Cordillera regional autonomy once more with feelings

EDITORIAL

The quest to make the Cordillera autonomous is just that – still a dream considering that most regional folks, basing from surveys, would rather retain its present setup as an administrative region.

For militant groups like the Cordillera Peoples’ Alliance, “genuine” regional autonomy cannot be attained under a “reactionary” and “fascist” government. For government lackeys and officials, the quest for regional autonomy is lip service, according to their militant critics.

The Cordillera Administrative Region marked Wednesday its 22nd founding anniversary with government workers flocking to the Baguio Convention Center to “celebrate the anniversary of the region and renew commitment to revitalized effort to achieve an autonomous status as enshrined in the 1987 Philippine Constitution.”

Earlier, Malacañang declared July 15, 2009 as a non-working holiday in the Cordillera so people could commemorate founding of the CAR.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita issued Presidential Proclamation 1830 declaring July 15 a special non-working holiday in the region to allow the participation of the concerned sectors in the efforts to chart new development thrust for the Cordillera. The celebration was spearheaded by the Regional Development Council, the region’s policy making body.

On July 15, 1987, former President Corazon C. Aquino signed Executive Order No. 220 creating CAR out of the provinces of Abra, Benguet, Mountain Province, and Baguio City from Region I, and Apayao, Ifugao and Kalinga from Region II.

EO 220 came as a result of negotiations between the Cordillera People’s Liberation Army and Cordillera Bodong Administration then headed by rebel-priest Conrado Balweg and the Philippine government under the Aquino administration.

Peace negotiations between the two groups resulted to signing of the Mount Data peace agreement on Sept. 13, 1986. The creation of the CAR was in preparation for the establishment of an autonomous region in the Cordillera, but this was overwhelmingly rejected by the people in two plebiscites conducted on Jan. 30, 1990 and March 7, 1998.

Now the RDC is pushing autonomy for the region and asking for more funding worth millions of pesos from Malacanang for the endeavor. But are the people ready for autonomy?