Government, private groups push Cordillera autonomy

BAGUIO CITY – Government and nongovernment organizations are now banding together to discuss and make recommendations on Cordillera autonomy even as the Duterte administration is pushing a federal form of government.   

Groups include Cordillera Administrative Region Association of State Universities and Colleges (CARASUC), University of the Philippines Baguio, and Regional Development Council through the National Economic Development Authority-CAR and the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA).

Abigail Anongos, CPA secretary general bared this saying on August 29-30, a Cordillera elders workshop on regional autonomy will be conducted at Gladiola Hall, Benguet State University, La Trinidad, Benguet.

“This collaborative effort of the organizers aims to generate views and recommendations of indigenous elders and indigenous peoples mandatory representatives (IPMRs) on critical issues associated with regional autonomy and federalism which is being pushed by the Duterte administration,” Anongos said. 

“Their views and recommendations will contribute significantly in understanding how local autonomy is being practiced, asserted and defended by indigenous peoples, and how these can contribute towards building genuine regional autonomy in the Cordillera.”

Specifically, the workshop will look into the following: disintegration of traditional governance systems in relation to self-identity and ancestral territory; free, prior and informed consent (FPIC), conflict resolution; identification of mechanisms for the continuing participation of elders in understanding, framing and building regional autonomy in the Cordillera and federalism.

She added on Aug. 31, the stakeholders consultation on regional autonomy and federalism will take place still at Benguet State University for stakeholders to share their experiences on their advocacy of Cordillera regional autonomy and to draw lessons from these experiences; to situate the Cordillera Regional Autonomy discourse within the Duterte Administration’s program for federalism and the peace talks, and finally, to come up with resolutions and recommendations on these developments.