Pimentels to lead Senate forum on federalism

Two Senate Presidents will be present at a public forum which will tackle the proposed shift to federalism to be held at the Senate on August 4, Thursday.

Senate President Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III and his father, former Senate President Aquilino "Nene" Pimentel Jr., are among the featured guests of the "Federalizing the Philippines" forum hosted by the Senate Economic Planning Office (SEPO).

The forum will center on a presentation by former Senate President Pimentel on the merits of a possible federal form of government, in place of the current presidential and unitary system.

The younger Pimentel, who was elected as Senate President during the opening of the 17th Congress, will deliver the keynote speech for the forum.

The Pimentels are among the country's most prominent proponents of federalism, while their partymate, President Rodrigo Duterte, has made the shift to a federal system one of the centerpiece programs of his administration.

Also attending the event are Dr. Ronald Mendoza of the Ateneo School of Government, Dr. Maria Ela Atienza of the University of the Philippines Department of Political Science, and Prof. Edmund Tayao, Executive Director of Local Government Development Foundation (LOGODEF), who will share their own comments and insights on the proposals on federalism.

According to SEPO Director General Ronald Golding, the "Federalizing the Philippines" forum is the third part of the Senate Centennial Lecture series, which are being held in celebration of the Senate's 100th year this October 2016.