DILG leads school-based federalism debate

TACLOBAN CITY, Feb. 10  -- To elevate discussion on the federal form of government among young adults, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) will sponsor a debate in various schools in Eastern Visayas region.

DILG Regional Director Marivel Sacendoncillo said this initiative, which would be held between March to April this year, targets 18 to 25 years old as they predominantly compose the region’s large voting population.

“A debate on the merits and details of federalism will bring about improved awareness, knowledge, discussion, and appreciation of this form of government. The debate with college students participating seeks to promote a culture of discussion on federalism and relevant issues among young people,” Sacendoncillo told Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Thursday.

The debate will be aired live in radio stations and social media. The 15-match debate will include 16 collegiate teams from all over the region competing in single elimination matches, shedding survivors through quarter finals, semi-finals, until the grand finals to crown the regional champion.

“This activity is part of our task assigned to us by the President (Rodrigo R. Duterte) to lead the information and education campaign on federalism. The regional office crafted its work and financial plan to promote awareness and discussion on federalism as mode of government,” she added.

This year, the DILG has set aside PHP100 million for the nationwide federalism awareness campaign.

Earlier, the department has distributed federalism information materials printed in local language.

“We will carry out this advocacy to all local government units since we have personnel in every town and city in the region,” Sacendocillo said.

Federalism is a system of government under which significant government powers are shared between the federal and the regional governments.

President Duterte has been pushing for shift from unitary presidential to federal form of government to establish powerful economic regions, provide more funding support for regions, solve the conflict in Mindanao, decentralize powers to local governments, among others.

Under the DILG’s timetable, constitutional revisions will be done within 2018, ratify federal regions by June 2020, transition from unitary to federal government by 2022, and establish the Philippine Federal Republic by June 2022. (SQM/PNA)