Saturday, July 05, 2008 Gov’t officials blamed for failed autonomy
MISINFORMATION and the lack of enough information are reasons why the bids for autonomy in the Cordilleras failed twice before.
According to Baguio Vice Mayor Daniel Fariñas, information reaching the people dwelled only on the supposed "disadvantages" of autonomy and politicians who have vested interests in autonomy have used the issue, not for the advancement of the indigenous peoples of the Cordillera, but to protect their positions in government.
"The bureaucracy and our elected leaders failed to give the correct information," Fariñas said, citing this as the reason why people have remained indifferent to having an autonomous region.
"Had people been properly informed, the region would have been reaping the gains of having an independent government," Fariñas told reporters in a press briefing on Friday.
"We are moving backwards," he said.
He personally views that the renewed bid for autonomy should be pursued anew, but that there has to be changes in strategies in information dissemination.
Fariñas said line agencies in charge of information dissemination should make an effort to visit the remotest barrios of the Cordillera and not concentrate only on capital towns.
Two plebiscites have previously been held to create the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), but both failed.
Recently, the Regional Development Council has been holding mock polls to gauge the public's openness to an autonomous government at this time. Results showed the Cordillera populace remains unprepared for autonomy.
On the occasion of the CAR's 21st anniversary on July 21, Baguio Representative Mauricio Domogan again broached the idea of autonomy.
In an earlier Sun.Star report, Domogan urged leaders in the region to revisit the rejected bill. Along with this encouragement is his clarification that autonomy will not reduce and benefits of local government units (LGUs) and national line agencies.
Domogan said an autonomous region will instead give local leaders the independence in managing their own affairs, while allowing more leeway for the promotion of local culture. (RO)
