News

On Martial Law and Charter Change

Atty. Michael Henry Ll. Yusingco, LL.M
Updated as of Sep 22 06:22 PM

The administration must be reminded as well that plans of “fast-tracking” charter change will only remind us of Martial Law and how it gave life to the 1973 Constitution which then provided the color of legitimacy to President Ferdinand Marcos’ 14-year dictatorial regime. Read more »

PH can afford cost of federal shift: Concom spokesman

Christian V. Esguerra, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Sep 03 04:02 PM

The committee crunched the numbers seeking to dispute a National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) estimate that shifting to federalism could cost as much as P243.5 billion. Read more »

Federalism shift to only cost P13.3 billion - Consultative Committee

Dharel Placido, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Aug 31 09:23 PM

MANILA - The shift to federalism from the current unitary form of government will only cost an estimated P13.29 billion, a member of the Palace-backed Consultative Committee said Friday. Read more »

Federal gov't needs P240B more annually to operate: Pernia

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Aug 30 04:14 PM

The additional expenditures could push the budget deficit as a ratio of the gross domestic product to 7.1 to 7.2 percent from the current 3 percent, Pernia said, citing finance department data. Read more »

'Reconciliation' meeting with fiscal managers set over federal draft: Puno

Christian V. Esguerra, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Aug 23 04:02 PM

Retired Chief Justice Reynato Puno said his committee would offer a "flexible fiscal formula" on how revenues would be divided between the federal government and the federated regions. Read more »

Palace to seek public feedback on draft charter

Dharel Placido, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Aug 23 03:49 PM

MANILA - Malacañang on Thursday said it would seek public feedback on the draft federal charter created by its 22-member consultative committee, after President Rodrigo Duterte’s economic managers expressed apprehension over it.   Read more »

Nene Pimentel OK with federal shift even without dynasty ban

Christian V. Esguerra, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Aug 20 01:54 PM

The consultative committee member and former senate president said he would campaign for a federal shift even without such prohibition. Read more »

'Forceful' Duterte to get senators on board federalism: Nene Pimentel

Christian V. Esguerra, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Aug 20 01:52 PM

Duterte’s federalism project has been facing strong opposition in the upper chamber, with several senators questioning the need to revise the Constitution at this time. Read more »

Charter change body wraps up work on draft federal constitution

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Aug 18 05:41 PM

MANILA - The consultative committee that President Rodrigo Duterte tasked to review the 1987 Constitution wrapped up work Saturday, six months after the group started drafting a federal charter.  Read more »

Constitutional committee member defends draft charter

ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Aug 18 02:10 AM

The group tasked to draft a new federal constitution expresses concern over President Duterte's statements he wants to resign. Read more »

Economist to the rescue? How Arroyo plans to execute Duterte's agenda

RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Aug 16 09:13 PM

Former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s return to national power, this time as House Speaker, could not have come at a better time for President Rodrigo Duterte.  Read more »

Arroyo: Cha-cha proceedings won't be done within my term

ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Aug 16 09:07 PM

Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Thursday said she wants to move the Charter change advocacy as far as she can during her term, believing it might not be completed within her time in office. Read more »

Duterte still wants federalism - Palace

Dharel Placido, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Aug 13 04:36 PM

MANILA - Malacañang on Monday stressed that President Rodrigo Duterte still wants to shepherd the Philippines towards federalism, even as his own economic managers and several business groups have expressed apprehension about it. Read more »

Business groups back calls to weigh cost of federalism

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Aug 12 06:12 PM

The business groups said they are also concerned about the "ambiguous provisions" in the draft charter on the division of revenue and expenditure responsibilities between the federal and regional governments. Read more »

Nene Pimentel urges Duterte to meet senators amid doubts on draft charter

Sherrie Ann Torres, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Aug 10 10:53 PM

MANILA - One of the senior members of the consultative committee on charter change has sought the help of President Rodrigo Duterte in convincing senators to support their output amid doubts cast by the chief executive's economic managers. Read more »

Dominguez still favors federalism - Palace

Dharel Placido, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Aug 10 05:42 PM

MANILA - Malacañang on Friday stressed that Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez remains committed to the proposed shift to federalism despite his recent comments against it. Read more »

Finance chief seeks dialogue on 'ambiguous' draft federal charter

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Aug 10 10:53 AM

Dominguez earlier told lawmakers that he was "absolutely" against the proposed federal charter from a Palace-backed committee due to unclear provisions on revenue and expenditure assignments. Read more »

Pangilinan says charter change 'brain dead' at Senate

Sherrie Ann Torres, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Aug 09 07:51 PM

Senator Kiko Pangilinan on Thursday said the charter change is "now at the ICU (intensive care unit)" and its campaign "brain dead" at the Senate. Read more »

Concom member asks: Does Duterte still want federalism?

Christian V. Esguerra, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Aug 09 06:17 PM

A consultative committee member on Thursday slammed what he called the administration’s "double-talk" on federalism, suggesting his experts’ group might have been "taken for a ride" in drafting a proposed constitution. Read more »

Finance chief 'absolutely' against draft federal charter

Sherrie Ann Torres, ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Aug 08 07:49 PM

MANILA - Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez on Wednesday told senators he "absolutely" would not approve of federalism as presented in the draft charter by the Malacanang-backed Consultative Committee.  Read more »