Senate President Pimentel urges IBP to help in disseminating to public federal system of gov’t

By Perfecto T. Raymundo

MANILA, March 23 (PNA) -- Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on

Thursday urged the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) to help in disseminating to the public the federal system of government.

During his speech before the 16th National Convention of Lawyers in Marriott Hotel, Newport City, Pasay City, Pimentel was supposed to deliver an inspiration talk but he opted to lecture the more than 2,500 members of the IBP to about the federal system of government.

He told the participants that under a federal form of government, the President will be the head of State while the Prime Minister will be the head of government.

Under a federal system, he went on to say, there will be 11 regions such that the Northern Luzon will be composed of the present Ilocos Region (Region 1), Cagayan Valley Region (Region 2) and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

Likewise, the Senate President also said that the Central Luzon Region (Region 3) will also be the same as the present Region and the Southern Luzon Region will be composed of Region IV-A or the present Calazabarzon (Cavite/Laguna/Batangas/Quezon) Region.

At the same time, there will be a Metro Manila Region, among others.

Pimentel said the 11 regions will have their respective own Senate, which will have at least 3 senators each or at the most 77 senators.

Pimentel added that under the federal system, there will be the same Judiciary, one Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), one national police force, and one Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

The Senate President expounded that there would be no problem if there will be vacancy in the Presidency or the Prime Minister such that if the latter is vacant, the President will be the acting Prime Minister and vice-versa.