BAGUIO CITY, Aug. 11 – Assistant Secretary for External and Legislative Affairs of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Rico Judge Janvier M. Echiverri, on Thursday discussed with over a thousand barangay officials the importance of having a federal government during the three-day First Cordillera Regional General Assembly of the Liga ng mga Barangay.
Echiverri, explained the benefits of a shift from democratic to a federal form of government, especially considering the geographical set-up, location and structure of the Philippines. He also mentioned how it could help and reach out to even the farthest corners of the country where each place has a unique culture.
During the discussion, he mentioned that the archipelagic structure of the country affects the economic development of the Philippines as a whole.
Places that are distant from the central government receive less especially in programs that need budgetary allotment, he said.
Echiverri spoke of the situation in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) which generates a large amount of taxes, but which is not easily accessed by the region for its development.
“Matagal ang komunikasyon kung dadaan pa sa sentral office, baka dapat immediate ang proposed project dito sa Cordillera. Sa dami ng pending projects, hindi na mapapansin yan (the communication takes time when it will still go through the central office, there might be a need for an immediate proposal of projects in the Cordillera and with the many pending projects, they might no longer be noticed,” he said during the discussion.
He explained that in a federal state, the taxes from the region will be solely used for projects in the area, delivery of communication will be shortened as well as the submission and approval of proposed projects.
Aside from the internally generated taxes that the barangays in the region will benefit from, Echiverri also talked about assuring that the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) of far-flung barangays will reach them. He reiterated that “IRA sometimes does not reach those from distant regions but with federalism, the barangay officials should fully experience and get the benefits of the IRA.”
These statements from the DILG officer were also echoed by the Liga ng mga Barangay (LnB) national president Atty. Edmundo Abesamis who said “when the smallest units of government will be working together and maximizing the budget for projects, the national level of economy will follow, sabay-sabay tayong aangat (we will all-together develop).”
The LnB CAR chapter officials also expressed positive feedback and unity for federalism.
Baguio Councilor Michael Lawana, the CAR LnB chapter president, said among the topics of discussion in the three-day conference are an information campaign on Cordillera autonomy, federalism, update on the drug situation of the barangays in the region and an update on the barangay election. **Kris Chan/PNA
