NAGA CITY, June 21 — Federalism will be the main topic of discussions in the national executive committee meeting of the Vice Mayors’ League of the Philippines (VMLP) which is being attended by around 700 vice mayors across the country, an official said Wednesday.
The three-day meeting, which started today at Villa Caceres Hotel in this city, features lectures on “Parliamentary Rules for Presiding Officers” and “Federalism 101: Development of a Philippine Model.”
Calabanga Vice Mayor Ramoncito R. Robles, Bicol president of VMLP, said lecturers from the University of the Philippines will explain to the vice mayors the pros and cons of federalism as a form of government.
“The lectures will also tackle the parliamentary procedures required from vice mayors as presiding officers of the local councils,” he said.
Robles said the University of the Philippines has entered into contract with VMLP to give the vice mayors a crash course on their work as the presiding officers of the local legislative bodies.
Robles said among those expected to arrive for the meeting are presidential son Paolo Duterte, vice mayor of Davao City; Sumisip Vice Mayor Jul Adnan Hataman, son of Gov. Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao; and San Juan City Vice Mayor Janella Ejercito Estrada, daughter of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada.
He said the attending vice mayors will be treated with city tour on the first day and a governor’s night hosted by Camarines Sur Governor Miguel Luis Villafuerte.
Robles said the affair of the VMLP has benefited seven hotels here where the delegates are being billeted.
The event is the second quarter meeting of the national executive committee of VMLP for this year. (PNA)