Cordillera autonomy hearings pushed

By Gaby B. Keith

BAGUIO CITY -- Mayor Benjamin Magalong ratified city council resolution no. 204, series of 2023, urging Baguio Rep. Marquez Go to conduct public consultations on the latest version of the Autonomy Bill pending in Congress and the proposed amendments to the Revised Charter of the City of Baguio, if any.
    The approved measured stated that Go is actively doing important legislations such as the Autonomy Bill and Constitutional Amendments, the Summer Capital’s Revised Charter under Republic Act No. 11689 and the Metropolitan Baguio, La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba and Tublay Development Authority (MBLISTTDA).
    “These may soon become laws. It is therefore just and proper that the citizenry should be well informed and be part in crafting these legislations, otherwise, for lack of consultation and information, they might reject the law one way or another,” it stressed.
    The resolution pointed out that considering that these legislative measures will have significant implications on the lives and property rights of citizens and the City of Baguio, “a public consultation should be an important aspect of democratic governance allowing citizens to voice their opinions and concerns about matters that will affect them; consultations should be made part of national and local legislation.”
    It disclosed that in the consultation held on February 28, 2023 at the Baguio Cultural and Convention Center, the participants made an observation that the city’s revised charter could have included the amalgamation of barangays to comply with the standard requirement for a barangay set by the Local Government Code.
    Cordillera Congress representatives are rushing passage of House Bill 3267 that seeks establishment of  Cordillera Autonomous Region in the House of Representatives before adjournment of Congress the first week of June this year.
    Kalinga congressmen Allen Jesse Mangaoang of Kalinga, Maximo Dalog Jr. of Mountain Province and Mark Go of Baguio City, who headed a public consultation on the autonomy bill, said the bill was being calendared for plenary debates once Congress resumes its first regular session second week of May for the same to be approved on second and third readings before adjournment.
    Mangaoang said they wanted the autonomy bill will first be passed by the House so that there will be a compelling reason for them to request a meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for him to certify the bill a priority administration measure.
    A meeting with the President will be scheduled before he delivers his second State of the Nation Address before a joint session of Congress by 4th week of July so he will include the same in his address.
    Go said the approved House version of the autonomy bill will be submitted to Sen. Robinhood Padilla, who will author the Senate version and facilitate immediate passage of the bill.
    At present, no counterpart bill on the proposed autonomy law has been filed in the Senate.
    Mangaoang said former and incumbent Cordillera leaders who will be meeting with the President will present to him signatures from the region to support their request for certification of the autonomy bill as a priority administration measure.