Federalismo tatalakaying mabuti ng PDP Laban policy leaders

SA layuning maipakita ang tapat at pinagsama-samang suporta kay Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte upang matugunan ang pangunahin at krusyal na policy issues tungo sa good governance, transparency, accountability at predictability, ang liderato ng PDP LABAN, sa pamamagitan ng Policy Studies Group (PSG) National Capitol Region (NCR) na pinamumunuan rin ni PDP Laban Membership Committee NCR Chairman Jose Antonio Goitia at PDP Laban NCR Council President Abbin Dalhani kasama ang mga kaibigan sa akademya, partikular na ang National College of Public Administration and Governance (NCPAG) at ang Center for Integrative and Development Studies (CIDS) na pawang nasa University of the Philippines (UP), ay kumilos upang matuklasan at matukoy ang tamang daan patungo sa paghahanda ng bansa upang maging estadong federal.

Ayon kay Goitia, Presidente rin ng PDP San Juan City Council  at protégé ng pumanaw na si Dr. Raul De Guzman, Dean Emeritus ng UP NCPAG, hindi madaling gawain ang transisyon at ito rin ang kaparehong dahilan kung bakit nakahandang suportahan ng NCPAG, na kinabibilangan nila dating Dean (at present CIDS Director) Edna Estifania  Co, Prof. Dan Saguil at Jose Angelito M. Aurelio, ang partido upang matukoy kung ano ang pinakaposibleng modelo ng Federalismo o padron upang makapagpasadya ng ating sariling indigenous Philippine template – na sadyang kakaiba mula sa mga ehemplong Kanluran at sinasabing First World.

Nagbabalak na ang PDP Laban NCR Policy Study Group, NCPAG at CIDS simula pa noong Mayo 2016 ng ilang Round-Table-Discussions (RTDs) kasama ang mga inimbitahang kinatawan ng mga federalist countries gayon din ang mga inirerespetong kasapi ng akademya.

“It is envisioned that through the series of RTDs that will commence on August 4, 2016, helpful insights together with concrete policy advice will help the party in proposing to President Duterte viable options on how to govern thru Federalism the marginalized sectors of society,” pahayag ni Goitia.

“Of course, there are many models or patterns of Federalism and it is most expedient that PDP Laban listen to the experiences of countries with a Federal form of government.  Commonalities among countries can be explored while differences will help us concatenate viewpoints and socio-politico-cultural norms distinct but prevalent in any given state,” dagdag ni Dalhani.

Ipinaliwanag  nina Goitia at Dalhani na tatalakayin ng RTDs ang iba’t ibang oportunidad at pagsubok para sa Federalismo at para na rin sa mga inaasahang layunin at ang magiging pagtanggap nito na masasabing inaasahan man o hindi, paparating man o epekto matapos matupad ito.

Pagkatapos isagawa ang anim na RTDs, ihahatag naman ng NCPAG at CIDS ang kopya ng documentation/proceedings, powerpoint outputs (kung mayroon man) at terminal report kasama ang overall policy recommendations sa PSG.

“Furthermore, it is imperative that Filipinos be properly informed about the dichotomy between Federalism and Parliamentary democracy before President Duterte form his final opinions on constitutional reform including form of government,” ani Goitia.

“People have been wary of the possible scenarios when constitutional reform is realized.  It has been played out in the media and academic circles that charter change is but a means to extend the terms of office of incumbent political leaders.  Since Federalism is often linked to the more immediate desires of current political leaders to shift a parliamentary system of government, there is a great reluctance among Filipinos to even examine the merits of Federalism on their own.

“The long road to becoming a Federal state is paved with hard bumps and potholes, but the party viz-a-viz PSG, firmly believes that with proper policy advice from the academe, it can be instrumental in ensuring that whatever model the Presidency of Rodrigo Duterte adopts, it can genuinely benefit the people across the different regions of the country—transcending cultural, religious, economic and social divides that will bring about lasting peace and genuine progress that has been so elusive,” pagtatapos ni Goitia. “Change is coming—indeed it is.”