PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is not discounting the possibility that his proposed shift to federal government might be met with opposition, Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence Go said Friday, August 11.

Go said Duterte welcomes public's possible objection to the plan to change the form of government, stressing that the Chief Executive is fully aware that problems might arise “in the long run” as the proposal pushes through.

“Ito pong mga ganitong usapin tungkol sa pederalismo, inaasahan na ito ni Pangulong Duterte. Bukas po ang Pangulo kung ano man ang magiging problema nito in the long run sa mga pagbabago [sa gobyerno], lalung-lalo na sa transition stage,” he said in a radio interview.

(President Duterte expects such issues concerning federalism. The President is open to the problems that might be encountered in the long run when it comes to changes [in the government], especially in the transition stage.)

“It's gonna be a long shot. Hindi po basta-basta ma-approve ito. At aminado po kami na hindi basta-basta (It will not be easily approved. We admit that it will not be easy for us),” Go added.

Go's statement came after some, including Duterte's economic managers, had expressed skepticism about efforts to push for a federal system.

Two of Duterte's economic managers, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III and Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia, on August 8, raised worry that the proposed federal type of government might cause potential financial risks.

Pernia warned that the planned shift to federalism would require the government to splurge public funds.

Dominguez stressed that the country's current investment grade credit rating status “will go to hell” under the proposed federal set-up.

The Constitutional Commission (Con-Com), tasked to amend the 1987 Constitution, has proposed to distribute not less than 50 percent of all national taxes to the 18 federated regions that will be created under the proposed federal government.

Fr. Ranhilio Aquino, a Con-Com member, on August 9 called on the President to sack Dominguez and Pernia over their objections to the propsoed federalism.

But Go said the Duterte government was focused more on raising public awareness of the proposed federalism.

He said it would be best for the Filipino people to understand why the current administration is seeking a federal system.

“Matagal na kaming umikot ng Pangulo about sa federalism. [Simula] 2015 pa hanggang 2016. At alam naman natin na ang pinaka-importante rito ay paano natin paipapaintindi sa mga tao [at] sa bayan, kung ano itong pederalismo,” he said.

(We have long been visiting so many places to promote federalism. We have been doing that since 2015 to 2016. And we all know that the most important is how the people and our countrymen understand the proposal to establish federalism.)

“'Yung Pangulo po, pinaka-importanteng makapag-kampanya tungkol sa pederalismo ay pagpapa-intindi kasi karamihan po hindi interesadong makinig about federalism. So dapat muna nating ipaintindi sa tao,” he added.

(For the President, the most important thing in the campaign for federalism is to let the public understand it because many are not interested to listen about federalism. So the public should understand what it is.) (SunStar Philippines)