[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’Rody’s Finance chief wary of proposed shift to federalism’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”][/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
January 26, 2018
[/av_textblock]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte fully supports the shift to federalism, but his Finance Secretary has expressed his reservations about the proposed federal charter.
Under the federalism proposal, the Philippines will be divided into regions which will have autonomy over the taxes they collect, reports GMA News’ “24 Oras”.
This, said secretary Carlos Dominguez III, would be “very challenging” for the national government.
“Let’s just say it will be challenging, very challenging, because the tendency is for the different federal states to retain as much revenue as they can and leave us, the national government, with as much expenses as [they] can get away with,” he said.
“So there is a potential for it to become a nightmare.”
Incoming Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) president Ramoncito Fernandez, for his part, said the business group is yet to release its official position on the proposed shift to federalism.
The MAP chief said the business community so far supports amendments to the Constitution that will lift strict provisions on foreign investment.
“It’s about time that we change the restrictive economic provisions to allow the country to accept more foreign equity, especially in the under-capitalized sectors of the industry and generate new employment and also promote greater innovations,” Fernandez said.
The business sector also wants the Senate and House of Representatives to have separate voting on amending the Constitution.
The upper and lower chambers of Congress are in dispute over how the Philippine Constitution should be amended, with Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez saying that the House could by itself achieve 3/4 of the vote needed among members of Congress to amend the Constitution and submit a federal charter for a plebiscite in line with the barangay elections in May.
Under the Article VI, Section 1 of the 1987 Constitution, the legislative power shall be vested in the Congress of the Philippines, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives, except to the extent reserved to the people by the provision on initiative and referendum.
“Kapag sinabi ng ating Saligang Batas na Congress, iyan po ay kasama ang Senado, kaya hindi pwedeng House of Representatives lang. Kung ang pagpalit ng pangalang ng kalsada ay kailangan ang approval ng Sendao lalo siguro kung papalitan ang Constitution,” Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said.
Even Alvarez’s partymate and PDP-Laban founder, former Senate President Nene Pimentel, said the House Speaker should be reminded of Congress’ composition.
“Basahin niya uli ang Konstitusyon. That is not what is envisioned in the Constitution. When you talk about the Constitution being revised by three-fourths of Congress, that mean two houses, not just the House of Representatives,” Pimentel said.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson, likewise, said the lower house cannot disregard the Senate as its plans to fast-track the shift to federalism will only fail.
“Di kami kami pwede i-disregard at itsapwera for the simple reason na nag-e-entail ng budgetary appropriation ‘pag nagkaroon ng plebisito so hindi naman sila makakapasa ng budget kung wala ring participation ng Senado, paano aabot sa plebiscite?” Lacson said. (GMA News)
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
