A federal system of government?

SENATOR Koko Pimentel who is president of PDP-Laban which is currently chaired by President-elect Duterte says the party is now seeking coalition with other political parties as it prepares for some structural changes such as constitutional change towards a federal form of government. The party has also come up with some legislative priorities to which Congress has responded saying it supports the agenda. Koko has nominated former Transportation Secretary Pantaleon Alvarez for the House speakership, and a search committee which would select nominees for the cabinet has been appointed. Several names, some of them trusted friends and colleagues of the president-elect, include former AFP chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon Jr., Carlos Dominguez III, former press secretary Jess Dureza, and Senator Alan Peter Cayetano.

The original Partido Demokratiko was founded in 1982 by Koko’s father, the former senator Nene Pimentel together with a group of protesters against President Marcos’ authoritarian government. It evolved into PDP-Laban in 1983 when it formed a coalition with Lakas ng Bayan headed by Senator Benigno Aquino Jr. President Cory ran as president under the UNIDO party of Vice President Laurel which forged a coalition with the PDP-Laban.

PDP-Laban has a well-defined ideology based on these principles: freedom, solidarity, justice, self-reliance, enlightened nationalism, and the federal system of government. For sometime, Senator Nene Pimentel and Vice President Jojo Binay jointly steered the party to keep it alive. In 1992, a “brief marriage” between PDP-Laban and the Liberal Party was forged when Nene Pimentel ran for vice president with Senator Jovito Salonga as standard bearer.

With the continuing expression of support from various sectors – Malacañang, presidential contenders Secretary Roxas and Senator Poe who conceded defeat, the United States, the European Union, China (which has expressed interest in strengthening bilateral relations) among the first countries, the Makati Business Club, the Church, among several others, President-elect Duterte and his team can now move on. There has been a positive response from the market — stock and foreign exchange, and even with a bit of uncertainty, foreign investment.

This is perhaps a good time to reflect on our current economic thrusts by focusing on how we can further strengthen our domestic market by increasing local demand for goods and services which can happen only with increased consumer purchasing power. Again, this concern shared by many goes back to what has plagued the country for decades now — low productivity, lack of access to land, capital, and skills — the critical resources that could reduce the current income inequality.

Thus far, we like what we have heard about some of the changes that we can expect in the days ahead. For starters, curfew for minors after 10 p.m., liquor ban for minors, and approval of the FOI through an executive order as soon as the presidentelect is proclaimed. For us who had been lobbying for this bill that could radically transform governance through improved transparency and accountability, as well as provide our people, especially the marginalized, access to information, this is great news indeed. The women’s sector, through the Philippine Commission for Women has come out with a comprehensive Wish List for the Duterte administration. What we are hearing now is that the people who have spoken because of their desire for change, would now like to know how they can be involved in the future governance of this country. Meantime, transition teams from both Malacañang and the Duterte camp have been formed to ensure a smooth transfer of power.