P.Mangudadatu being endorsed as DILG secretary

Prof. Dato HJ Mohd Hassan C. Cana

COTABATO CITY --- An academe leader declared support for Sultan Kudarat Governor Sultan Pax S. Mangudadatu to become the new secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) after President Rodrigo Duterte fired Ismael “Mike” Sueno.

Prof. Dato HJ Mohd Hassan C. Cana, former dean and professor of Mindanao State University (MSU) - Marawi City Campus, said it is now the high time that a well-respected Moro leader from Mindanao serve the highest post in the DILG.

“Aside from his being a true blooded Mindanaon, Sultan Pax has proven his worth due to his countless public service over the years where he upholds the rights and welfare of his constituents regardless of their religious beliefs. He is well loved by the tri-people --- the Muslims, Christians, and Lumads,” said Cana.

Cana, who is the president of the union of MSU retirees for peace and federalism and heads a group for federal movement in Lanao del Sur, lauded the peace efforts of President Duterte and strongly supports the proposal for a shift to a federal form of government.

“Sultan Pax, if given the chance to lead the DILG, can be of great help to further elevate the advocacy of federalism in the local government unit level. It is important that even this at this early time, people from the ground would be able to understand what federalism is and what are the inclusive details under a federal form of government,” he said.

Cana said federalism is good move for it guarantees expanded powers for local government units affording them with the authority and resources to enhance local development and efficient delivery of social services.

“It is relevant to support federalism because it would address insurgency, inequitable distribution of national wealth, and graft and corrupt practices,” he said.

In federalism, there is sharing of power, responsibility, and sovereignty in the two types of government or structure --- the central government and the federal states or regional states.

Every state can collect its own taxes, has autonomy, has the power to make projects which they deem would be good for the welfare of the people, and has the power to make its own laws.

To adopt a federal system of government, it necessitates the revision of the Constitution. In this system of government, the central government would not be that so much powerful as federal states enjoy their autonomy.

Even if the Constitution be revised, there will still be one Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Central Bank, educational system, foreign policy, monetary system, and Philippine Flag.

Under the proposed system, 12 federal states, the former administrative regions, will be formed. Metro Manila is eyed asthe Federal Administrative Region. There will be four federal states in the Visayas and the Federal State of Eastern Visayas with Catbalogan City as its proposed capital.

Here in Mindanao, there will be three federal states. The group of former Senator Pimentel and PDP Laban has long been pushing that the President and VicePresident be chosen as a team andto be elected as tandem.

In addition, there will also be a change in the qualifications of the two highest officials, who should be degree holders or college graduates. In the Federal Congress, the Senate and the House of Representatives will remain.

Apart from a few changes, there will also be state senators who should at least be college graduates. There would be 81 of them from the present 24.Every federal state shall have one governor and vice governor. The state legislators will be unicameral in every federal state.

In the federal system, the Supreme Court remains.

Local government units shall be intact with assurance of increased Internal Revenue Allotment. The revenue earned by the government will be divided --- 20 percent for the Federal or Central Government and 80 percent going to the Federal States.

The poor regional states can avail of the so-called equalization fund that will be administered by the Central Government.

Even before President Duterte’s directive for the Department of the Interior and Local Government to launch an information drive on federalism, the DILG has already jumpstarted its info campaign with the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement with the People’s National Movement for Federalism, a private sector which advocates the shift to a federal form of government. (GILMHAR A. LAO & ANNE B. ACOSTA – MINDANAO EXPOSE’)