Press Release
June 15, 2009

CHIZ: FEDERALISM IS FINE BUT ONLY AFTER 2010

Opposition Sen. Chiz Escudero said over the weekend that while he favors federalism, it must be done through a constitutional amendment and only after the 2010 elections.

He added that it should not be carried out under the current administration, expressing wariness that federalism could be manipulated by government to pursue other self-serving purposes.

"We have seen signs that the current administration has but one desire, and that is charter change," he emphasized. "I don't think any administration has the moral authority to change the Constitution, especially if its term is about to end, or if it concerns the extension of terms of other sitting officials."

At the recent 1st National Business Conference of Independent Business Clubs held in Cebu, he also stressed that before any region or province can become a federal state, there must be a criteria provided for the granting of such a status.

"The closest we have to a federal state is the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and yet it remains today one of the poorest regions in the country," he noted.

"Until there is money for it, or regions wanting to embrace federalism have the capacity to generate money, then the idea of federalism is pointless, because such regions will not be able to control their destiny."

He reiterated that any region seeking autonomy should first earn its right to become one.

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