Regions

With some 7641 islands inhabited by 175 ethnolinguistic groups, the Philippines is one of the most diverse and geographically fragmented countries on earth. The modern Philippines has thus long been faced with the challenge of uniting these multiple groups within a single nation, while also allowing local and regional communities to prosper. The year ahead will likely see the latest chapter in this process begin with a major push towards the creation of a federal state. This, advocates hope, will help address issues of uneven development between the regions, ushering in a new era of investment and enterprise in some previously neglected areas. This chapter contains a roundtable with Mauricio Domogan, Mayor, Baguio City; Oscar S Moreno, Mayor, Cagayan de Oro; and Sara Duterte-Carpio, Mayor, Davao City.