Fraternal greetings to Partido Federal ng Pilipinas

Statement of Congratulations

Never in our country’s history had our people been given the opportunity to meaningfully participate in the making of our fundamental law than today under President Rodrigo Duterte.

In 1896, our country was a colonial slave of Spain and our people were waging a revolution; in 1935, our country was a colonial captive of America and our people were not free; in 1973, our country was under martial law and freedom of expression was curtailed; in 1987, our country was under a revolutionary government and the situation was abnormal.

During the past two years under the leadership of President Duterte, the nation has been in open, democratic, transparent discussion of changing our Constitution. It is one that will ultimately shift our system of government from a highly-centralized unitary system to federalism.

We have made a lot of ground towards this end, popularizing federalism and succeeded in having a draft Constitution prepared by the President’s appointed Constitutional Commission advocating a Bayanihan Federalism giving Power to the Regions and Power to the People. We firmly believe that this shift will bring about more direct democracy, greater people’s participation, better services, faster rural growth, and more development in our regions.

However, the ruling elites and obstructionist traditional politicians have been busy as well to thwart our march towards genuine change. They will hang on tough to retain their powers, privileges and perks to frustrate the long-clamored shift to federalism.

It is in this context that the formation of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) is a giant step to continue our common desire to push for federalism, to wage an education drive in all sectors, to pit our leaders against those who are against federalism in free and open electoral contests, and count our successes one by one until total victory for our cause.

The Hugpong Federal Movement of the Philippines, the grassroots movement for federalism, wish to extend our fraternal greetings of congratulations to PFP and to its officials led by Jayvee Hinlo as President and Tom Lantion as Secretary-General.

Mabuhay! Sama-sama sa Tagumpay ng Pederalismo!

DILG renews accreditation of Hugpong Federal as CSO partner in Federalism info drive

Copy of Renewal of Accreditation of HFMP as civil society organization (CSO) partner of DILG in undertaking the information drive on President Rodrigo Duterte's advocacy on Federalism

DILG Assistant Secretary Jonathan Malaya who is in charge of the Federalism Information Campaign hands over a copy of the renewal of accreditation of HFMP as the government's partner in the information drive throughout the country.

Messages of Support for Hugpong Federal Movement of the Philippines renewal of accreditation:

"Congratulations to HFMP for doing an unparalleled job of helping educate our people about politics and governance by reaching them out in partnership with DILG! Shappo - as the French would say - I doff my hat!" (Sec Raul Lambino, CEO of CEZA, Presidential Adviser for Northern Luzon and Chair of iConform Federal Philippines)

"HFMP is the last and best chance for Federalism to spread in the countryside." (Lito Monico Lorenzana, Christian Democratic Institute)

Hugpong Federal promises President they'll campaign more for Federalism

The President speaks before the nation September 11 to discuss among other things the advances of his advocacy on Federalism. He pitches the need to empower the regions for their own development.

The Hugpong Federal Movement of the Philippines, the grassroots campaign volunteers during the Listening Tour to popularize the advocacy of President Rodrigo Duterte, has vowed  to intensify its information drive as the clamor for the shift to a federal system is gaining ground nationwide.

Celso Tizon, Chairman of HFMP, thanked President Duterte who acknowledged the success of popularizing Federalism in the provinces in his address to the nation on Monday afternoon.

He said this has given the grassroots movement inspiration to pursue the education campaign even more as the country prepares to have a new Federal Constitution defining the shift to a federal system of government.

Tizon said Federalism will give back power to the regions, have more resources to address their own development and tap the vast potentials of the provinces in terms of human and natural resources to contribute to the over-all growth of the country's economy.

He said HFMP is scheduled to undertake more education and information activities in partnership with and support to the Department of Interior & Local Government (DILG), with the Constitutional Commission and other similar-minded organizations here and abroad among overseas Filipinos.

He said HFMP has just concluded its National Mindanao Summit in Cagayan de Oro attended by guest speaker Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol. It was also a show of force to condemn the senseless killing of HFMP Luzon Head Tim Saday, who was also a barangay captain in his hometown in Cabantao, Rosario, Agusan del Sur, he added.

Saday was shot several times near his residence in Cabantao after attending a DILG-sponsored Federalism Roadshow in Butuan City on September 6. He was recently elected barangay captain and has unearthed anomalies in his barangay involving ghost projects and missing barangay funds. He has since received death threats.

Tizon said a National Luzon Summit is scheduled on September 27 in Vigan, Ilocos Sur while barangay, municipal and provincial level federalism fora continues nationwide.

Zero Vote for anti-Federalism

With the filing of the Certificate of Candidacy for the May 2019 local and national election set on October 1-5, HFMP Chairman Celso Tizon has called on Filipinos not to vote for those blocking the shift to a federal system of government.

He said the people's vote for candidates against this fundamental change would become useless. Those opposing federalism are not for the people, he said.

Tizon said the Filipino people aspiring for real change to bring back power to the people and catalyze development in the regions should give zero vote to trapos (traditional politicians) who only want to retain their powers and privileges.

He said federalism promises to give greater voice and resources to the people to chart their own destiny in their own regions.

The May 9, 2019 elections will choose 12 senators, members of the Lower House and local officials.

Hugpong Federal Movement endorses Lambino for Senate

CEZA Chief Sec Raul Lambino graces the Hugpong Federal Movement Provincial Summit in Laoag, Ilocos Norte June 15 in his first official act as the newly-designated Presidential Adviser for Northern Luzon of President Rodrigo Duterte.

The Hugpong Federal Movement of the Philippines, a grassroots movement campaigning for Federalism has endorsed Sec Raul Lambino to run for a Senate seat in the May 2019 elections.

HFMP Chairman Celso Tizon named Lambino as one among the most active officials of the Duterte Administration championing Federalism.

He said we need more of him in the Legislature to help shepherd the implementation of a federal system of government in the country.

At the Hugpong ng Pagbabago Convention in Davao City recently, President Rodrigo Duterte made a pitch for Lambino to seek a senate seat.

Lambino is the Chairman of the Confederation of the Federal Movement for the Philippines (iConForm) and currently the Administrator and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) which operates the special economic zone and freeport based in Santa Ana, Cagayan.

He was also recently appointed as Presidential Adviser for Northern Luzon.

Registered with the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) HFMP is accredited as the only Civil Society Organization (CSO) partner of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) on a national level in the federalism information drive throughout the country.

Founded in Davao, HFMP has nationwide reach of over 3 million volunteers organized since the 2015 Listening Tour of then Mayor Duterte.

HFMP intensifies grassroots info drive

The HFMP National leaders went down to the grassroots level events for the intensification of its information drive to promote Federalism. During the weekend, National chairman Celso Tizon and National Secretary-General Vergilio dela Cruz visited Barobo in Surigao del Sur (May 26). North of the the capital Manila, National Convenor Peter Lavina accompanied Luzon Head Tim Saday and NCR Head Ruth Coquilla in two barangays in Valenzuela City (May 27).

Elsewhere in the country, various units of the mass movement supporting the shift to a federal system continued with their volunteer efforts to popularize the four basic principles of federalism - PRRD or power-sharing, resources-sharing, respect-for-all and development-for-all. Among the activities was the successful celebration of its first year anniversary of HFMP Surigao del Norte Chapter (May 27).

Federalsim Forum at Barangay Coloong and Malanday, Valenzuela City

Hugpong Federal resumes info drive post Barangay polls

After the hiatus of education campaigns due to the holding of the recent Barangay and SK elections, HFMP is back on the road to continue its information drive for Federalism.

Chairman Celso Tizon will kick off the resumption of the campaign on May 26 with the Caraga Region Leaders Forum in Barobo, Agusan del Sur. In addition to Federalism, Tizon will also discuss lessons learned from the recent elections where vote-buying were reported to remain rampant.

He said part of our campaign for change is electoral change to make Federalism an effective tool for the advancement of the interest of the people.

On the other hand, National Convenor Peter Lavina will attend the Federalism Orientation in Valenzuela City on May 27.

Various other activities are also being lined up nationwide to help President Rodrigo Duterte's advocacy for Federalism reach as many all over the country.

HFMP is explaining to the people the Four Basic Principles of Federalism, namely Power-sharing, Resources-sharing, Respect-for-all and Development-for-all or PRRD.

Meanwhile, National Secretary-General Vergilio dela Cruz is coordinating with Regional Heads on plans to expand the National Secretariat Office to better manage the various activities being undertaken all over the country and HFMP chapters abroad.