PDP-Laban official: Shift to federalism is gradual
An official of the ruling PDP-Laban yesterday said that if the country's present system of government will shift to a federal form, it will be a "disaggregative" type, where changes in the Constitution will be gradual rather than a onetime process.
"Ang maliwanag dito, kapag ang isang bansa na unitary government katulad ng Pilipinas ay naging federal system of government, hindi naman agad mabibigla 'yan. Ito 'yung tinatawag na 'disaggregative federalism'," said lawyer Raul Lambino, who is vice president for international affairs of President Duterte's PDP-Laban.
In an interview on Super Radyo dzBB of GMA News yesterday, Lambino said: "'Yung iba, akala nila ay para ka lamang gumagawa ng isang probinsya o munisipyo o siyudad na agad-agaran pagka sinabi ng batas na ipinasa ng Kongreso, puwede na agad mabuo o mahati ang isang probinsya... Hindi po ganu'n ang pederalismo."
President Rodrigo Duterte had appointed Lambino as administrator and chief executive officer of the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA).
Moreover, Lambino pointed out that one of the reasons for the step-bystep change will be the distribution of sovereign powers to the proposed states.
"Kasi kapag hinati mo 'yung isang unitary system of government at naging federal, bibigyan mo ng sovereign powers ang mga bubuuing (states). Kaya hindi talaga puwedeng biglaan ang mangyayari na 'pag binago natin 'yung Saligang Batas at binuo natin ang State of Northern Luzon, State of Central Luzon, State of Southern Tagalog o State of Bicol Region... ay agad federal system na tayo."
Earlier this week, Duterte said that Filipinos are not yet ready for a federal type of government, stressing that the "right formula" is needed to solve the Mindanao problem, which stemmed from historical injustice.
On the other hand, Lambino said, the switch to federalism will also require the lengthy process of creating the necessary offices and bureaucracies to govern each separate state.
He cited the examples of the CordilleraAutonomous Region and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao which are still up in the process until now.
According to him, the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) will serve as an "experiment" towards a federal form of government. "Ang gusto nga ng ibang grupo ng mga kapatid nating Muslim, mabigyan ng mas malawak na kapangyarihan 'yung ARMM, kaya natin isinusulong itong BBL."
He called on the Filipino people to support the the BBL as it is an experiment that could show as the way to a federal system of government."