By Jelly Musico/PNA
MANILA — Members of the Consultative Committee (ConCom) tasked by President Rodrigo Duterte to review the 1987 Constitution have called on the electorate to vote for candidates who support federalism, if they believe that the new form of government will reduce poverty, corruption and political dynasty in the country.
Atty. Susan Ordinario, one of the 22 members of ConCom who drafted the proposed federal charter, made this call when asked how the people’s desire for change under federalism will get the needed support from Congress.
“Yun pong magagagawa ninyo as citizen, kung ito po ang gusto ninyo, ay iboto po ninyo ang mga tao na nagsusuporta sa federalism. (What you can do as citizen, if this (federalism) is what you want, is vote for people who support federalism),” Ordinario replied to a query during Thursday’s federalism roadshow town hall meeting at the Parañaque City hall.
On the part of ConCom, Ordinario said the panel will continue to help the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in explaining the advantages and benefits that the people will get from federal form of government.
“Bago natin dalhin sa plebiscite, lalakarin na namin ang pagbibigay ng information sa ating mga kababayan. (Before we present it to plebiscite, we will conduct information dissemination to our countrymen),” she said.
Prof. Edmund Tayao, another ConCom member, said people should let their voices heard by members of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
“Sana wag natin pabayaan sila lang magdedesisyon. Kulitin natin mga congressman at higit sa lahat kulitin natin mga senador dahil ayaw nila baguhin yun membership ng Senate. Hindi na kasi sila mananalo kapag ginawang regional. (Let’s not allow them to decide for themselves. Let us put pressure on congressmen particularly senators because they do want to change membership of the Senate because they will not win anymore if it will be made regional),” Tayao said.
Under the proposed federal system, the federal republic will be divided into 18 federated states represented by two senators each, while the House will have one representative from each of 240 legislative districts and additional 160 members from political party-lists.
Tayao noted that federalism itself will not transform the Philippines ‘overnight’ into a progressive country like the United States, but it will solve the overconcentration of powers in Metro Manila and will allow regions to chart their own development programs.
He explained that more money will be brought down to the federated regions to fund their respective programs that would bring prosperity to the people.
Ramon Casiple, executive director of Institute for Political and Electoral Reforms and one of the speakers of federalism roadshow, agreed that the emphasis of federalism is regional development.
Casiple said the overconcentration of powers and economic activities in Metro Manila have created a phenomenon on numbers of informal settlers.
“We cannot blame them because job opportunities are here. Federalism can help on this issue. If different regions are developed, it will create jobs and the tendency is people, even those from Manila, will go to the provinces to look for job,” he explained.
Casiple said the fast development of the regions will also be achieved if the people will elect competent leaders from the level of the regional governor down to the barangay.
“Federalism is not automatic answer. It’s not like that because the quality of the leaders we elect will have an effect,” he said.
Prof. Eddie Alih, a ConCom member from Mindanao, said the time has come to shift the form of government from the Manila-centered unitary to federal system.
“Let’s do it now within the time of President Duterte because we have President who has a political will with genuine populist appeal. We know that despite the attack of the opposition, President Duterte remains popular because he has the support of the people,” he called on leaders of different sectors from southern part of Metro Manila.
The federalism roadshow, held in Parañaque for the last two days, was the first of the two-leg event of the regional information dissemination being conducted by the DILG in partnership with the ConCom and the Philippine Information Agency.
