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The Palace said it would give Congress a free hand if it wants to
adopt federalism through constitutional change, Deputy Press
Secretary Anthony Golez said.
“Malacañang will let Congress do what it
wants in connection with the Cha-cha [Charter change] and the
federalism issue, and it has been the President’s stand from the
start,” Golez said.
During previous interviews, Press Secretary
Ignacio Bunye said there is no time left for Mrs. Arroyo to tackle
federalism during her term of office, but she will not block any
move from Congress.
Bunye said that the President was able to pursue
reforms for the country’s economy, but failed to fix the
Philippine political system as she initially planned. She now wants
to leave the issue to her successor.
The issue of federalism cropped up when Sen.
Aquilino Pimentel Jr. filed Joint Senate Resolution 10 last April 28
calling for the convening of Congress into a constituent assembly to
revise the Constitution and establish a federal system of
government.
Under his proposal, members of the Senate will
be elected by federal states, while members of the House of
Representatives will continue to be elected by legislative
districts.
The resolution calls for the election of six
senators in each of the 11 component federal states that will be
created. In addition, nine other senators will be elected to
represent the overseas Filipinos, expanding the Senate to 75
members.
Congressmen will be elected by district, but
limited to 350 members.
The resolution was already endorsed by 15
senators including Pimentel. The others are Senate President Manuel
Villar, Majority Floorleader Francis Pangilinan, Senate President
Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, and Senators Edgardo Angara, Rodolfo
Biazon, Pia Cayetano, Juan Ponce Enrile, Francis Escudero, Gregorio
Honasan, Panfilo Lacson, Ramon Revilla Jr., and Juan Miguel Zubiri.
The move was criticized by Sen. Joker Arroyo as
a move to create “11 little fiefdoms and 11 little kings” and
predicted it would fail.
However, House Speaker Prospero Nograles Jr.
lauded the senators’ move because nobody can insinuate that any
Cha-cha is a Palace initiative.
-- Angelo S. Samonte
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