De Venecia pushes federalism as ‘final solution’
By Norman Bordadora
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:18:00 04/27/2008
MANILA, Philippines—Saying it was the “final solution” to the problem of Muslim separatism, former Speaker Jose de Venecia has thrown his support behind the Senate initiative for a shift to a federal system of government.
De Venecia, breaking a self-imposed moratorium on the controversial campaign for Charter change, said in a statement yesterday he would file a bill in the House similar to the one filed by Sen. Aquilino Pimentel in the Senate calling for the division of the country into 11 federal states and one federal administrative region.
“Federalism is the antidote to separatism; it is the final solution to the (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) and (Moro National Liberation Front) problem,” De Venecia said.
“Local frustrations and grievances against imperial Manila -- both for its efforts to micro-manage local affairs and for its neglect of the regions -- have flared up in separatist rebellions,” he said.
De Venecia claimed federalism would result in the development of the countryside.
“I believe that federalism will be a safeguard against separatism, because it will protect the identities of our diverse communities and empower them to take their future into their own hands,” De Venecia said.
“Federalism would give local people more control over their resources and their livelihoods, police and children’s schools,” he added.
De Venecia named the United States, Canada, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Spain and Malaysia as some successful models of federalism.
“Federalism is not a cure-all for the country’s complex problems of governance and economic development,” he said. “But I believe it will help us deal with those problems more efficiently, and in ways that local people will support, because they would have a part in making the decisions taken to resolve them.”
Earlier, Speaker Prospero Nograles said the House was ready to debate constitutional changes as long as the amendments would take effect after President Macapagal-Arroyo’s term expired in June 2010.
“We should let the President’s term expire first to avoid suspicion that this is designed to extend her term,” Nograles added.
At the Senate last week, Pimentel spearheaded a Senate resolution seeking to amend the Constitution to adopt the federal system. The resolution was co-sponsored by almost half of the Senate -- Senate President Manny Villar and Senators Edgardo Angara, Pia Cayetano, Juan Ponce Enrile, Francis Escudero, Jinggoy Estrada, Gringo Honasan, Panfilo Lacson, Francis Pangilinan and Ramon Revilla Jr.
The 63-page resolution requires the revision of 14 of the existing 18 Articles of the Constitution and the addition of two new articles.
The proposed 11 states are Northern Luzon, Central Luzon, Bicol, Southern Tagalog, Minparom (Mindoro, Palawan and Romblon), Eastern Visayas, Central Visayas, Western Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Southern Mindanao and the Bangsamoro, with Metro Manila to be made a Federal Administrative Region not unlike Washington, D.C.
The resolution also disperses the seat of power with the executive branch head quartered in Metro Manila, the legislative branch in Central Visayas, and the judiciary in Northern Mindanao.
In terms of allocating the resources of the Republic, Pimentel’s resolution provides for a 70-30 sharing, with the bigger percentage going to the states. The state governments would then share 70 percent of their allocation with the provinces, cities, municipalities and barangays. With a report by Gil Cabacungan Jr.
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