Cordillerans in Lower House urged: Set autonomy bill for 18th Congress

By Marlo T. Lubguban

BAGUIO CITY – Cordillerans in the House of Representatives Baguio City Rep. Mark Go and Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO) Asec. Orville Ballitoc were urged to look into improving the Cordillera Organic Act in Congress in preparation for the 18thCongress.

They both acknowledged little time remaining in the 17th Congress to pass the bill establishing Cordillera autonomy during the NEDA-CAR autonomy year-end assessment on Dec. 20, 2018.

Explaining the process of having a bill passed into law as an officer of PLLO, Ballitoc said, “We have so much time for preparation and organizing for the 18th Congress.”

He said Cordillerans and advocates of autonomy should not be discouraged as this is an opportunity to have the bill improved and less time for deliberation in the next Congress.

Referring to Cordillera autonomy, Go said, “This was not in my agenda when I ran in 2016, but I am convinced that autonomy is for the betterment of the region”.

He promised to devote his remaining time in the 17th Congress into refining the bill along with the technical working group for HB 5343.

RDC vice chair Milagros Rimando, regional director of NEDA-CAR, the lead agency in the renewed pursuit of Cordillera autonomy, said she was inspired by the message of Ballitoc.

She recognized significant steps the advocacy has made since filing the bill in 2017.

However, she added that while the information campaign to raise awareness and gain support for autonomy has grown, the actual work to get the bill ratified and ready for plebiscite entails more work.

Regardless of the elected representatives for the 18th Congress, the RDC continues to pursue autonomy as the best way to achieve just and lasting peace and sustainable development in the region -- NEDA-SPCAR