Con-com proposes to bring back Negros region

The Consultative Committee (Con-com) drafting a federal constitution wants to include the dissolved Negros region in the 18 proposed political units under a state setup touted to "distribute" and "balance" traditionally centralized government powers.

The "Negrosanon Federated Region" is one of the 16 "symmetrical" federated regions proposed by the Con-com which would be headed by a regional governor, his or her deputy and a regional legislative assembly, panel spokesman Ding Generoso said Monday.

It will include the province of Siquijor, which currently belongs to Region VII, Central Visayas, Generoso said during a regular press briefing.

The other 15 such regions have yet to be named in an ordinance that would appended to the Con-com's proposed federal Charter, he said.

Meanwhile, the Bangsamoro and the Cordillera federated regions -- proposed to be structured in accordance with specific cultural considerations -- will make up the rest of the Con-com's proposed constituent units.

The Philippines has 17 regions under the current government setup.

Citing budget competition with priority government programs, Duterte dissolved the Negros Island Region in August last year, two years after his immediate predecessor, Benigno Aquino III, ordered the integration of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental into one region for a promise of improved public service delivery.

Generoso said the Con-com proposes that each federated region be led by a regional governor and a deputy elected from the members of a Regional Legislative Assembly (RLA), which will in turn be composed in half by representatives from component provinces, highly-urbanized/independent chartered cities, and the other half by proportional party representation elected region-wide.

Federated regions' proposed exclusive powers

Under the Con-com's proposal to be submitted to Duterte before attempting to hurdle Congress, each regional government will have exclusive power over socio-economic development planning, revenue source creation, financial administration and management, and tourism, investment and trade development.

Each regional government is likewise proposed to enjoy exclusive power over infrastructure, public utilities and public works, economic zones, land use and housing, the justice system, and local government units, business permits and licenses, municipal waters, indigenous peoples' rights and welfare, culture and language development, sports development and parks and recreation, Generoso said.

He added that federated regions are also proposed by the Con-com to have the power to levy and collect the following taxes, licenses, and fees: real property tax, estate tax, donor's tax, documentary stamp tax, professional tax, franchise tax, environmental tax, pollution tax, road users tax, vehicle registration fees, transport franchise fees, local taxes and other dues that may be granted by federal law.

Federal gov't's proposed exclusive powers

Meanwhile, Generoso said the Con-com proposes that the federal government shall have exclusive power over territorial defense and security, foreign affairs, international trade, customs and tariffs, citizenship, immigration and naturalization, national socio-economic planning, monetary policy and federal fiscal policy, banking, currency, competition, and inter-regional infrastructure and public utilities, including telecommunications and broadband networks

Other matters the federal government is proposed to enjoy exclusive power over are, he said, the postal service, time regulation, standardization of weights and measures, promotion and protection of human rights, basic education, science and technology, regulation and licensing of professionals, social security benefits, federal crimes and justice system, law and order, civil, family, property and commercial laws (except as may be otherwise provided in the Charter), prosecution of graft and corruption cases, intellectual property, and elections.

The federal government will have the power to levy and collect all taxes, duties, fees, charges and other impositions except those granted to the federated regions, he explained.

"The federal government and the federated regions shall ensure that taxation shall be uniform, equitable and progressive. No double taxation shall be allowed," he said.

The federated regions are proposed to be given a share of at least 50 percent of all the taxes collected by the federal government, he said. — RSJ, GMA News