Cordillera autonomy bill filing slated before Congress recess

By Michael Umaming

A bill to create a Cordillera autonomous region will be filed in Congress before the Lower House goes on recess on June 13.

This, following a joint meeting of the Regional Development Council  and Cordillera congressional representatives last May 27 in Congress wherein it was agreed a technical working group would be formed to integrate inputs made during consultations on regional autonomy November 2013 to April 2014.

Consultations were headed by the RDC and provincial government units which culminated to regional autonomy summit in Baguio April 30.

Used as template in the consultation was House Bill 5595 which was filed in the previous Congress but which failed to go beyond the Committee on Local Government.

Cordillera congressional representatives “as committee of a whole” were given the acronym DABBAC.

DABBAC stands for Representatives Dalog, Maximo (Mountain Province); Agyao, Manuel (Kalinga); Baguilat, Teddy (Ifugao); Begtang, Eleanor  (Apayao); Bernos, Jocelyn (Abra); Aliping, Nicasio (Baguio City); and Cosalan, Ronald (Benguet).

“We need to file the bill before Congress goes on recess on June 13, 2013,” Aliping said as he urged the TWG to work immediately.

“Some of the inputs during the consultations may not be considered in the proposed bill but they are matters that could be tackled by the Regional Assembly of the would-be Cordillera Autonomous Region,” said Dalog.  “Our people must be made to understand that regional autonomy is a compromised undertaking with the national government,” he said.

Some political leaders said they saw need to reach out to the different sectors especially the church, the media and the youth.

Ifugao Gov. Denis Habawel said the region must show massive support to the autonomy bill to get the president’s endorsement.  

Apayao Gov. Elias Bulut, Jr. said “The region must double its efforts to push for Cordillera Autonomy dahil 50-50 pa rin ang pagtingin ng tao lalo na at nararamdaman nila na gumaganda ang kalagayan.”

Ifugao Rep. Baguilat said there was  no reason for the people not to support regional autonomy if they understand it.

The TWG is comprised of the chiefs-of-staff of the Cordillera Administrative Region  congressmen, one representative of the provinces and the two cities of CAR and four representatives of the RDC.

This, as the RDC is now “refocusing” its campaign to attain regional autonomy for the Cordillera.

The RDC’s executive committee, regional line agencies, selected media, academe, private sector and speakers bureau approved Social Preparation of CAR into an Autonomous Region (SPCAR) logo and slogan and messages, political map during workshop on “restrategized IEC and alliance building towards Cordillera autonomy” held recently.

Future information education campaign materials shall include three core messages: a) Autonomy will perceive and enhance a Cordilleran identity; b) Autonomy will enable crafting policies that are more relevant to the unique Cordilleran context, and c) Autonomy will lead towards inclusive progress.

The approved SPCAR brand, core and sectoral key messages shall be used in future IEC materials.

 The logo depicts a man blowing a tangguyob embossed in a gong. The logo represents Cordillera culture and call for unity for autonomy.

The logo will be accompanied by a slogan “One Cordillera, Yes to Autonomy.”

The endeavor, coordinated by NEDA-CAR and the RDC, was meant to direct the IEC efforts in the region’s pursuit of autonomy, to arrive at awareness level targets.

It is also in response to the study and proposal of the UP Center for Local and Regional Governance on the current IEC and alliance building  efforts  of the region presented during review workshop on SPCAR IEC last May 7 – With a report from Carlito Dar .