Former Chief Justice Hilario Davide Junior and former Solicitor-General Atty. Florin Hilbay lectured on Charter Change and the effects of federalism in an event held by the UST Simbahayan Community Development Office last April 13, 2018 at the Civil Law Auditorium.
According to Hilbay, the Constitution can be amended to promote Federalism: “Our constitution can be amended and revised.” The amendment process is a renovation, whereas the revision process builds a new one. Moreover, he said Charter-Change was a massive information campaign to tell people what the 1987 Constitution was all about. He highlighted as well that people will pay for additional tax for federal system of government to create another layer of bureaucracy, another set of officers, and as well as to strengthen further the presence of political dynasties.
Also, federalism would allow foreign countries to purchase lands in the country due to loosening of economic restrictions implemented in the type of government.
“What they want to do is to unlock the powers of the regions in the provinces,” Hilbay said. “All they have to do is to have a federalized budget to enforce the local government code, to amend the local government code, or just to amend the constitution.”
Former Chief Justice and one of the authors of the 1987 Constitution Davide said federalism would further divide Filipinos and cultivate loyalties for a central federal government and for the stage of regular governance. “Our judiciary will be righteously affected,” Davide said. The Supreme Court will lose some of its powers and therefore will be the “hanging Supreme Court” wherein the judges will be abolished, making the entry of political indifferences.
“It is the only constitution in the Philippines, whose principles policies and provisions seek to fulfill and breath life to a solid prayer of the Filipino people in the preamble; to build a just and humane society; establish government as embodiment of ideals and inspiration; to promote common good, secure to themselves under posterity the blessings of independence an democracy under the rule of law and a regime of truth, justice freedom, love, equality and peace.” Davide said.
