Government of the future

BRUSSELS – Speaker after speaker told an audience from some 60 countries at the European parliament – federal government is the wave of the future. In one voice, they said the system offers the solution to some of the more intractable problems of governance especially amongst people of diverse cultures. In a federal system of government political power is divided between a central or national authority and smaller, locally autonomous units such as provinces or states under the terms of a constitution. This was true whether in countries such as Belgium, Switzerland and Canada or on regional groupings such as the European Union.

The Third Conference on Federalism, which was opened in the presence of HRH Philippe of Belgium last Thursday, March 3 at the European Parliament celebrated the country’s 175 years of independence and the 25th anniversary of its federalism. The Belgian constitution was promulgated in 1831 but it was amended in 1893, 1921, 1970, 1971, 1980, 1989, 1991, and 1993 to respond to tensions between the Dutch- and French-speaking areas of Belgium. The reforms since 1970 gradually transformed Belgium into a federal country. The majority of essential governmental powers now belong to the three regions: Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels.

Speaker Jose de Venecia, who led the Philippine delegation composed of representatives from two civil society groups, the Coalition for Charter Change Now and the Citizens Movement for Federal Philippines, as well as leaders from the three major political parties (Lakas-CMD, PDP-Laban and Liberal), was warmly received by a capacity filled audience in the plenary hall of the European Parliament. He told the audience the Philippine contingent of constitutional reformists had come to Brussels not so much to debate but "to learn from the collective wisdom and experience of the leaders of well-established federal states."

"I believe that federalism would be a safeguard against separatism because it will protect the identities of our diverse communities and empower them to make their future in their own hands," de Venecia said. Even as he spoke the war in Mindanao between Muslim rebels and the military raged but the situation was not hopeless, he added. The rebel leaders had assured him many times in back channel negotiations that federalism would satisfy their demands for a state of their own.

The presence of a strong Philippine contingent to the Conference presages a welcome international boost to the multi-party efforts of charter change advocates in the Philippines. Senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr., head of the Opposition and one of the founding fathers of the federalist movement chaired a working group. Pimentel is the sole senator from strife-ridden Mindanao. Also in the Philippine group were Secretary of Education Florencio Abad and former Congressman Ed Nachura, Liberal Party stalwarts and ardent constitutional reformists, UNESCO ambassador and STAR columnist Preciosa Soliven, Marietta Goco, Clarita Carlos and Reynaldo Teves of the Citizens’ Movement for a Federal Philippines and myself, representing media support for the growing advocacy for charter change that would lead to a shift to a parliamentary federal government with a unicameral legislature.

In his speech, Speaker JDV brought federalism to the wider world of conflict resolution and said it may be the answer not only in the Philippines but to the conflicts in Iraq and Myanmar as well. Since both countries are in the process of making new Constitutions, he urged the conference to use its influence and convey the message to the war-torn countries.

He met earlier with former Prime Minister Wilfried Martens, president of the European People’s Party. It has more than 66 political parties on its wing making it the most influential group in the European Parliament. Christian Democrat International is an important component of the group. As CDI vice president for Asia, Speaker JDV gave Martens the latest political developments in the Philippines as well as in the entire region. Martens was especially interested in a recent meeting between Myanmar Prime Minister Lt. Gen. Soe Win and Speaker JDV. He told Martens, Soe Win was amenable to a power sharing unity government to advance its road map to democracy. Martens and other EU leaders have been trying to get to Myanmar but have been spurned by its military leaders. After the meeting, Martens accepted Speaker JDV’s invitation to come to the Philippines in September.

* * *

The lighter side of the Brussels visit. It was snowing heavily and in below zero temperatures when our group arrived for the conference reminding me yet again of the blessings of living in pleasant Philippine weather. In a way it was a homecoming of sorts for me. Brussels was home for some three years when my husband, Alberto A. Pedrosa was ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the European Union. Some of the embassy staff at the time are still here which reminded me of a topic that I have long wanted to write about – how some local help held the institutional memories of our diplomatic missions abroad and it made my visit become more familiar. I had not been here for almost ten years but it is as if nothing has changed. There was a new building or two but the Brussels I lived in many years ago was the same Brussels today. But perhaps that is the charm of the city which is arguably the most conscious of its being European. The Grandplatz at the center of the city is the quintessential example of European architecture of medieval ages. They tell me that it is a gem in modernizing Western Europe of skyscrapers and gridlocked traffic.

At its fringes is the Chez Len where they serve the best moules and frites in the world. This was where I had as an ambassador’s wife, brought a group of the entourage during President FVR’s visit at the time. The good news is nothing has changed. The same delicious moules in white wine, garlic and parsley and plentiful pommes frites was served. The Belgians have never forgiven the French for running away with what was after all a Belgian invention, Pomme frites which originated in Belgium is now known the world over as ‘French fries’.

The efficient embassy staff under Charge d’Affaires Annemarie Morales have been a great help. We still have to see the new Philippine Embassy at the Avenue Moliere when we meet with the rest of the embassy personnel and Filipino community leaders at a reception Friday. Speaker JDV says the recently passed budget includes a provision for embassies to use rental moneys to amortize the purchase of buildings. This is welcome news. The proposal to buy our own buildings for our embassies was heightened during my husband’s term but ideas take time to see through. Unfortunately we did not stay long enough to see this happen. At the time, the proposal was for embassies to negotiate with gfis to help purchase the buildings.

* * *

E-mail: [email protected]