RDC and NEDA - 7 execs deny Palace hand on federalism confab

Organizers of the conference on decentralization and federalism, which started yesterday and will run until today at the Cebu City Marriott Hotel, denied speculations that the activity was done upon the orders of Malacañang.

Both officials of the Regional Development Council and the National Economic Development Authority 7 clarified that the conference is their own initiative and Palace officials even do not know about it.

RDC 7 chairman and Negros Oriental Governor George Arnaiz said that only the Visayas regions have this kind of activity. Last year, the same conference was held in Iloilo City, and Region 8 is also planning to have the same activity. He added that funds from the German Technical Cooperation were used for the activity and that nothing from the government has been spent for the event.

"If this is initiated by Malacañang, there should have been no opposition invited here. This is the start of the education process and we hope to radiate this to the barangays and other sectors," Arnaiz told reporters.

Participants to the conference include representatives from different sectors of the society, including members of the RDC from different provinces of the region.

For her part, NEDA 7 regional director Marlene Rodriguez echoed Arnaiz's statement, saying that even their national office is not aware that they are holding a conference on decentralization and federalism.

According to her, the plan to hold a regional conference on decentralization was actually conceptualized in October last year after the series of consultations done by the Malacañang-backed Consultative Commission.

According to Arnaiz, the main objective of the conference is to listen to the experiences of other countries that are under the federal form of government and learn from them.

During yesterday's conference, speakers from embassies of Germany, Malaysia, India, France and United States shared their experiences in their implementation of federalism in their respective countries.

Dr. Herwig Mayer, GTZ program director, who talked about the Germany experience, said that what the Philippines need is political professionalism and solve the massive graft and corruption.

He also challenged the participants to not just copy the practices of other nations but "create your own that is applicable to your country."

Dr. Felipe Medalla of the UP School of Economics said that the problem in the Philippines is that not all regions are empowered and could stand on their own once decentralization is adapted.

With this, Arnaiz said that it is only apt for the country to adapt parliamentary form of government first and later shift to federalism when the regions and provinces are already empowered. - Wenna A. Berondo