ShareThisDAVAO CITY (PilipinasNews) – Former Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos has pitched for a president from Mindanao, saying it is time for a leader from the big island once dubbed the Land of Promise.
Former President Fidel Ramos
Ramos, a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point who rose to become chief of the Philippine armed forces and the police, Defense secretary and later President, made the statement after meeting Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte whose followers have launched a signature campaign for a “Duterte for President Movement.”
Based on ABS-CBN photo and Sun Star photos on the meeting at the SMX Lanang and the Marco Polo Hotel, others at the meeting were former Press Secretary Jesus Dureza and former presidential assistant for Mindanao development Paul Dominguez, who both hail from Mindanao.
Duterte later, however, said that while he is not open to running for president, if “God and the universe” will place him as country’s leader he will abolish the Congress and create a revolutionary government.
“Do not appeal to me. I do not need it. I do not want it, but if the universe conspires to put me in the presidency and if I cannot attain real change within six months or a year then I will declare a revolutionary government and close Congress,” Duterte told Federal Movement for a Better Philippines in Cebu City.
Duterte noted that he favors Federal form of government to eliminate unequal distribution of resources among provinces. He said majority of national government’s resources are brought to Metro Manila and Luzon.
Federalism is a form of government based on democracy where the power to govern is divided between national and provincial or state governments. Most federal governments give the central government powers on foreign policy and national defense. United States, Australia, India, Canada, Columbia, Brazil and South Africa have federal form of government.
Former Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Reuben Canoy said Philippines needs a leader like Duterte. “We need a leader and it’s Mayor Duterte who has emerged with the way he has managed Davao. All of us agree that he is the best spokesman, if not the leader of the Council of Leaders.”