President Rodrigo R. Duterte gestures with both hands to stress a point in his speech during the National Heroes' Day observance at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City on Monday (Aug. 29, 2016). The President announced the release of PHP4.7 billion in unpaid total administrative disability for widows of World War II veterans and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) retirees. Reading from the notes handed to him by Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno, the President said the spouses of deceased WWII veterans aged 80 and above will get a total of PHP3.5 billion. On the other hand, AFP retirees will receive PHP1.2 billion. (PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan)
President Rodrigo R. Duterte urged Congress to hasten his proposal to change the form of government from the present unitary type to federal system.
The President made the statement in a speech delivered in this year's commemoration of National Heroes Day to honor the Filipino heroes at the "Libingan ng mga Bayani" in Taguig City on Monday.
He reiterated his call to Congress to push for a federal system of government patterned after France, which follows a federal-presidential form of government, where only the President is the elected official.
President Duterte explained that under the French political system, the President is the executive head of state, while the head of the government is the Prime Minister (PM) who is appointed by the President.
The PM stays in office while having the confidence of the National Assembly and the President of the Republic.
In France, the president has very limited power, but a powerful one, “Powerful statements but very limited,” PRRD said.
“Hurry up (with) the federal system because I said you follow the country with the presidential office because that would hold together the country,” he said.
The President warned not to just go to a parliamentary form of government.
“It will be disastrous for this country. Somebody should hold the Armed Forces and the Police to control the country,” he said.
In the meantime, he said the country should focus on marching forward to progress to the next century.
“At this time, it will be good to have a federal system because the present unitary type has done us no good,” he said.
He vowed to step down from the office once the shift from presidential to federal-presidential has been undertaken and perfected within three years. (PNA)