Federalism Faces Uncertain Future: Media Misses Meaning of Cabinet Opposition

DUTERTE INCLUDED among his campaign promises in 2016 the shift to federalism as a way to jump-start government decentralization and the re-distribution of development nationwide. His rhetoric never detailed how this would be done, but it was one of the changes which appealed to many voters in far-flung regions who had not experienced the benefits of economic growth.

But that promise seems to have faded and the future is no longer so certain for Duterte’s federalism agenda; even with the president’s endorsement of a draft constitution to Congress in July (see: “Federal Constitution: No Need for Speed”).

Questions and doubts rose even from the ranks of the Cabinet itself. The media reported the expressed reservations of four Cabinet Secretaries: National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Director-General Ernesto Pernia, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Budget Benjamin Diokno, all holding among the most important portfolios in the executive department. But media failed to observe the significance of this disunity as expressed by Duterte’s trusted officials, three of whom are charged with the management of the economy and one with the country’s defense and security. Their reluctance to support federalism as proposed suggests that Duterte has failed to discuss his endorsement of the draft, address the questions raised and convince these officials of the merits of his proposed federalist constitution.

Neither did the reports mention the results of the public opinion surveys by Social Weather Stations and Pulse Asia that both found limited public awareness of the issue and the disapproval expressed by the majority of the population of any change that amends or affects the 1987 Constitution. The lack of public support for federalism and of any public clamor for charter change could have emboldened the four secretaries to make their views on the subject public.

CMFR monitored the reports on four Cabinet secretaries’ fears about federalism by the online news sites of ABS-CBN, GMA-7, TV5  and Cignal’s news channel One News, as well as the broadsheets The Philippine Star, Philippine Daily Inquirer and Manila Bulletin and their online versions from July 16 to August 14.

Abandoning the Federalism Ship?

Pernia was the first Cabinet member to express his doubts. In the July 16 episode of One News’ The Chiefs, the NEDA chief said that the country’s economic managers are wary of the proposed shift to federalism because of its cost and the country’s regions’ being unprepared for this burden. (“NEDA Sec. Ernesto Pernia: Economic managers cautious on federal shift”).

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, during the Senate hearing on the 2019 national budget on August 13, told the senators that he “absolutely” would not vote for federalism as proposed in the draft charter by the ConCom because it could lead to a “fiscal nightmare” (“Finance chief ‘absolutely’ against draft federal charter”).

At the “Meet Inquirer Multimedia Forum” on August 14, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said the draft charter “has so many issues,” and called for “more rigorous” study of the fiscal implications of the shift (“Federalism needs more study, says Diokno”).

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana expressed his belief that the Filipinos are not yet ready for the proposed charter change during a press briefing in the Department of National Defense (DND) headquarters on August 11. Lorenzana said “a serious information campaign about federalism”  is needed to educate the public about the issue (“Lorenzana: ‘PH not yet ready for federalism’”).

The above views were reported in separate accounts, with little interpretation. The push for federalism has not been grounded on sound policy analysis by the administration.

The Survey Says…

Media also reported prominently the observation made by Reynato Puno, former chief justice of the Supreme Court and a member or the Constitutional Committee: “It will take more than quiet words to change this status quo protected and secured by political dynasties who will not yield their monopoly of political power and the economic elite that established a new monarchy, the monarchy of the moneyed, and will not — never — give up their throne.” But reports failed to cite the evidence presented by the two leading public opinion polling organizations which directly contradicts his claim (“Elite leading resistance to federalism – Puno”).

A March 23-27 SWS survey found that 75 percent of Filipino adults nationwide are not aware of what federalism is and learned about it only during the survey, while only 25 percent said they know about federalism as a form of government. Despite low public awareness, however, the survey found that 37 percent of respondents are still in favor of a federal system of government (“First Quarter 2018 Social Weather Survey”).

Another survey by Pulse Asia released on May 2 found that 66 percent of Filipinos are not in favor of Federalism, with only  27 percent in favor. Six percent have no opinion (“March 2018 Nationwide Survey on Charter Change”).

It is clear that the shift to a federal system of government cannot be rushed and needs to undergo utmost scrutiny by Congress and by the public. And the media must track the debate, noting what makes sense and what does not, so it can help citizens to make sound judgment of the proposed change.  One does not have to be against federalism itself to be critical of the manner in which this change is being pursued by those invested in the process.

(See related monitor: ““Cha-Cha” Sans Context­: Issues Without Interpretation”)