Cha-cha: Rody allies want longer term for local execs

AGOO, La Union , Philippines  – President Duterte’s partymates are seeking a longer term for governors, mayors and other local elective officials, from three years to five years with one reelection, under their proposed amendments to the Constitution.

Jonathan Malaya, executive director of the PDP-Laban Federalism Institute, told The STAR here that all the amendments proposed by the administration party PDP-Laban were submitted on Wednesday to the House committee on constitutional amendments for deliberation.

Malaya said the term extension for local officials was only one of the provisions in their proposed shift to a federal form of government.

“The PDP-Laban’s form of federalism (entails) the creation of two chambers of government which seeks to empower local governments and equalization of funds. This is a system of bringing government services closer to the people,” Malaya said.

Malaya said they were seeking a longer term for local officials because “three years (is) so short and there’s so much fund needed in election.”

“The election has become a business affair. Our proposal is five years because we think that’s already enough and if it becomes two terms, that’s already 10 years,” Malaya said.

He also said their proposed federal government seeks to create 11 regional states and it was patterned after the proposal of former senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr.

Malaya, who lectured barangay officials here about the proposed federalism, said they expect the committee to tackle the proposal so that by January next year, Congress can convene into a constituent assembly to deliberate on the matter until December.

“Hopefully the plebiscite will be held by 2019 or 2020,” he said.

Malaya said the series of consultations on federalism has received overwhelming support in Mindanao and the Visayas while some issues are being discussed in the Luzon area.

La Union Gov. Francisco Emanuelle Ortega III said he fully supports Duterte in changing the form of government into federalism because this will pave the way for progress in the provinces and in the whole country.

“This will fullfill our desire for real change. We need to move forward through the next step to improve the economy, especially at the local level to help our constituents,” Ortega, who attended the consultation held at the Eriguel gym here, said.

La Union 2nd District Rep. Sandra Young-Eriguel said she has initiated the wide distribution of reading materials on federalism to her constituents in the district for them to be enlightened on the proposed change of government.

Eriguel and her husband-predecessor, Eufranio, hosted the more than 3,000 participants to the consultation while those in the first district were gathered at the Ortega Gym in San Fernando City for another forum on federalism.