President Ferdinand Marcos gives a speech on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, at the 126th anniversary celebration of the Philippine Army in its headquarters in Taguig. Beside him (right) is Carlito Galvez Jr., the OIC of the Department of National Defense. (Photo from the Facebook page of the Presidential Communications Office)
MANILA, Philippines — The devolution of more functions to local governments is not equivalent to charter change, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said on Wednesday.
“The charter change efforts are directed at the economic provisions of the Constitution, as far as I understand. And so that’s what that is about,” Marcos said in an ambush interview in an ambush interview at the Philippine Army headquarters in Taguig after ceremonies marking its 126th anniversary.
Marcos had been asked if Executive Order No. 138 — signed by his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte in 2021 — could be taken as an alternative to charter change.
“No,” he said. “The reason given by the proponents in the House and those in the Senate is that they need to be changed because these conditions have changed, and for us to take full advantage of the new economy, we have to amend the Constitution. So that’s not the same thing.”
EO 138 provides for the full devolution of certain functions of the executive branch — including implementation of local infrastructure projects — to local governments.
Duterte issued the order in line with the Mandanas-Garcia ruling of the Supreme Court, which gives local governments a 40% share in the total collection of national taxes.
Marcos previously said he was “very seriously” reviewing the EO. He said it “looks okay” on paper but will cause a decrease in funds to the local government executives.
The 19th Congress is now working towards amending the economic provisions of the Constitution.
