The quest for Cordillera regional autonomy is a step closer with the Cordillera lawmakers filing in the House of Representatives House Bill 5595 or the Act to Establish the Cordillera Autonomous Region.
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On Wednesday, December 7, five of the Cordillera congressmen - Bernardo Vergara of Baguio City, Manuel Agyao of Kalinga, Eleanor Bulut-Begtang of Apayao, Teddy Baguilat of Ifugao, and Maximo Dalog of Mt. Province - signed the bill making them principal authors of HB 5595.
Congressman Ronald Cosalan of Benguet and Congresswoman Jocelyn Bernos of Abra signified to sign the bill making them principal authors of HB 5595 as well.
HB 5595 was drafted after a series of regionwide consultations were conducted through the Regional Development Council(RDC) and the Third Autonomy Act Drafting Committee headed by Baguio City mayor Mauricio Domogan.
Consultations were conducted in each province both by government and the private sectors for the different sectors from December 2010 to May 2011. The draft underwent several other revisions following more meetings and consultations.
During a special RDC meeting held in Sulu Hotel in Quezon City on Dec.7, RDC chairman Kalinga Governor Jocel Baac together with the other members appealed to Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo to make HB 5595 a priority bill by President Aquino.
Robredo told RDC members they should furnish his office a copy of the draft organic act and other necessary papers. He also suggested that the RDC seek an audience with the President and present the RDC’s stand on the significance of proclaiming the bill as a priority of the Aquino administration next year.
The Cordillera Region is one of two regions in the country that is allowed by the Constitution to establish autonomous governments. But it cannot exercise that privilege unless a Republic Act is crafted and acceptable by plebiscite.
Meanwhile, Executive Order 30, that created the Cordillera Administrative Region remains in effect pending the establishment of an autonomous region.
Cordillera leaders believe an autonomous government will be a way of fast-tracking development in the region which has been left behind by other regions since its creation in 1987.
The region has been lagging behind in terms of road networks while majority of its component provinces remain in the top 20 poorest provinces.
This will be the third attempt of the Cordillera region to seek autonomy after two failed plebiscites in 1989 and 1998.
Meanwhile, the RDC members also took time and went to Congress to witness the signing of the bill and at the same visit House Speaker Sonny Belmonte to show that the Cordillera are united in pushing for the regional autonomy. - (PIA)
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