Presidential aspirant and Senator Manny Pacquiao on Thursday said he would push for federalism to strengthen local autonomy if elected as the country’s next president.
“Para maalis ang corruption, isusulong natin ang federalism at palalakasin natin ang local autonomy,” he said in an interview in Payatas, Quezon City.
(To eradicate corruption, we will push for federalism and we will strengthen our local autonomy.)
“Sa kasalukuyang sistema kasi bagama’t mayroon na tayong Local Government Code ay nasa national government pa rin ang kapangyarihan ng pagbibigay ng pondo para sa mga kinakailangang proyekto ng mga LGUs,” he explained.
(Although we have the Local Government Code, our current system centralizes the authority to distribute the funds in the national government.)
The lawmaker emphasized the need for constitutional amendments to “make it attune with the times” as well as the needs of the country.
Because of the prevailing system, he said local government officials are being held hostage and beholden to national government especially from the Department of Budget that has the power whether to download the funding to them or not.
“Dapat direkta ng ibigay sa mga LGUs ang pondo ng hindi na hahawakan pa ng national government para hindi naman sila mukhang namamalimos sa pera na talaga namang nakalaan para sa kanila,” he stressed.
(The funds should not be withheld by the national government and it should be given directly to the LGUs so that it won’t look like they need to beg before they receive the resources due to them.)
Pacquiao said changes in the Constitution should be done through the constitutional convention and not a constituent assembly to ensure people’s participation.
“Kailangan baguhin na ang sistema ng gobyerno at amyendahan natin ang Konstitusyon sa pamamagitan ng constitutional convention at hindi constituent assembly para taumbayan ang magdesisyon,” he said.
(We need to change the current system of the government and amend the Constitution through constitutional convention and not constituent assembly.)
The boxer-turned-lawmaker also vowed to spearhead consultations and meetings with experts to ensure efficient transition from unitary form of government to a federal form.
By doing this, Pacquiao said Filipinos will be assured that he is not pushing for Charter change just to extend his term.—LDF, GMA News
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