Cordillera autonomy advocates increase

By Dexter A. See

BAGUIO CITY  – The Cordillera Administrative Region  celebrated its 25^th founding anniversary with a call from a cross-section of the region for President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III to certify House Bill (HB) 5595 and Senate Bill  3115 that seeks to establish an autonomous region in the Cordillera as a priority administration measure to accelerate the socio-economic and infrastructure growth of the highlands.

The silver anniversary celebration was capped by the turnover of the “unity gong” by Apayao officials led by Rep. Eleanor Bulut-Begtang and Gov. Elias C. Bulut, Jr. to Baguio City officials led by Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan to showcase the renewed unity of Cordillerans in clamoring for self-determination that will help address the historical injustices committed by the national government to the region. The gong symbolizes the region’s unity because it is played in chants, dances and festivals in the different tribes comprising the CAR.

John Castanieda, regional director of the Cordillera office of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG-CAR), said the “unity gong” travelled around 1,500 kilometers around the region in an piece relay to drum beat the snowballing call for regional autonomy so that Cordillerans will be the ones to administer their affairs and will have greater control on the use of the region’s rich natural resources instead of multinational companies taking the region’s resource away without significant benefits to host communities.

Former President Corazon C. Aquino issued Executive Order (EO) No. 220 on July 15, 1987 that created the CAR comprising the provinces of Abra, Benguet and Mountain Province and Baguio City from Region I and Ifugao, Kalinga and Apayao from Region II pursuant to Section 15 Article 10 of the Philippine Constitution.

During the CAR foundation day program held at the Baguio Convention Center Sunday, Rp. Begtang, Gov. Bulut, Mayor Domogan, Benguet Gov. Nestor Fongwan, Ifugao Gov. Eugene Balitang, Mountain Province Gov. Leonard G. Mayaen and Kalinga Acting Gov. Allen Jesse Mangaoang appealed for unity among Cordillerans in order to convince the Aquino administration to make the region’s clamor for autonomy a priority administration measure and certify the pending autonomy bills as urgent.

“We want our region intact in case we become autonomous so that we will be able to preserve and protect our distinct although diversedcuture and traditions,” Gov. Bulut said, adding those favoring autonomy should not be viewed as only interested in the subsidy to be provided by the national government but instead to the equitable distribution of resources that will be instrumental in accelerating development regionwide.

   

Domogan said “it is high time for the region to move on towards a better pace of development instead of being contented with what the national government gives to the local government units, thus, the achievement of autonomous status is the answer to the questions on when will be the region develop into a economic hub,”

           

“Benguet people are comfortable with other people in their mother region, thus, we call on other convinced individuals and groups to help Benguets realize that the quest for self-governance is for the benefit of everyone,” Gov. Fongwan said, adding that grassroots consultations in the 13 towns are now underway to inform his constituents on the real essence of autonomy.

           

Gov. Balitang urged Cordillerans to have the wisdom that the ifugaosposses since “they are just awaiting the schedule of the plebiscite for the approved autonomy law and they will go for it.”

           

“Mountain Province is the center of the Cordillera and all historice events that led to the creation of CAR emanated from our province,” Gov. Mayaen told Manila Standard, noting that the signing of the peace agreement between President Aquino and former rebel priest ConradoBalweg was done at the Mount Data Hotel located in Mount Data, Bauko, Mountain Province.

           

For his part, Mangaoang said the Cordillera is now capable of achieving autonomous status after a long experience as an administrative region, thus, people must already grabe the opportunity provided them before it will be too late in the day.

           

Domogan explained in an autonomous set up, local governments and regional line agencies will maintain their existing powers, rights and privileges but the only difference is that the region will have more devolved powers from the national government such as the right to issue mining permits, explorations processes, hydroelectric dam permits, water rights, ancestral land titles among others since “the people in the region are more knowledgeable on the current sitatuion and the appropriate solution to problems in the region.”

           

The CAR foundation anniversary was participated in by more than 5,000 individuals that came from the cross section of the region with the provinces of Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province and Baguio City having equitable representation.