MANILA, Philippines — Despite Malacañang’s pronouncement to prioritize addressing inflation over changing the Constitution, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) maintained that President Duterte’s administration will not turn its back on its promise to push for a federal form of government.
DILG Assistant Secretary Jonathan Malaya said presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr.’s statement to prioritize addressing inflation was only about making it the most urgent concern and does not diminish the importance of federalism.
“We are 100 percent behind the President’s agenda, and while we are currently giving priority to the fight against inflation, we believe that the shift to a federal system of government will also contribute to this effort in the long term through the distribution of more resources and greater powers to the regions,” Malaya said.
He explained that this would allow the regions to build better transportation infrastructure that would lower the costs of bringing agricultural produce to the markets, and thus lower and stabilize prices.
Roque himself has clarified that the administration would not abandon the campaign for a federal shift, but admitted that there remains a need for more discussions and information dissemination.
Federalism, according to Malaya, remains one of the top concerns of the administration, as he promised that the DILG, together with the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), would intensify its efforts in explaining federalism to the Filipino people so that they may be convinced of its necessity.
“Changing the Constitution and establishing a federal system is one of the pillars of the Duterte administration and that federalism is the more long-term solution to rein in inflation and price manipulation by business cartels and smugglers,” he said.
The department believes that while it is of critical importance to address the pressing problem of rising prices in the country, the Duterte administration will never abandon the federalism campaign.
“The President is fully committed to his programs of anti-drugs, anti-corruption, Build Build Build and constitutional reforms. In fact, President Rodrigo Duterte himself has even committed to join us in our provincial sorties to personally campaign for federalism,” he added.
It is therefore up to the DILG and all of government to keep spreading public awareness on the President’s desire for lasting change in the country, according to Malaya.
“We are just starting to campaign full blast and thus far, we have covered a lot of ground. It is very obvious in the regions that the local governments are excited and energized about federalism,” he said, noting the support that constitutional reform gains in the regions after federalism has been properly explained to the locals.
“We get a lot of support every after a roadshow because it is there that people know that federalism is for the benefit of the entire Philippines,” he added.