Professor Eric Daniel De Torres from the Marikina City Mayor’s Office and Professor Dennis Coronacion, University of Sto. Tomas Department of Political Science chair, will serve as speakers at the federalism forum, to be held today, August 25, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Bacolod Pavillon Hotel.

De Torres will speak on “Fundamentals of Federalism: Moving Forward to A Better Philippines,” while Coronacion is expected to discuss “A Comparative Analysis of Federalism in the Philippines and Other Countries.”
The event is being conducted by the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO), which is under the Office of the President, and sponsored by the Bacolod City government.
PLLO Operations Division chief Rey Zarate, Jr. said their office plans to gather input from all of the forums conducted throughout the country, noting a similar event was recently put on in Dumaguete City.
He explained, the gathered data will be brought before a 25-member committee who will serve as a consultative body to review the 1987 Constitution.
Zarate hopes enough information can be gathered within the year in order to begin the formal deliberations on federalism.
In addition, Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia is expected to deliver a welcome address, with Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran and Bacolod Lone District Rep. Greg Gasataya also addressing the audience./WDJ