In his SONA, I noticed that Duterte skipped a serious treatment of his “Federalism” vision and the major revision or overhaul of the 1987 Constitution via a “Constituent Assembly” (i.e., the political dynasty-infested and pork barrel-satiated super majority Duterte coalition in Congress proposes the constitutional revisions).
Charter Change will be a hotly contested issue nationwide.
Duterte’s pretext is Federalism allegedly to promote peace in Mindanao.
His true intent and hidden agenda are to abolish all election term limits, consolidate the powers of his elitist party, and perpetuate the ruling political dynasties in the feudal regions of the Philippines (all of which are loyal to and are fed by the Duterte regime).
Charter Change is a very long process from “congressional deliberations” to the “national plebiscite” (to ratify the constitutional revisions).
In the interregnum, many explosive political phenomena can and will happen that will damage the stability of the Duterte regime.
The Filipino people can only suffer so much. There is a limit to their collective patience.
Duterte should learn from what is happening in Venezuela right now. Its president Maduro follows the authoritarian philosophy of its late leftist leader Chavez. Maduro insists on a constituent assembly to overhaul the country’s constitution to consolidate the powers of his socialist party. Meanwhile, massive nationwide pro-democracy protests beset the country. Its people face extreme hunger, joblessness, lack of medicine, breakdown in peace and order, and forced migration to nearby South American states.
