1. Common cultural heritage and values, fiscal viability, and political capability and culpability shall be taken into consideration in the creation of a state and inclusion to the federal republic.

2. Each state shall enjoy the authority and autonomy that will enable it to perform its functions efficiently and effectively, to attain its full potential as a self-reliant community, and to collaborate with other federal states and the nation as a whole in achieving common goals for the mutual benefit of every Filipino.

3. The State Governor and Deputy-Governors

3.1. Each state shall be headed by a Governor duly elected by the people. His extent of power, duties and responsibilities, and terms of office shall be specified by the state charter or this Constitution.

3.2. When a state is composed of provinces (lalawigan), Deputy-Governors (Gobernadorcillos) for each province shall also be elected. The extent of power, duties and responsibilities, and term of office of each deputy-governor shall also be specified by the state charter or this Constitution.

By creating a federal republic, there is the problem of increasing the bureaucracy. This Constitution tries to limit that. Note the absence of a “vice-governor.” There will be other instances of this as you read on.

3.3. As a rule of succession, otherwise defined by the state charter, in case of death, permanent disability, removal from office or resignation of the Governor, the Deputy-Governors shall elect among themselves a successor to the office of the Governor to serve the remaining term of office while concurrently holding office as a deputy-governor of their province.

What about those which are not region-states? As the Constitution said, the state charter shall otherwise define the rule of succession. For province-states for example, the Deputy-Governor (vice-governor) may step up.

4. The Sanguniang-Pangkalahatan

4.1. Each state shall have a State House of Representatives (Sanguniang-Pangkalahatan) duly elected by the people, and whose composition, hierarchical organization, extent of power, duties and responsibilities, and terms of office shall be specified by the state charter or this Constitution.

Note that this Constitution does not clearly identify the duties and responsibilities of the Sanguniang-Pangkalahatan, as this Constitution gives the authors of each state charter free reign whether to adopt a parliamentary type of state or to have an executive department to be headed by the Governor. This is in line with the Bangsa Moro State, if they plan to institute a titular head.

4.2. The Sanguniang-Pangkalahatan of each state may be called upon by this Constitution to convene as the Kataas-taasang Kapulungan ng Bayan (National Assembly) to execute Constitutional provisions.

This provision will be explained later, but as a preview, this is in line when the Parliament is abolished or when the President is up for impeachment.

5. The Kinatawang-Pangkalahatan and the Parliament

5.1. Upon the recommendation of the Governor, the Sanguniang-Pangkalahatan shall elect among its members representatives (Kinatawang-Pangkalahatan), whose number shall be specified by the Electoral University based on principles of proportional representation, to the national Parliament.

The Philippine Parliament is composed of different forms of members or Kinatawan, one of which is Kinatawang-Pangkalahatan. See the Article on the Parliament.

5.2. Removal of the Kinatawang-Pangkalahatan from the Parliament or dissolution of Parliament will not affect his seat as duly elected member to the Sanguniang-Pangkalahatan.