Cordi autonomy Ifugao gov’s concern if reelected

By Juan B. Dait Jr.

LAGAWE, Ifugao – The grant of regional autonomy to the Cordillera Region will be the priority concern of Gov. Teodoro Baguilat Jr. should he be elected congressman of the lone district of this province in the coming elections.

The governor, who is running for congress under the Liberal Party, said while the Philippine constitution provides for regional autonomy for the Cordilleras, the past years have not produced an inspired leadership among autonomy proponents in the region.

Baguilat promised to provide the necessary leadership in the Cordillera people’s pursuit of regional autonomy when he spoke before delegates to the first regional assembly of the Cordillera senior citizens at the newly-inaugurated Ifugao Provincial Senior Citizens’ Building at the Capitol compound here.

The governor also said he would work for the recognition of the rights of the country’s indigenous communities whom he described as belonging to the country’s “poorest of the poor” sector and unfair victims of injustice and discrimination.

The third priority concern announced by Gov. Baguilat should he make it to Congress would be the preservation of the rich cultural heritage of the indigenous peoples of the Philippines which sets them apart from the rest of the Filipino people.

Some 70 leaders of senior citizens’ associations in six Cordillera provinces and the cities of Baguio and Tabuk attended the March 29 – 30, 2010 assembly here of the highland region’s senior citizens’ federation.

Topics discussed during the two-day assembly were the provisions of the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2009 which was recently passed by Congress, and the election of party list representatives to Congress.

The National Federation of Senior Citizens of the Philippines has been accredited by the Comelec as a party list organization and will participate in the forthcoming national elections.