Pro-federalism groups launched in Cebu
In an unprecedented move of the various leaders of the different groups, community leaders, local government officials and national government agencies, the National Alliance of Movements for Federalism Inc. (NAMFed) was formed and launched together with its regional and provincial member groups last December 9 at the Marriott Hotel in Cebu City.
A joint oath-taking was also administered by former Cordova, Cebu mayor and now Presidential Adviser on Legislative Affairs Sec. Adelino Sitoy for the officers of the alliances led by NAMFed president MMDA Chairman Sec. Danilo Lim.
Lim, in his speech, said “it is an exciting time to be a Filipino because of the present administration’s commitment in improving the lives of the Filipinos. If federalism is the way to achieve this, our task is to make it possible. Our mission is to provide step by step assistance until this becomes a reality for our country and its people.”
For his part, Sec. Sitoy, being a historian and an expert of the issue, said federalism is a form of government where sovereignty is constitutionally shared between a central governing authority and constituent political units called states or region.
President Rodrigo Duterte has committed to a shift to a federal form of government to address poverty and underdevelopment especially in the regions, to end the decades-old Muslim separatist insurgency in Mindanao, and to cure the graft and corrupt practices.
Tuburan Mayor Democrito Aljun Diamante, the League of Municipalities of the Philippines-Cebu president and LMP vicepresident for the Visayas, said “in response to the government’s drive to advance federalism as one of its centerpiece program, NAMFed and other regional alliances was formed to be able to consolidate various groups and individuals and spearhead the promotion and advocacy of federalism as the answer to the people’s long cherished dream of progress and development in a peaceful and secured society.”
Diamante is also the executive vice president of NAMFed and president of the Visayas Alliance of Federal Movements Inc.
Other national leaders also committed to help in the formation of chapters nationwide with the assistance of their agencies. Education Usec. Alain Pascua and Asec. Revsee Escobedo committed to provide the core values similar to what they been inculcating in the youth and students in the academe.
Presidential Legislative Liaison Office Usec. Ryan Estevez said the office’s role is to educate the people on the advantages of a federal government.
Asec. Abad Santos of the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), on the other hand, echoed the support of about 14 million members of the 26,000 registered cooperatives nationwide. He said “there is only one family name of these groups, its cooperative, so federalism is cooperative and cooperative is federalism.”
Bohol Vice Governor Dionisio Balite, NAMFed treasurer, recalled that they were denied of equal opportunity and assistance from the national government because of lack of “connections” when he was the mayor of Valencia in 1971.
But with federalism, he said, the LGUs will be at the liberty to manage their own resources and decisions, saying, “federalism, federalism, federalism is the call of the time.”
The launching was spearheaded by LMPCebu with the theme “Federalismo, tunay na daan sa Pagbabago.” It was attended by officers of Cebuano Movement for Federalism—Cordova Mayor Therese Cho (president), Dalaguete Mayor Ronald Allan Cesante (vice president), Sogod Mayor Lissa Marie Durano-Streegan (secretary general), and former Naga City mayor Valdemar Chiong (treasurer).
PR