Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go maintained that the 1987 Constitution — which is 35 years old — needs to be reviewed and may need to be amended to better suit the times and urged the government and legal experts to study thoroughly the idea of changing the country’s system of governance to federalism.
The senator stressed that it would grant localities more autonomy in addressing their constituency’s concerns and pointed out that since other regions will be able to maximize their resources under a federal set-up, this could lead to increased economic development for those areas.
Go said that if the country shifts to federalism, local governments will be able to provide more appropriate solutions to their pressing concerns since they are more familiar with their respective situations.
However, the lawmaker clarified that any revisions must be made with the interest of the Filipino people in mind.
Go has early on expressed his support for the shift to federalism, saying that it would promote more equitable regional development throughout the country. The senator noted that former president Rodrigo Duterte also shared this vision.
“That is why I am one with our chair of the Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments, Senator Robinhood Padilla, in his call to shift to federalism,” Go said.
“Greater benefits of a stronger local government are ensured and the lives of Filipinos are prioritized,” he added, saying this will ensure that true participation and decision-making happen on the ground.