DILG goes full blast this year on federalism

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Wednesday said it would go full blast this year with its information drive on federalism, as Congress resumes debates on the proposal to change the country’s system of government.

The DILG Task Team on Federalism, headed by Undersecretary Emily Padilla, said it would  hold more lectures, forums, orientations and symposiums in order to increase public understanding and support for federalism nationwide.

“This year, we hope to be able to reach even the remotest towns to explain to them how change will be faster in a federal state,” Padilla said in a statement.

She said her team had also been providing capacity development and training to DILG regional and provincial officials, field officers and representatives of civil society organizations, all of whom would become “champions” of federalism.

Like good soldiers

“We [will] continue to popularize President Duterte’s vision of a federal republic in 2017. Like good soldiers, we [will] keep on making a pitch [for] federalism and comply with the President’s order to increase people’s understanding and elicit their support [for] this proposition,” Padilla said.

According to the DILG, about 32,000 people from different sectors participated in the federalism information drive that started in August last year.

The series of promotional activities were attended by local officials, educators, representatives of religious groups, businessmen and students, among other participants.