy Speaker
Gwendolyn Garcia filed a resolution calling both the House and the
Senate to convene as a
constitutional assembly which passed the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments on October 19, 2016. ==Provisions==