20 Years Of Cordillera Day

  • June 2020
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20 Years of Cordillera Day

A Historic Testament to the Resolute Cordillera Peoples’ Struggle http://www.bulatlat.com/news/4-12/4-12-cordillera2.html The history of Cordillera Day is the history of a vibrant peoples’ struggle for a just society. It is an annual observance of achievements, where weaknesses are recognized and lessons are learned. It is also an annual event for renewing the commitment and ideals pursued by Cordillera’s heroes and martyrs. BY WINDEL BOLINGET Contributed to Bulatlat.com

Part I:  A Mirror of Cordillera History and Politics   This  year’s  Cordillera  Day  observance  completes  a  two‐decade  celebration  and  marks  the  24th  death  anniversary  of  Macliing  Dulag,  a  tribal  chieftain  and  protest  leader  felled  by  Marcos  soldiers. For 20 years, the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) spearheaded the annual celebration,  despite the difficult years the Cordillera peoples’ movement has gone through.   Government  forces  have,  time  and  again,  harassed  and  tried  to  derail  the  people’s  Cordillera  Day.  There  were  also  attempts  to  lure  the  people  away  from  Cordillera  Day  and  the  militant  mass  movement.  But  nothing  could  prevent  the  Cordillera  peoples  and  their  mass  movement  from celebrating this event and marking it as Their Day.      The birth of a tradition   April 24 is a very significant date for the peoples of the Cordillera.   On  the  evening  of  April  24,1980,  soldiers  belonging  to  the  Philippine  Army’s  4th  Infantry  Division  under  Lt.  Leodegario  Adalem  fired  at  two  houses  in  the  village  of  Bugnay,  Tinglayan,  Kalinga.    The  attack  meant  to  kill  two  prominent  leaders  of  the  Kalinga  and  Bontok  peoples  opposed  to  the  World  Bank‐funded  Chico  River  Basin  Hydroelectric  Dam  Project  of  the  late  dictator  Ferdinand  Marcos.  These  were  Ama  Macliing  Dulag  and  Pedro  Dungoc.  Macliing Dulag,  a respected  pangat (tribal chieftain) of  the  Butbut  tribe,  died  from  multiple  gunshots  while  Pedro  Macliing Dulag  Dungoc survived.    

 

Pedro Dungoc later joined the New Peoples Army (NPA) and died as a Red fighter.   This military terrorism and cowardly act ‐ the Macliing assassination ‐ served to strengthen the  determination of the Kalinga and Bontok tribal people. It further strengthened their unity against  a  common  enemy  –  the  Marcos  dictatorship  and  the  WB‐funded  Chico  dams.    The  anti‐Chico  dam  struggle  later  broadened  into  a  mass  movement  of  the  Cordillera  peoples  and  advocates.   The struggle evolved to the defense of ancestral land and for genuine regional autonomy.  

The  just  struggle  for  indigenous  peoples  rights  and  against  national  oppression  carried  by  the  militant  mass  movement  would  resound  beyond  the  Chico  valleys  and  into  the  national  and  international  arena  of  the  broad  movement  for  indigenous  peoples’  rights  and  for  self‐ determination.  This  is  the  legacy  carried  by  the  CPA  up  to  the present.   The Macliing memorials   In  1981,  a  year  after  the  martyrdom  of  Macliing  Dulag,  elders from Kalinga and Bontok gathered in Bugnay, Kalinga  to  commemorate  his  death  and  sacrifice  and  renew  their  commitment to the struggle.  Since then, villages along the  Chico  River  would  take  turns  hosting  the  annual  Macliing  Memorial  organized  by  the  KBPPHA  (Kalinga‐Bontok  Peace  Pact Holders Association).    The KBPPHA was organized after several inter‐tribal bodong  conferences forged a multi‐lateral pagta (peace pact).  From  the  traditional  bilateral  peace  pact,  the  pagta  was  crafted  into a multilateral peace pact arrangement  to unite  many villages opposed to  the  dam project  and  the  fascist  suppression  of  the  Marcos  dictatorship.  Unity  was  established  on  the  uncompromising  defense  of  the  Chico  valley  from  destruction  and  displacement  by  dam  and  mining projects, and assertion of human rights and indigenous peoples rights in view of fascism  and militarization.    The indigenous socio‐political structure and processes of the peace pact were appropriately and  creatively used to build broad inter‐tribal unity. This was a political advancement and widening  of worldview from the traditional bilateral peace pact. One pagta provision was “exclusion from  the  bodong  those  who  join  the  Philippine  military  and  those  who  work  for  the  construction  of  dams.”  Thus  the  indigenous  binodngan  practice  of  pagta  was  popularized.    It  served  to  build  unity of Cordillera peoples in their common struggles to defend land, livelihood and life.   The  Macliing  memorials  increasingly  grew  from  the  gatherings  of  elders  and  mostly  Chico  villagers and their supporters in the anti‐dam struggle to include other people who represented  other struggles being waged in other parts of the Cordillera.  It became an annual celebration to  remember  martyrs  who  gave  up  their  lives  for  the  Cordillera  struggle  and  an  occasion  for  solidarity  with  Cordillera  advocates.  The  memorials  served  to  build  and  strengthen  inter‐tribal  unity.    Since  the  venue  of  these  commemorations  were  in  far‐flung  and  militarized  areas,  participants  endured  long  hikes  and  braved  military  checkpoints.    Students,  professionals  and  guests came to know the realities in the countryside.    The successful anti‐Chico dam struggle by the Kalingas and Bontoks was followed by the victory  of  the  Tinggians  against  Cellophil  Resources  Corporation  (CRC).    This  corporation,  owned  by  Marcos  crony  Herminio  Disini,  was  awarded  a  logging  and  paper‐pulp  concession  covering  200,000 hectares of land with the biggest bulk in Abra in 1973.  

The two struggles dramatically demonstrated the people’s decisive stance to fight for their rights  and  their  ability  to  muster  widespread  national  and  international  support.    In  the  face  of  the  open fascist rule during Martial Law, this even meant resorting to armed resistance especially as  tribal communities are traditional warrior societies.   Again, one message was put across strongly:  No force, not even the military might of a fascist  state supported by the United States could crush a determined people from waging and winning  their just struggle.   In defense of ancestral domain and right to self‐determination    Such  inspired  struggle  in  the  Cordillera  countryside  and  the  militant  struggle  of  students,  workers,  professionals  in  the  urban  centers  converged  into  the  progressive  and  militant  mass  movement in the Cordillera that asserts the interests of the various ethno‐linguistic groups and  tribes as well as of the democratic classes and sectors.  This has evolved into the Cordillera mass  movement for the defense of the ancestral domain and for self‐determination.    Its organizational expression was realized in June 1984 in a Cordillera Peoples’ Congress that was  attended by more than 300 representatives of 23 organizations all over the Cordillera region.  In  that assembly, the Cordillera Peoples Alliance was born. CPA was the first, and continues to be  the  only  Cordillera‐wide  formation  that  brings  together  in  a  common  program  and  within  one  umbrella  organization,  the  elders,  youth  and  students,  women,  church  people,  professionals,  workers, peasants, urban poor, and overseas Filipino workers.   In February 1985, the KBPPHA resolved that the Macliing Memorial be celebrated as Cordillera  Day under the banner of the CPA. April 24 became an annual celebration of Cordillera peoples’  struggles  encompassing  all  issues,  in  commemoration  of  all  Cordillera  martyrs.  It  was  also  declared a solidarity day with national and international advocates and solidarity partners.    In that assembly, the KBPPHA was also transformed into the Cordillera Bodong Association (CBA)  that  would  co‐sponsor  the  celebration  of  Cordillera  Day  every  year.  In  1992,  the  CBA  evolved  into the present BPO–Binodngan People’s Organization. Bulatlat.com  

  Part II:  Historical Highlights  April 24, 1985 was the first Cordillera Day.  It was celebrated in the village of Belwang, Sadanga,  Mountain  Province  and  was  well  participated  in  by  peoples  organizations  of  the  different  sectors.  The issues of Chico dams, Cellophil, mining, militarization and human rights violations  were highlighted.    In  1986,  the  fall  of  the  Marcos  dictatorship  and  upsurge  in  the  mass  movement  made  it  appropriate to hold Cordillera Day in the town center and not the usual remote interior villages.  The Cordillera Day celebration was thus held in Bontoc to celebrate the overthrow of the Marcos  dictatorship and to reiterate the basic Cordillera peoples’ demands to the new Aquino regime. It  was the first to be held in a town center. Succeeding gatherings until 2001 would be held outside  the Chico River Valley.   Turbulent period  The  1987  Cordillera  Day  was  held  in  Lagawe,  capital  town  of  Ifugao  province.  This  marked  the  first  participation  of  representatives  from  other  indigenous  peoples’  organizations  in  the  Asia‐ Pacific region.  In this celebration, former Senators Lorenzo Tañada and Jose Diokno were given  plaques  of  recognition  for  their  strong  support  to  the  Cordillera  peoples’  struggle.    Ama  Lumbaya, a respected Kalinga elder and peace pact holder who took up arms to concretize his  defense  of  ancestral  land  and  opposition  to  the  Chico  dams,  was  also  recognized  during  the  event.    That  year,  the  celebration  was  held  amidst  much  hope  by  the  people  for  reforms  with  the  Aquino government.  The theme carried high hopes of achieving regional autonomy.  During the  first  months  of  Aquino’s  assumption  to  power,  the  Cordillera  People’s  Alliance  (CPA)  representing the Cordillera mass movement was honored with an invitation and appearance in  Malacañang  for  its  role  in  the  anti‐dictatorship  struggle  and  its  leadership  in  the  particular  Cordillera peoples movement for self‐determination.  

But the people’s hopes were immediately shattered by the anti‐people policies of the US‐Aquino  regime,  particularly  its  total  war  policy  and  its  coddling  of  the  paramilitary  Cordillera  Peoples  Liberation Army (CPLA).   In the end, 1987 turned out to be a turbulent year for the militant Cordillera mass movement.   The CPLA, led by Conrado Balweg, split from the New People’s Army (NPA) and held a peace pact  with President Aquino in Mt. Data in the same year.  The Aquino regime would totally embrace  CPLA to the exclusion and marginalization of the CPA and the militant mass movement that had  historically initiated and led the Cordillera movement for defense of ancestral land and for self‐ determination.    Corazon Aquino’s political shortsightedness and blind fear of the militant movement would lead  to future blunders on the handling of the Cordillera struggle for self‐determination.  It set up the  failed  Cordillera  Bodong  Administration  –  Cordillera  Regional  Assembly  and  came  out  with  the  first Organic Act for Regional Autonomy which was strongly rejected by the people.    CPA exposed and criticized the CPLA for its bankrupt ideas on Cordillera self‐determination like  “setting  up  a  Cordillera  nation”  with  a  “bodong  government,”  creating  animosity  between  Cordillerans  and  non‐Cordillerans  with  pronouncements  such  as  “Cordillera  for  Cordillerans  only,”  terrorism  of  the  paramilitary  CPLA  against  the  unarmed  mass  movement,  and  its  opportunist deals with mining companies/vested interests, and positioning in government even  though it is an armed group.   In turn, CPA leaders were harassed and persecuted.  The worst cases were the murders by CPLA  operatives of Daniel Ngayaan, CPA vice chairperson, and Romy Gardo, CPA Abra coordinator, in  October  and  December  1987,  respectively.    The  spate  of  human  rights  violations  was  a  testament  to  the  folly  of  the  Aquino  regime.  Its  initiatives  on  Cordillera  “self‐determination,”  closely  undertaken  with  the  CPLA  and  other  opportunist  traditional  politicians,  were  dismal  failures.  The  CPLA  would  be  condemned  for  its  terrorism  and  would  break  apart.    It  was  transformed by the military and the government as well as traditional politicians for their self‐ serving interests.    Cordillera  Day  1988  was  held  in  Baguio  City,  as  a  Peoples’  Tribunal  to  try  Conrado  Balweg and  the CPLA for their crimes.  Witnesses and families of CPLA victims presented testimonies on CPLA  atrocities  before  a  panel  composed  of  indigenous  elders,  lawyers,  church  people,  representatives  of  peoples’  organizations,  media,  and  international  solidarity  partners/  advocates of indigenous peoples rights and human rights.  The CPLA was found guilty of at least  18 crimes.    The  event  was  a  historic  milestone  for  two  reasons.    First,  the  people’s  trial  was  held  at  the  height of the Aquino regime’s total war policy and CPLA terrorism.  Second, the people, through  their  testimonies,  courageously  presented  the  truth  and  details  of  the  CPLA  crimes.    The  testimonies  brought  the  CPLA  crimes  to  broader  public  attention.  The  celebration  drew  its  success from the families  of the victims and witnesses who braved the storm of terrorism and  persecution.  

In  stark  contrast,  the  government  has  yet  to  convict  or  declare  the  CPLA  responsible  in  any  of  these crimes.     Rejection of false autonomy   The  next  Cordillera  Day  celebration  was  in  Tadian,  Mountain  Province.    It  took  place  amid  the  fuss  over  the  drafting  of  an  Organic  Act  for  an  Autonomous  Region  of  the  Cordillera,  which  in  1990  was  rejected  in  a  referendum.  The  Act  failed  to  truly  represent  the  land/resources  and  political  interests  of  the  Cordillera  people  and  there  was  no  genuine  consultation  with  the  people. Its close association with the CPLA was a major factor for the strong rejection.   In  1990,  Cordillera  Day  was  celebrated  in  Conner,  Apayao,  with  the  theme,  “Live  out  True  Autonomy.”    The  celebration  stressed  that  the  true  essence  of  autonomy  is  that  which  is  practiced  at  the  community  level  and  not  one  that  is  imposed.    The  celebration  also  held  the  dornat or renewal of the peace pact between two communities – an Isneg tribe and a Tingguian  tribe.    In  1991,  Cordillera  Day  was  held  for  the  second  time  in  Tadian,  Mountain  Province.    It  highlighted  sustainable  development  of  resources  within  ancestral  lands  as  an  integral  component of advancing autonomy.    The  following  year  saw  the  Cordillera  Day  celebration  in  Itogon,  Benguet,  site  of  the  open‐pit  mining  operations.    It  projected  the  militant  struggle  of  the  communities  against  large‐scale  mining and the plunder of their resources and livelihood since the early 1900s when American  mining started in the area.   In  1993,  Cordillera  Day  was  celebrated  in  Sagada,  Mountain  Province  where  soldiers  and  paramilitary elements stationed at a ridge overlooking the venue, “guarded” the activity.    Cordillera Day 1994 was held in Mankayan, Benguet. Like Itogon, Mankayan communities since  the American colonial period have been affected by large and destructive mining operations of  the Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company.  Issues of mineworkers on retrenchment and their  longstanding  demands  were  put  forward.  It  was  also  the  first  year  of  the  United  Nations’  International Decade for the World’s Indigenous Peoples, which ends this 2004. In line with this,  the  CPA’s  decade‐long  campaign  for  the  “Defense  of  Land,  Life  and  Resources”  was  also  launched.    It  was  during  this  year  that  the  CPLA  and  other  groups  started  their  own  bogus  version  of  “Cordillera  National  Day.”    Such  self‐serving  bogus  celebrations  would  be  attempted  in  the  coming  years  depending  on  the  objectives  of  CPLA,  the  Armed  Forces  of  the  Philippines  or  traditional politicians who persistently tried to confuse the people.   Cordillera  Day  1995  was  the  only  decentralized  celebration,  held  in  the  provinces  of  the  Cordillera and in Baguio City.   In 1996, Cordillera Day was celebrated in Baguio City for the second time. A breakthrough in the  history of Cordillera Day, the celebration was characterized by week‐long coordinated activities 

and conferences, and peaked in a march–rally.  A covenant was signed denouncing the policies  of  the  Ramos  government  like  the  Expanded  Value  Added  Tax,  the  MTPDP  (Medium  Term  Philippine Development Plan), Mining Act of 1995, San Roque Dam and policies on agriculture,  tourism, ancestral lands and deceptive regional autonomy.    Still the same issues  The  Cordillera  Day  celebration  in  1997  focused  on  the  issues  of  megadams,  which  were  the  starting  issues  of  the  early  Macliing  Memorials  and  Cordillera  Day.  It  was  held  in  Dalupirip,  Itogon,  Benguet,  one  of  the  remaining  bastions  of  Ibaloi  culture  threatened  by  the  San  Roque  Dam  construction.    Anti‐Chico  dam  veterans  from  Bontok  and  Kalinga  shared  their  experience  with  the  younger  generation,  narrating  how  they  employed  different  legal  means,  mass  mobilizations,  and  even  armed  resistance  to  defend  their  land.    The  elders  openly  expressed  their appreciation and gratitude to the NPA for its support in their life‐and‐death struggle.  They  urged  the  people  of  Dalupirip  to  learn  from  their  experience  and  heed  the  lessons  of  their  struggle.    Unlike the past celebrations which were held only on April 24, the 1997 Cordillera Day started  the tradition of holding the celebration for two days.  Various workshops on people’s issues were  held on the first day.  The main celebration was on the second day.   The 1998 Cordillera Day was the first centralized celebration to be held in the province of Abra,  outside of the 1995 decentralized celebrations.  It was a slap on the face of the CPLA since it was  in this area that the CPLA was formed and where the Balweg faction declared their split from the  NPA in 1986.   Balweg and his CPLA desperately attempted to prevent the preparations and even harassed the  participants who were on their way to the venue.  But all their efforts were futile as the villages  remained  firm  in  their  determination  to  host  the  Cordillera  Day.    Delegates  from  Mountain  Province trekked the mountains for a day just to reach the venue.    Cordillera Day 1998 was held in the wake of the resounding rejection of a bogus autonomy act in  a second plebiscite. It reiterated the basic position of the Cordillera peoples’ movement on the  issue  –  genuine  respect  of  ancestral  land  rights,  indigenous  socio‐political  institutions,  and  democratic processes is the essence of Genuine Regional Autonomy.   The  celebration  for  Cordillera  Day  in  1999  was  hosted  by  another  community  with  many  historical  lessons  of  struggles  to  share.  This  time  it  was  in  Mainit,  Bontoc,  Mountain  Province.   Before the actual Cordillera Day celebration, Mainit and the nearby villages united in a petition  to  drive  away  the  54th  Infantry  Battalion  from  the  area.    Thus,  there  were  no  military  harassments  during  the  actual  gathering.    The  host  community  shared  their  historic  record  in  frustrating  various  tactics  of  mining  companies  to  enter  their  ancestral  territory  as  well  as  opposing  through  concerted  militant  actions  a  geothermal  energy  project.  Thus,  the  challenge  espoused by the 1999 Cordillera Day was to draw lessons from militant local struggles.   Cordillera Day 2000 was the second celebration to be held in Abra, this time in the municipality  of  Sallapadan..    With  the  enactment  of  Indigenous  People’s  Rights  Act  (IPRA)  and  various anti‐

people  projects  in  the  region,  the  call  during  the  celebration  was  “Resist  all  attempts  to  disintegrate  the  indigenous  systems  and  processes  of  the  Cordillera  peoples.”    The  unity  pact  forged  in  1998  in  Tubo  was  renewed  in  a  closing  ritual  led  by  the  host  community  and  elders.   The  celebration  supported  the  community  protest  against  the  FTAA  (Financial  and  Technical  Assistance Agreement) application of a U.S. mining company, Newmont.  The peasant situation,  IPRA (Indigenous Peoples Rights Act) and various issues on forestry were tackled.    In  2001,  Cordillera  Day  was  brought  again  to  Mankayan,  Benguet  ‐  a  community  ravaged  by  mining.  The  usual  scarcity  of  water  due  to  Lepanto  Mining  operations  was  minimized  by  the  discipline of delegates in view of rationed water.  This was also assuaged by a sudden welcome  rain at the time of Cordillera Day.   The  delegates  saw  first‐hand  the  tailings  dam  of  Lepanto,  ground  subsidence  and  massive  landslide  as  well  as  the  collapsed  mine  tailings  dams.    The  celebration  highlighted  the  burning  issue  of  mining  and  expressed  support  to  the  local  struggle  against  Lepanto  operation  and  expansion.    It  was  also  during  this  year  that  the  peoples’  movement  participated  in  the  electoral  struggle  through the party list elections.  The celebration pointed out the role of the mass movement in  Philippine elections and advanced the politics of genuine change.  Cordillera Day 2001 supported  Bayan  Muna  (People  First),  a  progressive  political  party  of  marginalized  sectors,  which  later  overwhelmingly topped the party‐list elections and garnered more than enough votes to qualify  for the maximum three seats allowed to party‐list groups in the House of Representatives.   Returning to where it all began  Going back to where it all started in the Chico Valley, Cordillera Day 2002 was celebrated in the  village of Dupag, situated along the Chico River, in Tabuk, Kalinga.  There was an ocular tour to  the  historic  sites  of  protests  against  the  Chico  Dam  passing  through  military  detachments  stationed inside the community. As Kalinga is the most militarized province in the region and is  beset with tribal wars together with Mountain Province, the celebration drew attention to and  passed resolutions on the issues of tribal wars, militarization, and human rights.   The  celebration  also  highlighted  the  national  and  international  protests  against  U.S.  military  intervention in the Philippines, and the  all‐out puppetry of the Arroyo regime to U.S President  Bush’s preemptive wars of aggression and intervention in sovereign states.   Cordillera  Day  2002  was  honored  with  the  presence  of  the  CPA  founding  chairperson,  lawyer  William “Billy” Claver. Aside from the remarkable support of the local government unit, the 2002  celebration  had  the  biggest  number  of  international  delegates  and  mobilization  in  the  recent  celebrations.   In 2003, the Cordillera Day accomplished another breakthrough as this was the only celebration  ever  held  outside  the  government‐defined  Cordillera  Administrative  Region.    It  was  held  in  Lamag,  Quirino,  Ilocos  Sur.    Cordillera  Day  2003  affirmed  the  self‐defined  identity  of  the  host  community,  being  Igorot  indigenous  peoples  and  reaffirmed  the  Cordillera  mountain  range  as  the regional geographical coverage of the Cordillera region as defined by the Cordillera peoples’ 

movement.    The  celebration  served  to  build  the  broadest  Cordillera  and  Ilokandia  solidarity  in  saving  the  mighty  Abra  River  from  further  destruction  by  Lepanto  Mining  for  the  next  generations.   Testament to a people’s resolve  Delegates to the Cordillera Day celebrations range from 3,000 to 4,500 persons. It continues to  be the biggest annual regional mobilization of CPA and serves as a mass educational forum for  the  Cordillera  mass  movement.  Mobilizations  could  easily  be  much  bigger  if  not  for  financial  constraints. Militarization has also been a factor restricting village delegations.   Celebrations  have  also  been  held  for  the  past  several  years  in  Hongkong,  Belgium  and  Macau,  and recently by Filipino Americans in California.  These are organized by Cordillera migrants and  workers together with international solidarity partners and advocates of Cordillera struggles and  indigenous peoples rights.    The history of Cordillera Day is the history of a vibrant peoples’ struggle for a just society. It is an  annual observance of achievements, where weaknesses are recognized and lessons are learned.   It is an annual event for renewing the commitment and ideals pursued by the Cordillera heroes  and  martyrs.    It  is  a  testament  to  the  unwavering  resolve  of  the  Cordillera  peoples  and  of  the  Filipino  people  to  further  strengthen  the  struggle  for  genuine  regional  autonomy  for  the  Cordillera within a truly sovereign and democratic Philippines. Bulatlat.com   PHOTO  Cordillera Day Celebration Through the Years 

ESSAY  

POSTED BY BULATLAT.COM 

  1985: The first Cordillera Day celebration held in Sadanga, Mt. Province (Bulatlat file photo) 

  1986: Defending the Cordillera peoples' right to self‐determination (Bulatlat file photo) 

  1990: Calling on the Cordillera people to "live out true autonomy" (Photo by Lito Ocampo) 

  1992: Cordillera Day celebration in Baguio City  (Photo courtesy of Cordillera People's Alliance) 

  2002: Back to where it all began ‐‐ Tabuk, Kalinga (Photos by Oliver Garcia) 

 

2003:  Building  the  broadest  Cordillera  and  Ilokandia  solidarity  to  save  the  Abra  River  from  further destruction, the Cordillera Day celebration was held in Quirino, Ilocos Sur, outside of the  government‐defined  Cordillera  Administrative  Region  for  the  first  time.  (Photos  courtesy  of  Cordillera People's Alliance)  Posted by Bulatlat.com     

Cordillera: Still not autonomous after 21 years of preparation 07/22/2008 | 05:23 PM

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines - More than half of the people of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) have no idea that the 1987 Constitution provides for their autonomy. That's why after 21 years since the Constitution was passed, they still have not become the Cordillera Autonomous Region – not even after two plebiscites, one in 1995 and another in 1998, both of which failed. To be exact, 64 percent of the people in the region know nothing about autonomy, according to a survey conducted from October 2007 to January 2008 by the Regional Development Council. "This is lamentable, and at the same time an eye opener," Baguio Rep. Mauricio Domogan told several hundred participants of the Walk Cordillera Walk advocacy campaign on Monday at the Baguio Athletic Bowl. It was Juan Ngalob, the director of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), who cited the results of the survey. Last Monday also happened to be the 21st anniversary of CAR, which was was created on July 15, 1987, supposedly as a first step to its becoming an autonomous region. More statistics While other parts of the country are clamoring for federalism and autonomy, Cordillerans have no idea what such concepts could mean to them, politically or economically. Ngalob cited more figures that should worry Cordillera politicians: • 40 percent of Cordillerans do not know if the CAR is ready to become autonomous. • More than a third think CAR is not ready yet to become autonomous. • 66 percent of Cordillerans would not know how to vote should a third organic act need to be ratified in a plebiscite, as set in the Constitution. • Only 19 percent would vote to ratify an organic act. • 15 percent said they would votes against ratifying an organic act.

Refocusing efforts But Ngalob remains confident that the groundwork has been laid down and that an information campaign could still lead to autonomy. According to Ngalob, the government has decided to refocus its efforts to regional development and autonomy to enable local officials to deliver functions devolved by the national government, such as sharing taxes among regional agencies. To achieve that, Domogan said some local officials are now proposing to amend Executive Order 220 which paved the way for the creation of the CAR. "Let us work together to achieve what is good under EO220 without giving up the dream for autonomy," Domogan said. An autonomy law for the Cordillera is being crafted now, according to the legislator. He admitted that how past political leaders in the region here wanted to ram through the organic act without people really understanding the meaning of autonomy. Shift To federalism Autonomy advocate Gabino Ganggangan, a former mayor of Sadanga town in Mountain Province, claims that the first two autonomy drafts were government sponsored laws that were "planned to fail." The issue of autonomy, he said, had become so unpopular that even the earlier prime movers had shifted strategy by adopting a more prominent stance for federalism. Leaders of the newly unified Cordillera Peoples Liberation Army (CPLA) and its political arm, the Cordillera Bodong Administration (CBA) has agreed to pursue Cordillera autonomy’s political and economic development agenda this time. But it will do so in a wider and broader scope through a federal form of national governance, according to Miguel Guimbatan Jr., who had helped the CPLA and CBA. Lawyer Joel Obar, a former CBA chief executive, explained that the term autonomy has lost its meaning after being misused, abused, and tainted with several negative connotations. "Federalism is an answer," Obar said. Obar still encourages advocates to resume their passion for self-determination and self-governance through federalism. He suggests a separate federal state also for the Cebuano’s, the Ilongos, and the Warays. Newly elected CPLA chief of staff Mando Mosing, alias Ka Mando, said: "Federalism has been our stand even before the autonomy concept was introduced. We have a unique resource base and cultural background. Development efforts should start from here." In 1986, Mosing received the peace tokens from President Corazon Aquino during the Mount Data peace

accord with the CPLA. Common culture, common aspirations The upland region of the Cordillera is still composed of indigenous people in the provinces of Abra, Benguet, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Kalinga, and Apayao. Each have diversified practices but with a distinct and common cultural heritage, history, and aspirations. CBA president Marcelina Bahatan suggests that other areas with distinct culture and resources might want to develop and be governed with their own unique way through a federal regional government. A national movement to shift to a federal form of government is gaining ground with the proposal of maintaining 11 federal estates. From north to south, they are: 1. Northern Luzon 2. Cordillera 3. Central Luzon 4. Metro Manila 5. Southern Luzon 6. Bicol 7. Western Visayas and Palawan 8. Central and Eastern Visayas 9. Northern Mindanao and Zamboanga Peninsula 10. Davao Region and Central Mindanao 11. Bangsamoro (Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) According to the federalism proposal: "Each is an autonomous regional government of the federal republic. The territory of the different 'estados' is determined by a combination of geographic contiguity of their component areas, their ethnic, linguistic and other cultural aspects, and their socio-economic potential and viability." - GMANews.TV

    Cordillera: Autonomy Campaign Gets Funding Sunday, 11 February 2007

Below is an article published by Sun Star: President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has earmarked P15 million [approximately 240.000 Euro] from the approved P1.126 trillion national budget this year to jumpstart the mapping of strategies to jumpstart the revitalized autonomy campaign in the Cordillera. Mountain Province Governor Maximo Dalog, chairman of the Regional Development Council (RDC), said the renewed autonomy campaign is aimed at teaching local government units to be fiscally autonomous

before

the

region

could

be

ready

for

the

long

desired

self

rule.

He added the continuing appropriation, which will be under the care of the RDC, will be on the perception of Cordillerans on autonomy especially for the present and future generations. Earlier, the RDC approved the revival of the debates on Cordillera autonomy and requested Arroyo to provide P33 million annually as its working budget to formulate appropriate strategies that could help inform the people on the real purpose and benefits of autonomy. National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) Regional Director Juan Ngalob, concurrent RDC vice chairman, pointed out that the best way to achieve regional autonomy is to make sure that all local government units comprising the Cordillera are financially stable because fiscal autonomy is the foundation of political autonomy. In achieving fiscal autonomy, he said local officials must not increase existing taxes but instead come up with be resourceful in maximizing their available potential sources of revenue. Dalog said the funds will be utilized for the preparation and full implementation of the strategies that will finally convert the administrative status of the Cordillera into a full-pledged autonomous region. The 1987 Constitution provides that autonomous regions will be established in the Cordillera and Mindanao in recognition of their plight for self-governance. On July 15, 1987, former President Corazon Aquino signed Executive Order 220 creating the Cordillera Administrative Region, which is composed of the provinces of Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province and the City of Baguio in preparation for its autonomous status. However, the Cordillerans overwhelmingly rejected the two autonomy laws passed by Congress in two plebiscites: one on January 30, 1990 and the other on March 7, 1998. Ngalob claimed the RDC is not rushing the conversion of the Cordillera into an autonomous region but people must be well-educated on the benefits of being an autonomous region in the next 20 years or more.

 

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