EDITORIAL - Self-serving

The House of Representatives backpedaled yesterday and restored Vice President Leni Robredo as the constitutional successor to the president in case of a transition to a federal system of government.

This is just as well, because it was starting to look like certain quarters were trying to sabotage the proposed shift to federalism. First there was that fiasco over the “pepe-dede-ralismo” video, killing the federalism information campaign even before it could take off. The unfortunate video went viral as economic managers were warning that the proposed shift, which entails a significant expansion of the bureaucracy, would be a heavy burden on government finances and could retard economic growth. 

With most Filipinos still unaware of the provisions in the federal charter drawn up by a consultative committee created by President Duterte, the House committee on constitutional amendments approved its own version. Its most striking proposals: lifting term limits for all elective officials, and keeping Robredo from taking over the presidency in a transition period. Instead it will be the Senate president who will be the transition leader.

Even Senate President Vicente Sotto III opposed the proposal. But it could win the support of all incumbent elective officials, and presumably their constituents.

Standing in the way, of course, are the incumbent officials’ political opponents and their supporters, plus the majority of senators who see the shift to federalism as the death of their chamber. Also in the way are Filipinos who fear that the principal objective in rewriting the Constitution and changing the form of government is to keep incumbent officials in power forever, with even greater control over public funds.

Federalism has its appeal, but its proponents have yet to fully address the question of why the country needs it, and why it should be rushed for approval within this administration. There are people who want Charter change to lift economic restrictions and make the country more attractive to job-generating investments. Such support, however, has always been doomed by attempts to make Cha-cha a self-serving political exercise. If the administration is still bent on pursuing federalism, it should just stick with the draft prepared by the consultative committee. This draft charter is complicated enough to sell as it is.