The Pimentel Institute for Leadership and Governance (PILG) and the Hanns Seidel Foundation-Philippines (HSF) have strengthened their linkages in their common resolve to promote and educate the people on the advantage of a federal system of government
The PILG-HSF collaboration gained momentum in the last few years when the government issued a call for nationwide discussions on the shift towards a federal system of government in the Philippines.
The late founder of the Pimentel Institute for Leadership and Governance, former Senate President Aquilino Q. Pimentel Jr., had been a lifelong advocate of federalism as a way to break the centralized manner of weilding political power and distribution of the nations resources that has hampered the growth and economic development in the countryside.
It was in 2016, when PILG forged a partnership with Hanns Seidel Foundation, focusing on a campaign to support of the Philippine government’s information drive about federalism with a parallel thrust towards a shift to a federal system of government.
Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF) is a non-stock, not-for-profit, non-governmental entity (NGO) organized and existing under the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany with its main office in Munich, Germany.
It supports programs and projects in more than 60 countries worldwide. The international cooperation program of HSF is funded by official sources, namely, the Federal Government of Germany, the European Union and the Government of the Free State of Bavaria/Germany.
It has been active in the Philippines since 1979, extending development assistance to Philippine partner organizations mainly in the field of human resource and policy development ranging from training and education, community-based and top-level policy dialogues, research and publication, international/regional exchange, to project development. (source: HSF website)
The Hanns Seidel Foundation headed by its Country Representative to the Philippines, Mr. Gotz Heinicke, in cooperation with the Pimentel Institute for Leadership and Governance (PILG) is supporting education and information activities on federalism.
The main objective is to provide broader and deeper knowledge of the philosophy and the principles of federalism as a system of government and help key representatives of government and members of society gain a better and more comprehensive understanding of federalism.
From 2016 to 2019 joint activities were held. More than 42 public fora, round table discussions, workshops and a youth camp were conducted. Each forum was attended by over one hundred participants.
To further broaden such information dissemination, the HSF also re-printed 3,200 copies of the book entitled, “Federalizing the Philippines: A Primer.”, and additional 400 re-printed copies for this year 2020.
They also supported the printing of 3,000 copies of flyer of the ConCom draft distributed during activities.
With its vision to be an internationally-recognized provider of training program, again, with the support of the HSF the PILG were able to send 7 delegates to Information and Exchange Visit on Federalism in Germany in 2016, and 6 delegates to the International Munich Days in 2017 and 2019 respectively.
From year 2017 to 2020 with the sponsorship of the HSF, PILG was able to send 7 delegates to EURAC Research Winter School of Federalism in Austria and Italy.
Two delegates were also sent at Federalism Summer School in Canterbury in UK in 2019.
The delegates sent abroad will constitute of the Core Group/Alumni on federalism, and task to help us disseminate information and consultations on the issue of federalism.
Immense obstacles to the adoption of the federal system is the lack of understanding about the whys and wherefores of the system.
The PILG and HSF to continue their mission to educate the people about federalism.
During this pandemic, the most applicable method to push the federalism programs is through online seminar.
A Zoom application intends to invite participants to join the seminar. Forum, roundtable discussions and newsletter information are lined-up for this year activities. Key to an informed society is the continuation of discussions and exchanges of ideas on federalism in various platforms so the laudable benefits and advantages of a federal form of government would be understood and appreciated by the people.