BEHIND THE SCENES

Cordillera autonomy an ‘uphill struggle’
ALFRED P. DIZON

For sure, members of the the Igorot Global Organization who are now in Banaue, Ifugao for its nth conference would discuss Cordillera autonomy and development for the region – tapnu adda rason nga pagsasabatan.

I would like to join the fun or intellectual masturbation as a former classmate would always say, as this happens only during a blue moon. And I’m looking forward to seeing former classmates, acquaintances and kakailians. With the years etched on their foreheads, I guess, discussions would be more sober punctuated by the occasional jokes of the comedians.

The secondary topics, I believe, would be arthritis, high blood pressure, varicose veins, baldness, greying hair and stateside chismis, but then, who doesn’t grow old?
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See you there. But for now we could start with the contention of some regional government executives that the quest for Cordillera regional autonomy is an uphill struggle which could extend to several decades due to limited understanding of the people on self-governance and constitutional provision mandating the establishment of an autonomous region in the Cordillera.

A not so recent article by Dexter See said interestingly, the overwhelming failure of the two autonomy plebiscites was traced to lack of substantial knowledge of the people on developmental benefits of autonomy since there was insufficient information and education done as the campaign was focused on the political aspect and not the real purpose of autonomy.

This was reportedly the final result of the pulse survey conducted by the Regional Development Council in the Cordillera as a pre-requisite to the formulation of appropriate strategies to convince the electorate to ratify a third Cordillera Organic Act once it will be submitted to the people for decision in a plebiscite.
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The survey had 2,809 respondents, around 400 respondents from the six provinces and the City of Baguio, with a plus minus three percent margin of error and 95 percent satisfaction rating.

When asked if they were aware of the Constitutional provision mandating the creation of an autonomous region in the Cordillera, 57.5 percent said they were aware while 41.4 percent disclosedthey were not aware of such provision while 1.1 percent said that they did not know such mandate.

On their understanding of the term “autonomous region,” 51.8 percent of the respondents said it connoted self-governance, 30 percent said it is owning and controlling the region’s resources, 23.9 percent said it is generating and utilizing own financial resources, preserving indigenous culture, 17 percent, enacting and enforcing own laws – 11 percent, self-determination – 9.2 percent, decentralization – 7.9 percent while 16.9 percent did not know such term.

Basing from the RDC survey, a high 64 percent of the respondents were not aware of the legislative powers of the autonomous regional government as embodied in the failed organic acts. Among those who were aware of the legislative powers, the most recognized aspect of the proposed Cordillera autonomous region was that the autonomous region would be involved in the preservation and development of the cultural heritage 37 percent; in matters of ancestral domain and natural resources 36 percent and in economic, social and cultural development 34 percent.
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Juan Ngalob, Cordillera regional director of the National Economic Development Authority and interim chairman of the RDC, was quoted as saying the low level of awareness or the details of the substance of the autonomy issue was also one of the reasons for the people’s rejection of the past two plebiscites on January 30, 1990 and March 7, 1998.

The survey showed the most cited reasons for the rejection of the two Organic Acts were related to the lack of understanding and appreciation of the contents of the Organic Acts and autonomy in general.

Some 66 percent of the respondents perceived the failure of the past plebiscites was because people did not actually understand the content of the autonomy laws, thus, it led to the confusion and lack of appreciation for the benefits of autonomy.
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Now, another topic for consideration of IGO delegates. A number of foreign embassies and non-government organizations reportedly participate in the donors forum organized to generate funds for poverty-stricken areas in the Cordillera in a hotel in Makati City on March 12.

Ngalob told newsmen the forum was one of resourceful efforts of concerned government agencies to secure outside funds to help depressed communities in the region so they could implement poverty alleviation projects.

The donors forum, was expected to benefit 14 institutions, mostly local government units. It was organized by the RDC-Cordillera, in partnership with the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Cordillera Affairs and the Office of the Presidential Assistant on the Peace Process.

Earlier, the RDC identified 21 poverty-stricken local government units, including a state-run institution, which qualified to avail of the donors’ forum. However, only 14 institutions, 13 of which are local government units, were able to submit their project proposals for their desired poverty alleviation projects that could uplift living condition of the people in their respective areas.
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According to Ngalob, the forum was a prelude to the conduct of more to attract funding agencies to commit their small funds for the benefit of realistic and attainable poverty alleviation projects of institutions in the region.

Presidential Assistant for Cordillera Affairs Thomas Killip said at least P34 million was needed by the 14 beneficiary institutions to jumpstart implementation of their respective poverty alleviation projects which would benefit marginalized people in the countryside.

The various poverty alleviation projects of San Quintin and Tubo, Abra need a total of P7.5 million; Pudtol, P3 million; Kibungan, Benguet, {9.6 million; Alfonso Lista, Banaue, Hingyon, Ifugao State College of Agriculture and Forestry (ISCAF) and Tinoc in Ifugao, P6.7 million; Tanudan in Kalinga, P1.4 million and Bontoc, Sadanga, Sagada and Tadian in Mountain Province, P5.7 million.
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Killip said the Cordillera is considered a conflict area and since it is a predominantly an indigenous peoples region it should be among the areas for development like Muslim Mindanao because it needs to catch up and meet its targets in the millennium development goals and address historical inequity issues in the delivery of basic needs to reduce poverty incidence.

According to Killip, the Cordillera has been discriminated from the benefits of development with the slow implementation of the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act. Now, begging for funds is considered a patriotic act. But how much was raised during the donors’ forum?

Would somebody also please make an accounting of how much money was poured into the Cordillera from foreign countries through non-government and government conduits in purportedly for development? Where did the funds go?