FORT DEL PILAR, Baguio City — About 500 cadets of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) and dozens of senior officials and professors of the Academy attended the Regional Consultation on Federalism held at the Lopez Heroes Hall here on Monday.
Consultative Committee (ConCom) member Ferdinand Bocobo led the consultation with the PMA, along with other ConCom members, Professor Eddie Alih, Dr. Virgilio Bautista, and lawyers Jose Martin Loon and Susan Ubalde-Ordinario.
Bocobo, an alumni of the Academy, opened the consultation, which started late in the afternoon, by presenting the overview of the consultation, covering the political, economic, and social reforms embodied in a draft Constitution that the committee intends to hand to President Rodrigo Duterte in early July, before he delivers his third State of the Nation Address (SONA).
Cadet First Class Kenny Dacuba broke the ice in the open forum, asking members of the ConCom whether the national government and federated regions will be sustained once the country shifts to a federal form of government.
Each of the ConCom members explained that in a federal form of government, local government units will have more powers.
They said the “economic disparity” among the regions under the present form of government would be eliminated under federalism.
The commissioners said federated regions would be given more share in the “wealth” of the nation, and more powers to manage such wealth.
Captain Noah Hernandez, member of the Academy’s Corps of Professor, suggested that a provision on the obligation and duties of citizens should also be included in the draft Constitution.
The duties, which were not specifically stated in the 1987 Constitution, Hernandez opined, must be included in the new Consitution. These, he said, include loyalty to the flag, upholding the Constitution, and obeying the laws.
The ConCom was on a two-day public consultation activity in Baguio City to get the insights of the residents of Cordillera on federalism.
Brigadier General Jose Faustino, Commandant of Cadets, and Colonel Claro Unson, Deputy Dean of Academics, and Lt. Col Reynaldo Balido, the Academy Spokesperson, led the other PMA officials who attended the consultation.
Cadet First Class John Leden Tubongbanau, Brigade Commander, led the members of the Cadet Corps of the Armed Forces of the Philippine (CCAFP) during the consultation. (Primo Agatep/PNA)
