Run-up to federalism full of 'slippery slopes' – former Chief Justice Puno

The government must navigate the "slippery slopes" should it decide to shift to federalism, former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno said Monday.

"I wish to stress that it is not easy to shift to federalism. The problems to be encountered are more if the shift to federalism is from a unitary state like the Philippines," Puno told businessmen during the joint meeting of various business groups in the country.

Among the groups present were the Employers' Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP), Management Association of the Philippines (MAP), Makati Business Club (MBC) and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI).

In December, President Rodrigo R. Duterte told House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez to speed up efforts for Charter Change that would lead to adaptation of a federal form of government.

"In this kind of transformation, the unitary state has to be disaggregated and then aggregated to give rise to a new federation and its constituent states. The process is full of slippery slopes," Puno said.

What the government needs to first address is the equal representation of all states in Congress. The Philippines needs to adopt Congress with "a fixed and limited term with equal representation of all states," as well as establish a "decisive" central government, Puno said.

"Federalism also requires a central government vested with the power to act decisively on issues that threaten the integrity of the unit," he said.

"When you break up a unitary state and you migrate to federalism, you need a strong central government to keep the new states together," he added.

The Philippines will also need to assert the independence of the judiciary system. "The shift to federalism demands a truly independent judiciary," Puno said.

In the end, federalism may help the country achieve its growth objectives but the shift must not be rushed.

"Federalism is not a magic bullet that will put to rest all our problems as a people. I reiterate my submission that it is a better vehicle to achieve our aspirations as a people," Puno noted.

"I espouse federalism for the Philippines, but an evolving federalism. One that is unhurried by any pressure, one that considers the different speeds of development of the constituent states," he added. — VDS, GMA News