Wednesday, April 30, 2008 Angara, Kiko defend shift to federalism
SENATORS proposing a shift to federalism yesterday defended their move, saying it is good for local government units.
Sen. Francis Pangilinan said the system is a way “to unleash the powers of the local governments and local communities.”
“This is a proposal that, of course, will be debated on. This is just the first step. Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr. should explain the rationale. With two years, let’s look at it; let’s debate it. Charter change and referendum should be after 2010,” Pangilinan said.
Sen. Edgardo Angara, also a proponent, said a federal system of government is a “good beginning but should not be the end of (our) political exercise.”
Review
“I still believe we’ve got to look at our government structure, which is presidential. I think (this presidential form) contributes to the clogging and staleness that impedes the political maturity of the people and impedes the economic and physical development of the country. Federalism is good because it will empower local people and provinces,” he said.
Angara pointed out that pushing for federalism is just the first step. The next step is to look at the present overall government structure, which is “hierarchical, highly centralized, with all resources controlled by a center.”
Feeling the pulse
House Speaker Prospero Nograles, however, admitted that while he do does know yet the pulse of both houses of Congress, still, they “will try to push (for) it.”
“Personally, I want it. (We are doing) the fine-tuning and when it will be (done). I don’t want to be misunderstood that we wanted to extend the term of the President. That is why I am glad it came from Pimentel so that we will not be accused by the public that we are initiating this,” he said.
He added that he is surprised by the move as there were earlier pronouncements against Charter change.
Nograles said he will meet with the senators, especially with Pimentel, tomorrow “to discuss the final details.” Pimentel told him yesterday morning that 16 senators already signed the resolution.
“We from the Visayas and Mindanao really want federalism. We want to be autonomous from Central Manila because all decisions happen there. But we also have to look at the timing and its bottom line,” he said.
More progress
Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia is among those amenable to a switch to federalism, even as her father and brother have expressed reservations on the proposal.
“I believe that Cebu will stand on its own. It’s very strong, it can very well even progress further with more empowerment as a federal state,” Garcia said in a press conference yesterday.
She is also positive at the prospect of making Toledo City the capital of the planned Central Visayas State.
“This is always in line with my thrust to bring development outside of where the center of development started and has now become quite a congested area,” she said, adding that services suffer when there is too much congestion.
She does understand why Reps. Pablo (Cebu, 2nd district) and Pablo John (Cebu, 3rd district) Garcia are hesitant to the proposal.
Gwendolyn said not all provinces are in the same situation as Cebu.
“That’s why we are called the premiere province in the country…As far as Cebu is concerned, it is the best thing that can happen to us,” said Garcia.
Combine resources
The proposal, however, is not limited to Cebu, as the planned Central Visayas region will comprise the existing provinces under Central Visayas and Masbate.
Gwendolyn believes this is an opportunity for other provinces to consolidate its resources and grow further as a region.
Robert Go, former president of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, for his part, said he is amenable to the proposal, saying that compared with the current system, the proposed federal structure is “even better” for the business climate.
He explained that there is no problem with making Toledo City or any other place in Central Visayas as state capital as long as there is autonomy to allow the business sector to work hand-in-hand with the local government and to address together concerns or proposed changes to move the economy up.
“We have always supported that move towards becoming federal. We have organized many talks about it. Unfortunately, it sizzled down. We hope this time, we could move up, with our trust on the (proposed) federal government,” he said. (NRC/JGA)
