DILG task force on constitutional reforms on federal charter still ongoing

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of the Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) Inter-Agency Task Force on Federalism and Constitutional Reform (IATF) has yet to submit the draft constitution as the discussion on the shift to a federal form of government is still ongoing, an official of DILG said Thursday.

“The federal constitutional draft, we are not yet ready [to submit recommendations for federalism] because there are ongoing discussions within the task force created by the President,” DILG Undersecretary and Spokesman Jonathan Malaya said in a speech on DILG forum for 1987 constitution at Sulo Riviera Hotel in Quezon City.

Malaya said that there are some dissenting voices in the DILG task force on some of the provisions in the draft charter.

Asked about concerns of those in the task force, Malaya said there are concerns on cost on the transition to a federal government.

“[Concern] nila is the cost, yun yung ni-raise nila. Magastos yung shift ng federalism na sinasabi namn namin na hindi. Malaking issue sa kanila,” Malaya said.

(They have an issue with the cost. They think the shift to federalism is expensive but for us, it’s not. That is their big issue.)

Last July, President Rodrigo Duterte told reporters that he will leave shift to federalism to the next President./ac