RDC to hold confab about federalism

As politicians are in a frenzy over the charter change issue, the Regional Development Council will conduct a two-day conference on decentralization and to tackle federalism and how it would be applied in the Philippines.

The conference, which will be attended by the representatives from both private and public sectors that are members of the RDC, will be held starting today at the Cebu City Marriott Hotel.

RDC chairman and Negros Oriental Governor George Arnaiz said that the primary purpose of the activity is to assess the implementation of decentralization in the country and to discuss the best way to achieve decentralization.

Representatives of selected embassies of countries adopting the federal form of government will also brief development planners in the region about their own experiences in implementing decentralization and federalism.

Among the speakers are officials from embassies of Germany, Malaysia, India, France and the United States.

Political and constitution experts like Felipe Medalla of the UP School of Economics, Mikhail Maxino of the College of Law of Silliman University and Alex Brillantes of UP-Diliman are also expected to discuss about efforts and requisites in changing the form of government of the Philippines.

Jose Abueva, chairman of the Consultative Commission will also present the results of their consultations on the proposal to amend the Constitution in various parts of the country held last year.

Participants to the two-day conference would also join a workshop that would solicit their views and suggestions on the best way of achieving decentralization.

Last Saturday, barangays in the country also held assembly simultaneously to tackle the proposal to change the country's charter.

However, controversies haunted the so-called "people's initiative" as the opposition claimed it was government-initiated and funded and therefore is unconstitutional. - Wenna A. Berondo