By Paulo Loreto Lim

The Department of the Interior and Local Government-Region VI (DILG-6) will be holding a federalism orientation today, part of an overall awareness campaign, at the SMX Convention Center at SM City Bacolod.

In a release by DILG-6 director, Atty. Anthony Nuyda, the orientation will “discuss the vital points on federalism, this time targeting the officials and functionaries of all local government units in Region 6.”

Newly-appointed DILG Assistant Secretary Jonathan Malaya and Local Government Development Foundation executive director, Professor Edmund Tayao, are expected to address the event.

Last week, while revealing plans by the Association of Chief Executives-Negros (ACE-Negros) to hold a meeting to discuss federalism, Victorias City Mayor Francis Frederick Palanca, who serves as president of the association, affirmed his endorsement of a shift to federalism, while denouncing “Imperial Manila.”

“I have been against Imperial Manila,” he stated. “All the opportunities have been there, it is time for countryside development.”

Last month, following a federalism forum in Isabela, Negros Occidental, Task Force Kasanag (TFK) national commander John Chiong offered similar rhetoric to Palanca, declaring, “We support federalism because each state will have independence unlike the present setup of government, where everything is centralized in the national government and in Metro Manila.”

The TFK leader also believes federalism is the only way to minimize corruption./PLL, WDJ