President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo yesterday announced that she has ordered the drafting of a roadmap to federalism by 2012 through Charter change.

Negros Occidental Acting Gov. Isidro Zayco said he welcomes the move provided federalism is implemented by province and not by region.

Federalism is a system of government in which sovereignty is constitutionally divided between a central governing authority and constituent political units, like regions or provinces. It is the system in which the power to govern is shared between the national and state governments, creating what is often called a federation.

Zayco said if federalism is implemented by province it will boost the economic growth of Negros Occidental. In her call for federalism in a speech at the regional workshop on the Establishment of National Human Rights Institutions in Asia in Manila yesterday, Arroyo also revived her call for Charter change.

"We are hereby forming a panel, including the secretaries of the Interior and Local Government, Justice, the Presidential Management Staff and the National Economic and Development Authority, the leaders of the local government units, congress allies, and maybe even pro-federalism opposition leaders to draft a roadmap to federalism by 2012," she said.

"The measures could include: super region planning and oversight bodies with officials and staff from the regional development councils and national agencies, to draw up programs and projects up to a stipulated amount, for inclusion in the 2009 budget; legislation to affirm and expand executive issuances, and eventually charter changes," she said.*CPG

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