PRESIDENTIAL daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio's anti-federalism stand would not have an impact on the efforts of President Rodrigo Duterte's administration to push for a federal form of government, MalacaƱang said on Monday, April 29.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the Palace respects Duterte-Carpio's opposition to the proposed shift to a federal state.
"You know everyone of us has her or his own ideas on how to solve certain problems. Mayor Sara has her own concept. We respect that," Panelo told Palace reporters in a press briefing.
"Hindi naman kasi sino ba ang magdi-decide niyan kundi ang framers of the Constitution. Hindi naman si Mayor Sara or si Presidente Duterte. It's still the framers of the Constitution that will decide and ultimately, the people of the Philippines," he added, when asked if the presidential daughter's anti-federalism stance could affect the government's push for a federal setup.
(Duterte-Carpio's stance would not affect the government's push for a federal set-up because it's the framers of the Constitution who will decide. It's not Mayor Sara or President Duterte. It's still the framers of the Constitution that will decide and ultimately, the people of the Philippines.)
On April 25, Duterte-Carpio said she was opposed to his father's proposal to form a federal type of government, believing that granting wider political and fiscal autonomy could only worsen situation in the country, especially in Mindanao.
Duterte had formed a consultative committee that crafted a proposed federal charter that wil replace the 1987 Constitution.
Congress, however, has yet to approve the proposed constitutional amendments.
The President has pitched the federal system as a remedy to the inequality problems in the country, saying the new setup would address the country's wealth gaps among the regions.
Following Duterte-Carpio's opposition to federalism, Panelo said the executive branch would just leave the proposal's fate to the Filipino people.
"Depende nga sa taumbayan yan eh kasi (It depends on the public because) there will be a clash on particular concepts. One is espoused by one, espoused by another. Eh di pagpilian natin kung ano ang maganda (Let's see what they think is better)," he said.
"We welcome all other contra-positions and let the people decide," Panelo added. (SunStar Philippines)