Cordillera autonomy now a poll issue

THE pursuit of regional autonomy in the Cordillera has now become an election issue and is one of the major questions raised during the region-wide candidates’ forum for congressional and gubernatorial bets.

Of the 18 congressional candidates from the Baguio City and the six provinces in Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR), only five were able to attend in the "2016 Cordillera Candidates Public Interview: Know Your Leaders Forum" at the UC gym spearheaded by the Regional Development Council (RDC) and the National Economic Development Authority (Neda).

In Baguio, only congressional aspirant Edgardo Duque declined to attend while incumbent Baguio Representative Nicasio Aliping Jr., former Baguio congressman Bernardo Vergara, business tycoon Mark Go and Engr. Rudy Aspilan joined the forum.

Benguet Representative Ronald Cosalan also attended the forum and was later joined by his staunchest rival Governor Nestor Fongwan who arrived an hour late.

During the forum, candidates were given two minutes each to introduce themselves followed by questions on regional, provincial and city development issues such as budget allocations, labor force and employment, environment protection, investment and economy, among others.

Among the questions asked is the region's pursuit for autonomy as embodied in Article 10, Section 15 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution which mandates the creation of autonomous regions in Muslim Mindanao and in the Cordilleras.

The mandate for the creation of an autonomous region in the Cordillera was strengthened thru Executive Order 220 issued by the President Corazon Aquino in 1987 following a peace accord on September 13, 1986 between the Cordillera Peoples Liberation Army (CPLA) and the Republic of the Philippines at Mt. Data Hotel in Bauko, Mountain Province.

After two failed bids and the continuous education and information campaigns, the candidates were asked how they will support the realization of autonomy.

Vergara responded if given a chance, he will re-file the bill for autonomy in Congress and make it an urgent bill if his presidential bet Vice President Jejomar Binay wins.

Go, on the other hand, said while he supports autonomy, it needs to get the full support of the public through consultations.

Go added he has reviewed House Bill 4649 filed in 2014 and found many provisions needed to be deleted to reflect the real aspirations of the Cordillera people and the structure for an autonomous region should not be an added bureaucracy.

Aspilan said while he is not fully abreast of the topic, he will pursue autonomy and if elected, will mandate teachers to discuss in their classes the concept of an autonomous region.

For his part, Aliping said he will continue to work on the passage of House Bill 4649 in Congress.

“Are we prepared for autonomy,” Cosalan responded.

Cosalan said the two failed plebiscite means the Cordillerans are not yet ready for autonomy even at present and pursuing regional autonomy should not be of parochial interest among politicians.

Fongwan, on the other hand, said the idea of regional autonomy should be marketed first to the people through grassroots consultation.

“We need to make the public understand what autonomy is, before filing any bill,” Fongwan said.

The RDC has been conducting information and education campaigns for autonomy since 2007 to raise public awareness of all Cordillera stakeholders on the clamor to realize the constitutional provision and accelerate the socioeconomic development of the region.

RDC Social Preparation of CAR into an Autonomous Region team leader Marissa Cabato said most of the congressional candidates in Abra, and Kalinga declined.

Apayao Congresswoman Eleanor Bulut-Begtang and Mountain province Congressman Maximo Dalog, who are both running unopposed, also declined.

Ifugao congressional candidate Lawyer Solomon Chungalao confirmed to attend but was not able to arrive while incumbent Representative Teddy Baguilat declined as he had prior commitment.

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