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Thursday, October 20, 2005
Concom debate heats up over federalism bid
The committee on the structure of the republic, under the Citizens’ Consultative Commission (Concom), has recommended a shift to federalism to replace the unitary system of government.
But the motion was carried only after a debate, which lasted almost three hours, between those in favor of federalism and those who opted for the present system.
The committee voted 16 in favor and eight against, with one abstention.
Those who are for the retention of the unitary system were Commissioners Pablo Garcia and Gerardo Espina Sr., among others.
Garcia, in an interview last night, said he is not against federalism per se, but against the proposed way of going about it.
Abolition
The former Cebu governor said he was able to convince the rest that the proposal to just name areas to automatically create states will abolish the provinces and will be against the principle of self-determination.
Also, he said the proposal does not conform to the legal definition, or even history, of federalism, which is supposed to be a getting together of already existing states. “It is a union of states as understood in law.”
Garcia said his fellow commissioners “relented” to his proposal for the creation of autonomous regions instead, and even this would still need to pass a plebiscite.
Members of the Concom are scheduled to go on a nationwide consultation starting on Oct. 24. First stop: Cebu.
Consultation
They will consult the people directly on the proposed shift to federalism and other amendments to the 1987 Constitution.
From Cebu, the commissioners will be divided into three groups and fan out to other parts of the Visayas and Mindanao, before proceeding to Luzon next month.
President Arroyo has made it part of her administration’s agenda to change the form of government, following political turmoil in June spawned by allegations that she cheated to get elected last year.
She asked Congress during her State of the Nation Address to amend the Constitution, as a solution to the political divisiveness in the country.
10-year transition
A shift to federalism will have a transition period of 10 years but there is a need for the holding of a plebiscite in 2006 or early 2007, said Concom chairman Jose V. Abueva.
Abueva, a leading advocate of federalism, also said that under the proposal, federal states will be fully established in 2016 or 2017.
There is also a proposal to extend the term of local officials to five years.
The 49-member Con-com will discuss further the proposed federal structure of government during their plenary session today.
“We have a very heated debate, but as usual the debate was on a higher plane,” said Concom secretary general Lito Monico C. Lorenzana. (Sunnex)/JPM)
(October 20, 2005 issue)
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