By FRANCIS T. WAKEFIELD
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana says that the country is not yet ready to shift to a federal form of government.
In a press briefing at the Department of National Defense headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, Lorenzana said he believes that a lot of Filipinos doesn’t understand what federalism is or are not yet ready for a change in the type of government that we have and still needs to be educated about it.
“Hindi pa kasi… hindi nila naiintindihan eh, marami ang hindi nakakaintindi eh,” Lorenzana said. “Hindi pa ready kasi. Kailangan natin ng kunting, ng maybe more educational ano, ‘yung information saka maintindihan nila kung ano yung, what is it for us? Anong gagawin? Ano mangyayari dun sa ano namin?” he added.
Lorenzana said he understands Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III and Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia who expressed concerns about federalism.
He said Dominguez was looking at the matter in terms of the money needed when the country shits to a federal form of government while Pernia is looking on the effects of a federal government to the country’s economy.