Wednesday, August 17, 2005
The idea for the Philippine Government to go Federal has been in my mind since way before the election. The idea of course wasn't mine but was brought up first by my younger brother who spent time living in the U.S. and he hardly had to convince me to make me understand that this is exactly what our country needs! One of Philippine Star's OpEd columnists, Jarius Bondoc reveals in his daily column today, GOTCHA that this idea was a long time coming as it was first brought up as early as 1966:
Dr. Salvador Araneta possessed foresight. Anticipating as early as 1922 the formation of Commonwealth rule, he studied constitutional law in Harvard and thus came to the Constitutional Convention of 1934-35 with a complete draft. Again in running for the Con-Con of 1971-72, he proposed a Bayanikasan Constitution with 64 revisions to the old one. Among these: a federal system to be set up in 10 to 20 years. He foresaw even back then a need to explain to Filipinos an alternative to the Manila-centric government and a reasonable time to put it in place.You can read more about it here: Constitutional reforms from 30 years back.
Bayanikasan is a contraction of lakas ng bayan, a strong nation built to protect the rights of each citizen. It could well denote too bayani (hero) and kalikasan (natural resources), aspirations as well of Filipinos. In introducing Araneta’s draft charter, Dr. Alejandro Roces likened him to Pilosopong Tasio who did not write for his generation. Roces noted: "While Dr. Araneta addressed the present generation, to be used in 10 to 20 years, his plan for Tomorrow is ready Today; it is Today that is not ready for his plan of Tomorrow."
@ 2:22 PM ---> 
