Cordi autonomy, dev’t goals top agenda during NEDA head’s visit

Baguio b’gay, SK officials set Oct 29-30 gab by Mario T. Lubguban  BAGUIO CITY – National Economic Development Authority Director General and Socio-economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia and Regional Development Office Head Undersecretary Adoracion Navarro will be in his summer capital Oct. 29-30 for meetings with regional officials on issues like Cordillera autonomy.  The Secretary will attend the 21st IPRA Day celebration to deliver the inspirational message on October 29.   Joining him are DOT Undersecretary Marco Bautista and Presidential Adviser for IP Concerns Usec. Allen Capuyan who will give the Keynote Message and another inspirational message, respectively. This will be followed in the afternoon by a site visit to the Baguio Airport after which he will be meeting with the Cordillera RDC Chairperson Mauricio Domogan, the RDC Sectoral Committee Chairpersons, Congressmen and Governors, Baguio Airport stakeholders, and Autonomy IEC speakers.  During the meeting, the Secretary will be apprised on the status of the region’s autonomy advocacy and will explore how NEDA can further support it at the national level. Also to be presented is the Baguio Airport Modernization Program and the aspiration of the region to have it included in the country’s Infrastructure Program. On October 30, Secretary Pernia will deliver the keynote message for the Regional Symposium on UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) or the UN Agenda 2030. The Symposium was organized by NEDA-CAR to serve as an opportunity to raise awareness and appreciation of the Agenda 2030; discuss the its challenges; and encourage support from government agencies, local government units, civil society organizations, and academe in achieving the SDGs in the region. Aligned with UN SDGs, Cordillera autonomy is seen as the most effective way to achieve progress in the region. Since 2006, the RDC has adopted Cordillera autonomy as the central theme of regional development.

Through its Social Preparation of CAR into and Autonomous Region (SPCAR) program, NEDA Cordillera has led the way in raising awareness and gaining support for regional autonomy which is focused on attaining sustainable development and just and lasting peace in the region.

Meanwhile, more than a thousand barangay officials and SK chairpersons of Baguio City will convene for a mass information and dissemination campaign on Cordillera autonomy, on Oct. 29 to 30 in Teachers’ Camp, Baguio City.

Introduced by city information officer Briccio Domondon, who was recently trained as an autonomy IEC speaker by the NEDA-CAR Social Preparation of CAR into an Autonomous Region (SPCAR) program, the event aims to raise awareness on Cordillera autonomy and solicit grassroots supports for the advocacy.

Local officials of this highly urbanized city and currently the regional center of CAR play a significant role in influencing their constituents to support the campaign given their regular interactions. 

The RDC-CAR adopted the renewed pursuit for Cordillera autonomy as its overarching theme towards self-determination with the hope of advancing the region’s development while preserving its rich culture and unique identity.

Since 2006, the NEDA-CAR as secretariat of the RDC has spearheaded the pursuit of regional autonomy.