Autonomy fear factors

TRAILS UP NORTH
Glo Abaeo Tuazon

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- Former Benguet Gov. Raul Molintas recently expressed his thoughts on the reignited quest for Cordillera autonomy. In his opinion, it is fear more than ignorance that causes the repulsion of the proposal.

"It is not the lack of understanding of the people because even the intelligent and the well schooled who have read the proposals rejected it," he said citing salient grounds for autonomy and questions on development, sustainability and control.

"When we say autonomy" he said, "it pertains to control of the autonomous region of its natural resources and that it should be freed from the national government and the responsibility handed down to the region."

Here now enters the fear factor. If approved and accepted would the region be able to grow and develop on its own? Would it be able to sustain itself in the autonomous agreement in the long run?

To be able to go about it, an acceptable law should be crafted with some of the following considerations to be able to be effective. One is desolution of power of the national government over our natural resources. Two, the reclassification of lands (for example of the unused mining lands being reclassified into A and D lands that it may fully be utilized) and three that a subsidy from the national government be given to protect the important lands such as water cradles and reservations including conversion of lands for sustainable livelihoods for the affected indigenous groups in the area.

"Why not hire a person to protect a certain land for livelihood reasons the same way the national government could give subsidy and support to farmers of tobacco plantations?"

Another fear factor to consider is the fact that the Cordillera Region is composed of different tribal groups. Can we co-exist as a regional autonomy area with different beliefs? In such a case, the tribal people have the tendency to follow and listen to their leaders.

With this, the primer is not enough to make them understand the idea of autonomy. The organizing body should first identify the problems and offer solutions to them. They have to go to the grassroots to explain. Credible people familiar with the tribal group and their cultures should be tapped for help in the proper dissemination and explanation of issues.

Most importantly people without personal interests could be good examples in pushing for autonomy. -- email: twilight_glo@yahoo.com