Cordillera autonomy advocates shift to federalism

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — Saying that the term autonomy has already lost its meaning, advocates of an autonomous Cordillera region in the northern Philippines are shifting support to the national movement for a federal form of government. Mando Mosing, alias Ka Mando, newly elected chief of staff of the revitalized Cordillera People’s Liberation Army (CPLA), said federalism has been the stand of his group even before the autonomy concept was introduced. “We have a unique resource base and cultural background … development efforts should start from here," said Mosing, who received the tokens from then President Corazon Aquino when the CPLA then led by rebel priest Conrado Balweg signed a peace accord with the government in 1986. The agreement led to the creation of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) consisting of the provinces of Abra, Benguet, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Kalinga, Apayao and Baguio City. To give flesh to the accord, Aquino signed Executive Order No. 220 on July 15, 1987, which gave birth to CAR. This was supposed to be a stepping stone to an autonomous region. The Cordillera electorate, however, rejected two proposed autonomy laws in two plebiscites — on Jan. 30, 1990 and on March 7, 1998. Autonomy advocate Gabino Ganggangan claimed that these were government-sponsored legislation that were “planned to fail." 21 years of neglect On Monday, regional offices in the CAR will take a rest to celebrate the 21st anniversary of the region. Malacańang, consistent with its holiday economic policy, issued proclamation 1551 declaring July 14 instead of the original July 15 as a special non-working holiday in the region. Former autonomy advocates, however, consider the holiday as a celebration of 21 years of government neglect and failure to grant the promised regional autonomy. “The Cordillera people received less than what they have bargained for so what will we celebrate," says one Ifugao native. Although the CAR is better today than it was 20 years ago in terms of social and economic development, advocates still believe that regional autonomy is the best way to lasting peace and progress. Leaders of the newly unified CPLA and its political arm, the Cordillera Bodong Administration (CBA) agreed to pursue a political and economic development agenda this time, however, in a wider and broader scope through a federal form of national governance. “Despite the good intent, the issue of regional autonomy has become so unpopular that even the earlier prime movers of autonomy has shifted strategy by adopting a more prominent federalism advocacy," said Ganggangan, a former mayor of Sadanga town in the Mountain Province. Former CBA chief executive Joel Obar, a prominent lawyer, has since moved residence to Dumaguete City in the central Philippines, but he wants to see the present leadership of the CPLA and CBA resume their passion for self-determination and self-governance through federalism. “Federalism is an answer," said Obar, who also wants to see separate federal states for the Cebuanos, the Ilonggos and the Warays. Incumbent CBA president Marcelina Bahatan also thinks federalism is the way and that the campaign should be expanded to support the national movement, which is gaining ground with the proposal of creating eleven federal states. As proposed, the federal states — from south to north — would be as follows:(1) Bangsamoro (ARMM), (2) Davao Region and Central Mindanao, (3) Zamboanga Peninsula and Northern Mindanao, (4) Central and Eastern Visayas, (5) Western Visayas and Palawan, (6) Bicol, (7) Southern Luzon, (8) Metro Manila (NCR), (9) Central Luzon, (10) Cordillera (11) Northern Luzon." Each state would be an autonomous regional government of the Federal Republic, the territory of which are to be 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