CITY OF MALOLOS, Bulacan –At least 16 mayors from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao have completed an eight-day schooling on federalism in Washington DC, US from Nov. 6 to 13.
City Mayor Lawyer Christian D. Natividad said the eight-day crash course was part of the program of the Department and Interior and Local Government in a bid to immersed local executives in the federal systems of different countries like US, Germany and France.
He said they attended lectures to study different modules on federalism.
“We were immersed into their system so that we can personally experience how bureaucracy works in the US. We went to hospitals, social welfare centers, the state security force of the homeland security department, “ Natividad said.
The young mayor said he had been raeding books on federalism but the first hand account of experiencing adds more to his knowledge about this form of government how can it be adopted in the Philippines.
“We were set there to study and learn the system because we are the local executives practicing local autonomy,” he explained.
He said the training will give them opportunities explain vividly federal form of government.
He said that aside from US, they will also study the federal system in Germany and France.
“Our government is dedicated in making our country better and they are now sending local executives so that they can serve as trained mentors on the federal form of government,” Natividad said.
The mayor also disclosed that they have talked to Filipinio-Americans and personally study how they have adopted to federalism in the US.
Natividad also announced that the trip has given him the opportunity to tell Filipinos and the staff of the Philippine Embassy in Washinton DC on the significance of January 23, 1899 or the anniversary of the First Philippine Republic.
“ Its sad to say but it seems that not too many Filipinos remember the importance of the birthday of being free Filipino citizens of the republic. Hopefully this will be a fresh start as the Philippine embassy in Washinton promised that they will commerate the upcoming celebration of the First Philippine Republic this January 23,” Natividad said. —EMIL G. GAMOS