Ozamiznons’ Level of Awareness of the Philippine Government’s Proposed Move to Federalism

The Philippines’ unitary form of government has been counterproductive, with development primarily concentrated in Imperial Manila, the capital. This situation arises from the country’s geographical subdivisions. During President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration, he promised a shift in the government system, leading to a stronger push for federalism, which gained support from various sectors across the nation. While numerous studies have been conducted on constitutional changes and the shift to a federal government, none have specifically examined the level of awareness among Ozamisnons regarding the proposed shift to federalism. This study aims to determine the level of awareness of Ozamisnons concerning the Philippine government’s proposed shift to federalism. A descriptive quantitative research design and survey method were employed, focusing on residents of Barangay Carmen Annex and Lam-an. The respondents were chosen to represent the entire population of Ozamiz City, specifically individuals aged 18 and above who can read and write. The statistical methods used for data analysis included counts and percentages, mean, standard deviation, t-test, and ANOVA. The findings reveal a significant gap in awareness among Ozamisnons regarding the proposed shift to federalism, despite their general support for the initiative. This highlights the need for the Philippine government to provide more comprehensive information to educate the public about aspects of federalism that have yet to be disseminated. Overall, this study contributes to the government’s efforts to enhance public understanding of federalism.