Federalism summit slated Feb. 7-8 at the Manila Hotel

A summit on federalism will be held on February 7-8 at the Manila Hotel where experts and advocates will share their views and expertise in a bid to educate the public on its advantages in the local setting.

Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año will be the keynote speaker during the two-day event at the Rigodon Hall, Fiesta Pavilion.

The summit aims to discuss strategies and related matters in the Duterte government’s strong campaign to promote the country’s shift to a federal form of government.

With the DILG at the helm, federalism has gained the support of the 1,489-strong League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) as its members believe that federalism will help local chief executives (LCEs) develop their own areas and offer support to the government’s campaign for a federal shift.

“Bilang presidente ng LMP, sinusuportahan ko ang pederalismo… Lahat ng mga punongbayan sa Pilipinas ay sumusuporta sa pederalismo. Maganda kasi ang programa. Magiging equal share na so gaganda na ang aming mga lugar (As LMP president I support federalism. All of the municipal and city mayors in the Philippines also support federalism. The program is commendable. There will be equal sharing (of resources) that will be good for our turfs),’’ said LMP president Mayor Ma. Fe “Bubut” Brondial.

The DILG said the birth of the InterAgency Task Force (IATF) on Federalism and Constitutional Reform signals President Rodrigo Duterte’s full commitment to federalism.

“As the head agency tasked by President Duterte to advocate for federalism, we are happy with the creation of the interagency task force. This is clear evidence that the President is true to his promise for lasting change in the country,” said Año.

Año said the DILG expects public support for federalism to skyrocket by the end of 2018 with the formation of the IATF.

On October 31, 2018, Malacañang issued Memorandum Circular No. 52 signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea creating the IATF to spread public awareness on federalism.

With the DILG as head and the Department of Justice (DOJ) as vice chair, the IATF is comprised of the Office of the Cabinet Secretary, Presidential Management Staff (PMS), Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), Office of the Presidential Spokesperson, Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO), Office of the Political Adviser, Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP), and the University of the Philippines (UP) Law Center.

The IATF is also tasked to liaise with Congress to remove all roadblocks that hamper constitutional reform.

According to DILG Assistant Secretary Jonathan E. Malaya, the IATF will bolster public awareness on federalism.

“We need all of government aboard this advocacy in order to properly and effectively disseminate factual information on federalism. And as the chair of the IATF, the DILG will continue to uphold and further raise the banner for federalism in its advocacy to shift from a unitary form of government to a federal setup,” said Malaya.