THE Consultative Committee’s draft constitution for “Power to the People: Bayanihan Federalism, Power to the Regions” was elaborated by one woman and 21 men chaired by former chief justice Reynato Puno. They all were appointed by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.
The proposal has a preamble and 22 articles with 377 sections, many of which are subdivided into numerous subsections. The official edition has 119 pages; a shorter version without the summary has 69 pages. Both are available in the internet.
Special Assistant to the President Christopher Go stressed the need to educate people on the federal system of government. Within three hours in an evening forum, only the surface can be scratched. Even in a well prepared weekend seminar, the unprepared and unread attendants will be overtaxed with the huge mass of information.
But how can people get motivated to study that important work? Whenever the topic comes up in the internet, there are zero comments.
I do not expect that pandays and kasambahays take a stand on the highly complicated matter. But the numerous erudite professionals equally refrain from divulging their contribution to the discussion. Are Pinoys so indifferent to policy?
I needed one day to read through and another three days to work through the draft taking annotations and establishing a detailed summary. I did so because, as a German, I know the advantages of federalism over the unitary system and I would like to see my host country prosper under this admittedly more sublime form of democracy.
But how many Filipinos would even consider printing out the work for study? Filipinos must educate themselves, not wait for being educated by people whose only target is to push through their agenda.
Many columnists are prejudiced or downright hostile to the idea of splitting up the nation into 18 regions. Some politicians willfully launch fake news against charter change.
There is the prospect that Congress will reject the democratic provisions that contradict their interests. Senators even balk at convening as a Constituent Assembly with the House of Representatives. Prospects are really bleak for federalization.
Consequently, the education campaigns will resemble more to indoctrination and manipulation than to information. If ever it comes to a plebiscite by the sovereign people of the Philippines and the majority sanctions the Congress-proposed version, then they will subjugate and enslave themselves for a long time.
Because of one point that is now expressed in Article VII, Section 5 (b) and (c) which prescribes: 60 percent of the members of the House of Representatives shall be elected by plurality vote in the legislative electoral districts. The remaining 40 percent shall be voted nationwide through a system of proportional representation.
Very revealing: The millionaires keep a large majority over the representatives of the common people in the party lists. That is the guaranty for permanent poverty in this basically rich archipelago.