DAVAO ORIENTAL – Advocating for a “genuine change” in government, an information and advocacy campaign on Federalism has recently been held here.
Spearheaded by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Forum on Federalism held on May 9 at the Honey’s Hotel in the City of Mati was participated by municipal and city mayors, chief of police, information officers and Municipal Local Government Operations Officers of the DILG, the academe, and representative from other agencies.
During the forum, speakers from the DILG regional office headed by Regional Director Alex Roldan discussed the benefits of shifting from a unitary to a federal form of government – an agenda strongly pushed by the Duterte administration.
In a nutshell, said RD Roldan, “Federalism is from the perspective of the local government units,” saying this kind of government answers the LGU’s angst on a “too centralized” kind of government.
During his lecture on federalism, RD Roldan said that a federal government, which is adopted by many countries around the world, is a system that is considered more responsive than a unitary government. He said the federal government addresses the need to promote balanced powers between the national and local governments.
Among federalism’s salient features discussed during the lecture are: broadening participative democracy; bringing government closer to the people at the grassroots; addressing particular situations and needs of the regions and local areas; restricting political dynasties; developing good governance and strengthening the political party system; and providing political environment for the people, especially in the peripheries, to enable them to rise from poverty and powerlessness; and building a strong, democratic and progressive nation.
The DILG, who is tasked by the President to undertake a nationwide information campaign on Federalism, has initiated the One Nation, One Government: Transition to Federalism Project that aims to increase public awareness on Federalism in order to push for the President’s agenda.
Through the forum, the agency hopes to make the participants advocates of federalism who will help increase public awareness on the benefits of this type of government.
