The President’s Consultative Committee (Con-com) is proposing to add seven ex-officio members to the Federal Transition Commission, who will facilitate the “initial transition” to the proposed federal form of government.
Because of the new changes, the Federal Transition Commission headed by the elected transitory president will be composed of 10 regular members and seven ex-officio members.
Con-com chairman and retired Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno said the Committee has agreed to add the following as ex-officio members to the Commission: elected transitory vice president, incumbent Senate President, incumbent House Speaker, and all the four living past presidents, particularly Benigno Aquino III, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Joseph Ejercito Estrada, and Fidel V. Ramos.
On the addition of ex-officio members, Puno said the Committee chose to do this since they believe that these “experienced” and “knowledgeable” people can help the Commission fasttrack the implementation of the Transition Plan and this will also provide “more representation” in the Federal Transition Commission.
But Puno said if ever the Commission will not be able to finish its job for the transition by 2022, Puno said this will be continued by the regularly elected president.
“This transition commission will just start this,” he said.
Puno also noted that it is not a requirement that all living past presidents participate in the Commission.
But he said they are offering this position to the four living past presidents as it will by “very symbolic if all of them will participate.”
In a separate interview, Puno also confirmed to the BusinessMirror that there will be no search committee anymore under the new transitory provisions.
The old transitory provisions of the proposed charter stated that the search committee is supposed to submit a list to the President wherein he will choose the 10 regular members of the Federal Transition Commission.
The regular members of the Federal Transition Commission which will now be appointed directly by the elected transition president should still be experts on the experts in the fields of economy, law, fiscal management, governance or development.
Puno also added that these regular members will also be ineligible for reelection by 2022. The transitory president and transitory vice president must also step down on their posts by 2022.
Asked why the Committee decided to do away with the search committee, Puno said this was because of the change in the transitory provisions that it might take a longer time to hold the special election for the transitory president and transitory vice president. He also said that the Committee also considered the possibility of the Congress taking a longer time studying their proposed draft federal constitution.
“[What if} the Congress approves it by 2020? Then the period of the transitory president will be short,” he said.
Under the old transitory provisions submitted by the Con-com to the President last Monday, the Federal Transition Commission shall be headed by the incumbent President.
However, President Rodrigo Duterte told the Committee on Monday that he prefers that a transition leader be elected and that he is willing to step down as early as 2019 once the constitution is ratified through a plebiscite.
The Con-com heeded the President’s “special request” and revised the transitory provisions according to his instructions, especially including a provision that will bar him from seeking reelection.
But Puno noted that the change on the search committee was not part of the President’s request.
He also noted that President Duterte will not be considered as ex-officio member of the Federal Transition Commission, who is tasked to organize and reorganize and fully establish the federal government and the governments of the federated regions in accordance with the Constitution, among others.