The farce of federalism continues to bedevil the nation as belated regional consultations on the “Federal Constitution” are scheduled.

The Consultative Committee which reviewed the 1987 Constitution and unanimously approved the draft of the “Federal Constitution” for submission to the President on or before July 9, 2018 is belatedly holding regional consultations, through the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), on the proposed new charter, like in the Bicol Region in Legazpi City on July 6, 2018.

This patently places the cart before the horse because the approval of the “Federal Charter” by the Consultative Committee is a fait accompli and there is no more time to deliberate on and incorporate regional inputs before the draft of the “Federal Constitution” is submitted to the President in a couple of days.

This consultation is overtly designed to secure, if not coerce, popular anointment of the Consultative Committee’s handiwork which was approved without the benefit of prior extensive local consultations.

The advisory of DILG directs that “all Mayors, Vice Mayors and PCL Presidents are enjoined to attend the said activity. Likewise, all LGUs are enjoined to print and display a sign of their support for the Regional Consultations and the conduct of the Federalism Convention within their respective areas of jurisdiction. Electronic file for the design of the tarpaulins will be sent to all LGUs thru the Cluster Heads and C/MLGOOs. Samples of the tarpaulin are hereto attached for reference.”

Meanwhile, copies of the draft “Federal Constitution” have not been distributed and circulated to enable local officials to formulate their analytical comments even as they are ordered to bring their respective delegations to support the “Federalism Convention.”

Economic data show that only three regions – Metro Manila, Calabarzon (Region IV-A) and Region 3 – are financially capable of becoming viable federal states, and the rest of the regions proposed by the Consultative Committee to constitute the Federal Republic are not fiscally or budgetarily self-reliant or autonomous, including the Bicol Region.

In the latest survey of Social Weather Stations (SWS), it was documented that only 25% of Filipinos are aware of the proposed adoption of the federal system. This confirms the earlier survey of Pulse Asia that 70% of Filipinos have no knowledge or awareness of the federal form of government.

EDCEL C. LAGMAN