Federalism Debate
IN PURSUIT OF A PROMISE Ball in the hands of Congress
REINTEGRATION and empowerment of local government units are the “buzzwords” of the proponents of federalism in convincing Congress to pass a measure amending the 1987 Constitution to shift to a federal system of government.
Federalism is one of the pillars of the campaign promise of President Rodrigo Duterte, to empower the regions outside Metro Manila as well as avoid the further fragmentation of provinces and towns to suit the interests of some groups or political clans.
The President issued on Dec. 7, 2016 Executive Order 10 creating a Consultative Committee ( ConCom) to revise the 1987 Constitution and draft a new Charter to shift to federalism. The 22- member ConCom was headed by retired Justice Reynato Puno with the following as members: former Senator Aquilino Pimentel, Jr., retired Justices Antonio Eduardo Nachura and Bienvenido Reyes, Dean Julio Teehankee, Arthur Aguilar, Prof. Eddie Alih, Fr. Ranhilio Aquino, Virgilio Bautista, Rex Robles, Prof. Edmund Tayao; and lawyers Antonio Arellano, Ali Pangalian Balindong, Ferdinand Bocobo, Reuben Canoy, Roan Libarios, Jose Martin Loon, Susan Ubalde-Ordinario, Randolf Parcasio, Rodolfo Robles, Victor de la Serna, and Laurence Wacmang.
On July 9, the President received the draft Federal Constitution in a report titled “Power to the People: Bayanihan Federalism, Power to the Regions.” The Senate received the same document on the same day.
The draft charter contains 22 articles, namely, National Territory ( Article 1); Declaration of Principles and State Policies (Article 2); Bill of Rights (Article 3); Citizenship (Article 4); Suffrage and Political Parties (Article 5); People’s Initiative, Plebiscite, and Referendum (Article 6); Legislative Department (Article 7); Executive Department (Article 8); Judicial Department (Article 9); Constitutional Commission (Article 10); Federated Regions, the Bangsamoro, and the Federated Region of the Cordilleras (Article 11); Distribution of Powers of the Government (Article 12), Fiscal Powers and Financial Administration (Article 13); Accountability of Public Officers (Article 14); National Economy and Patrimony (Article 15); Social Justice (Article 16); Education, Science and Technology, Arts, Culture, and Sports (Article 17); The Family (Article 18); National Security and Public Order (Article 19); General Provisions (Article 20); Amendments or Revision (Article 21); and Transitory Provisions (Article 22).
In his third SONA, or State of the Nation Address, on July 23, the President said, “Four administrations before me have all tried to amend the Constitution to be able to introduce amendments and revisions to the charter. But none of them was successfully done for one reason or another.”
“I, therefore, consider it a distinct honor and privilege to have received earlier from the Consultative Committee that I created, the draft Federal Constitution that will truly embody the ideals and aspirations of all the Filipino people.
people will stand behind us as we introduce this new fundamental law that will not only strengthen our democratic institutions, but will also create an environment where every Filipino—regardless of social status, religion, or ideology—will have an equal opportunity to grow and create a future that he or she can proudly bequeath to the succeeding generations.”
In a survey conducted by Pulse Asia, in March 2018, 66 percent of the respondents said they did not want charter change to shift to federalism.
The ConCom tasked to review
that public perception on amending the charter will change once the proposed federal charter is presented to them.
Federalism in PH
Puno, former chairman of ConCom tasked to revise the 1987