Duterte-Cayetano tandem wants decentralization
FASTER DEVELOPMENT IN REGIONS
TO help ensure inclusive growth across the country and spur development in the countryside, the presidential tandem of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano is pushing for early decentralization of government power.
“For the longest time, the drive for development is mainly focused on the National Capital Region (NCR), while the other regions are left to fend for themselves. This is not only unsustainable, it’s also inequitable. It’s time to think out of the box and overhaul this unequal development paradigm,” Mr. Cayetano said in a talk with The PUNCH last week.
The senator proposes that each region like Region 1 should be allocated P1 billion initially to institutionalize a capital-lending scheme for local Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
“NCR is perceived by many as the only place where there are real economic opportunities. Thus, people unnecessarily flock to the region creating problems such as traffic, unemployment and housing woes. But if development is spread evenly to the regions, we can solve these problems,” Mr. Cayetano explained.
The senator, a candidate for vice president, said his call for decentralization is perfectly aligned with Duterte’s advocacy for federalism.
“This is one of the reasons why there is a strong clamor for a Duterte presidency. The mayor not only symbolizes order, he also stands for the empowerment of regions which have long been neglected by the national government,” he said.
Mr. Cayetano said decentralization will change how the budget is allocated across the country’s 18 regions and 81 provinces.
To actualize decentralization, senator called for the creation of a Philippine Decentralization Committee (PDC) that will be tasked to enhance the delivery of services in the countryside as well as study the relocation of several government agencies to different parts of the country.
“This is the real change that we speak of – a change that moves people because of opportunities made possible by a strong brand of leadership,” he said.
“We need to create alternative corridors of development outside NCR. This will not only decongest the already overcrowded capital but will also extend growth throughout the rest of the country,” he added. #
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