Advocates are pushing for a shift to a “uniquely Filipino” federal system of government considering all conditions in Philippine society.
This was bared by Senate President Aquilino Martin “Koko” Pimentel III when he keynoted yesterday (Saturday) in the Centrist Democratic Party of the Philippines’ Eighth National Congress.
The Senate president said he was elated another political party (CDP) is pushing the shift to federalism aside from the current party he leads, the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).
“The PDP-Laban was the only party advocating for federalism until the birth and arrival of CDP. We firmly support federalism and are firmly embedded in the grassroots and are aware of the neglect of the peripheries in favor of the center,” he said. Adding “we are kindred spirits in a struggle for change—change which will fix the country and put an end to the age old problems of the Philippine society.”
Pimentel hopes to have a discussion with CDP in unifying the parties’ Federalism models.
Senator Koko presented PDP-Laban’s model of Federalism saying that the Philippine society has two faces—the face of progress, economic development and peace and order, and the face of poverty, conflict and having been left behind.
He said that the two faces are existing because the economic development have been lopsided in favor of the areas closest to the capital since these areas are also the center of power.
“If we do not change structures, the rich regions only become richer and poor regions become poorer because the capital infrastructures are only concentrated on the rich regions. These regions are the ones that can best take advantage of the economic growth the Philippines has projected to enjoy in the years to come if we do not implement change.”
According to Pimentel, federalism will erase the growing inequality in the income and resources and the opportunities that divide the Philippine Society. Pathways and institutions to the “neglected areas” should be built to catch up with the more affluent ones.
“Federalism provides a system wherein national unity is maintained and at the same time, protecting the diversity of the Philippine society,” said Senator Pimentel.
Senator Koko said that Federalism hopes to achieve the following 1) involvement of the regions in national decision-making 2) acceleration of economic development of the regions 3) achievement of peace in Mindanao and 4) allowing the preservation of the language of the different ethno-linguistic groups of the country.
But then, all these plans will not be realized if the Filipinos would not act as a nation, according to Pimentel.
“The bible says, a society without a vision shall perish. Fortunately, PDP-Laban has a vision for the society. So it is true all of these changes, especially through Federalism that we hope to achieve a Philippine society that is just and fair, which is peaceful and democratic.”
Federalism, a government that President Duterte has been campaigning for, will have two constitutionally established governments, the federal and state or regional governments, which means a change in the current executive and legislative setups of.
In PDP-Laban’s federal government model, a president will be elected and would function as the head of state. The president will be the only elected public official and would take charge of the national defense and foreign affairs of the country. A prime minister will be selected to be the one to run the government, and take care of domestic and economic matters.
PDP-Laban has been campaigning for Federalism since its establishment in 1982, under its founding leader, Aquilino Pimentel Jr.
