JOLO, Philippines (UCAN) -- A member of the presidential commission that reviewed the country's constitution told the assembly of bishops and Islamic scholars here that federalism is essential to peace in Mindanao, the southern Philippines.

Catholic and Protestant bishops, their staff, and youth and media partners arrive in Jolo, southern Philippines, emerging from a military aircraft with Islamic scholars (ulama) for the Bishops-Ulama Conference General Assembly Nov. 18-21.

"Self-determination is the call of the people," said Rey Magno Teves, adding that this can best be answered by changing the current centralized presidential system and its network of local governments.

Teves was speaking at the Nov. 19 session of the 35th General Assembly of the Bishops-Ulama (Islamic scholars) Conference (BUC).

About 95 participants -- Catholic and Protestant bishops, priests, pastors, ulama (Islamic scholars) and Muslim professionals, lay Church workers, Christian youth and media workers -- are attending the Nov. 18-21 assembly at Notre Dame of Jolo College. Jolo, capital of Sulu province, lies 950 kilometers south of Manila.

Teves, who served on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's Consultative Commission to Propose the Revision of the 1987 Constitution, chaired the committee that studied the structure of the Philippine government. The commission submitted its report to Arroyo in December 2005.

According to a primer on federalism that commission members helped prepare, government powers and responsibilities in a federal structure may be divided between the federal or national government and state governments, comprising regional and local governments. Matters the state governments cannot handle satisfactorily are entrusted to the federal government, whose authority is limited to those matters.

Teves told participants that in 22 dialogues on federalism his committee had conducted around the country since 2005, participants in 18 sessions agreed the country needed to alter its current form of government.

Federalism is "the only hope" for the future of Mindanao, he said. The population in the area comprising the Mindanao mainland, and the Sulu and Basilan island groups includes indigenous people, Muslims and descendants of central and northern Philippine settlers.

"The indigenous people are made up of 18 linguistic groups and 2 million people. Muslims have 13 distinct groups of 5 million people of faith, and settlers, mostly Christian, number 13 million," according to Teves. He said sharing authority and responsibility is needed to work toward a "tri-people unity."

He said there could be many states in Mindanao, each of which would have its own constitution. Each state could also have its own police and courts to meet local needs, he added. "They would not be at the mercy of the government in Manila for funds needed for projects."

Teves and his colleagues are working to include in the ballots for the 2010 presidential elections a question asking voters whether they would want a Constitutional Convention to draft the framework of a federal government, he reported. But such a government, he clarified, would not come into effect until 2016, after the term of officials winning in the 2010 election.

Imam Mohammad Ali Hanafinia of Mati told Teves at the open forum the idea of federalism bringing peace was "exciting."

Later, Catholic bishops told UCA News people in their dioceses are open to constitutional change and would not oppose it after Arroyo's term. Critics allege her administration is advocating constitutional change primarily to extend her stay in power.

Archbishop Antonio Ledesma of Cagayan de Oro, one of those prelates, pointed out the "need for consultation and education on what is the real meaning of federalism," while acknowledging its benefits for people living far from the center of national government. "My hope is that federalism would not lead to fragmentation of our country," he said.

The Jesuit archbishop cited ulama at the session who noted existing divisions among Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the Moro National Liberation Front and the call for the establishment of a "Sultanate of Sulu."

Archbishop Romulo Valles of Zamboanga does not believe the nation is ready. "Federalism should be a move from a strong central government to smaller states," he said.

For him, Manila's control "is very negative," with "bad delivery of services to the local units because of corruption," but shifting to federalism as proposed is "too big a jump."

Archbishop Fernando Capalla of Davao convened the BUC in 1996 with the late Mahid Mutilan, president of the Ulama League of the Philippines, as a vehicle for religious leaders to contribute to peace and development in Mindanao.

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