ConCom may still help on federalism advocacy

Puno said although he is still clueless on what function President Rodrigo R. Duterte will give the ConCom once its term expires, its members are also willing to be consulted by the Congress. (PNA photo)

MANILA — The term of the Consultative Committee (ConCom) tasked to draft a Federal Constitution will expire on August 19, but its chairman announced Wednesday that they can still help promote federalism and the draft constitution.

“Perhaps they could still use our help as part of the advocacy,” former Chief Justice and ConCom chairman Reynato Puno told reporters in an interview.

Puno said although he is still clueless on what function President Rodrigo R. Duterte will give the ConCom once its term expires, its members are also willing to be consulted by the Congress.

He reiterated that there is no timeline for a plebiscite on the draft federal constitution, noting that it was for the Congress to decide.

“It’s no longer within our control, the timeline is up to them (Congress). We’ve done our job. As far as timeline is concerned, that’s their prerogative to set,” Puno said.

At present, the ConCom continues to hold regional presentations and consultations, press conferences, and will soon launch its own website and social media pages.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque earlier said the agencies who will lead the Federalism information drive will be the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO).

Roque also said that Duterte has created an inter-government task force led by himself and Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea to spearhead the public information drive on federalism and bring it down to the barangay-level.

Puno, meanwhile, said it was also up to the inter-agency group to decide what role to give PCOO Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson in the Federalism info drive since the communication plan is still being finalized.

“The communication plan is still being drafted. I don’t know what part Mocha Uson will play there. Let’s see if she’s a part and what part will be given to her,” Puno said.

Senator Nancy Binay earlier said she wanted Uson to explain the plan to shift to a federal system of government to the Senate.

Puno said the Senate was free to invite any resource person it wanted.

Roque earlier assured that there will be standardized dissemination materials to explain federalism and that “anyone,” including Uson, was welcome to help in the campaign.

“Anyone is welcome to disseminate. Of course, we seek to come up with standardized dissemination materials so that no one will deviate from the messaging,” Roque said.

“So we’re developing materials for disseminators, and we are formulating a module to train first the trainors. And we’re developing a module for dissemination so that anyone who will follow the module can disseminate properly,” he added.