Cordillera body: No autonomy plebiscite in next year’s polls

BAGUIO CITY – The Cordillera Regional Development Council here ruled a plebiscite for regional autonomy will not be done simultaneous with the May 2010 synchronized national and local elections even if there is a growing clamor to do so.

Various sectors in the different provinces, including this mountain resort city, have been daring the RDC to come out with a draft of the autonomy law so that it will be used as a basis in the conduct of the information and education campaign to the people and the conduct of a plebiscite simultaneous with the 2010 synchronized elections.

The groups claimed the plebiscite for the proposed Organic Act must be done at the soonest possible time so that it will not be overtaken by events such as the proposal to amend the 1987 Philippine constitution through the controversial constituent assembly or the favored Constitutional Convention since there might be a possibility that the constitutional provision mandating the establishment of an autonomous region in the cordillera will be scrapped.

However, Juan Ngalob, regional director of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) in the cordillera and acting RDC-CAR chairman, pointed out based on the three-year work plan for regional autonomy and development, what is lined up for next year will be the tracking survey to determine voter inclination for self-governance so that it will guide them in the formulation of appropriate strategies in bringing the campaign to a higher level.

According to him, it is important to know if the RDC-CAR had been doing significant programs and projects that have brought further awareness among the Cordillerans on the importance of achieving self-rule in order to advance the economic development of the region so that it could help move out the people from the shackles of poverty.

The tracking survey is intended to determine if there is a significant improvement to the 35 percent of Cordillerans who claimed they are aware of the renewed quest for regional autonomy and if the people are ready for the crafting of a new autonomy law.

Out of the 35 percent of Cordillerans who claimed they are aware of the quest for regional autonomy, 20 percent will surely vote in favor of the issue once the same will be submitted to the people for ratification in a plebiscite while 15 percent of Cordillerans will out rightly reject the said issue.

Ngalob said there is no compelling reason for the RDC-CAR to rush the matter since there are still numerous issues to be addressed as well as it is still an uphill climb for the grassroots level of informing the people on the benefits of achieving self-rule for the region.

Autonomy experts from the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) claimed the cordillera is in a better position to be autonomous because of its better peace and order situation coupled with the presence of itsrich natural resources that could be tapped to help in improving the economic situation of depressed communities.

The Constitution mandates the establishment of autonomous regions in the cordillera and Mindanao. Muslim Mindanao was able to achieve its autonomous status in the 1990s. – Dexter A. See