The House Committee on Local Government chaired by Rep. Pedro Acharon Jr. (1st District, South Cotabato) in a hearing on Tuesday created a technical working group (TWG) to address the concerns of the bill which seeks to create the autonomous region in the Cordilleras.
House Bill 5343, or “An Act Establishing The Autonomous Region Of The Cordillera (ARC),” is authored by Reps. Teddy Baguilat Jr. (Lone District, Ifugao), Joseph Sto Niño Bernos (Lone District, Abra), Eleanor Bulut-Begtang (Lone District, Apayao), Ronald Cosalan, (Lone District, Benguet), Mark Go (Lone District, Baguio City), Allen Jesse Mangaoang (Lone District, Mangaoang) and the late Maximo Dalog (Lone District, Mt. Province).
Cosalan in his sponsorship speech said that Cordillera autonomy is seen as the most effective option to provide the region with the needed solid foundation to pursue sustainable development as the region hopes to benefit from the management and use of its natural resources.
He further said Cordillera autonomy will bring to the national attention as well the benefits of accepting and promoting cultural diversity through the formulation of multi-cultural policies for Indigenous Peoples (IPs).
Two Organic Acts for Autonomous Region of the Cordillera were enacted in 1990 and 1998. Both failed ratification, however, mainly because of the people’s lack of information and discussion on the pros and cons of self-governance.
“This is the third attempt we have on autonomy so we are hoping that this will be finally accepted by our people in the Cordillera region,” Cosalan said.
It was Rep. Khalid Dimaporo (1st District, Lanao del Norte) who made the motion for the creation of a TWG to address the issues regarding the autonomous region for the Cordilleras.
“If I am not mistaken, one of the requirements just like what we have done in the Bangsamoro Organic Law is our public hearings prior to approval. If that is the intention of the Chair, I would like to move for the creation of a TWG, membership of which will be decided by the Chairman,” Dimaporo said.
Rep. Wilter Wee Palma (1st District, Zamboanga Sibugay) who presided over the meeting also expressed support for the creation of the Cordillera Autonomous Region.
“Kami naman pong taga Mindanao ang magsusuporta sa inyo. You have done the same for us,” he said.
Baguio City Mayor Mauricio Domogan expressed his appreciation and commended Congress on the approval of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL which he said is in compliance with Section 16, Article 10 of the 1987 Constitution.
The said provision mandates the creation of autonomous regions in Muslim Mindanao and in the Cordilleras consisting of provinces, cities, municipalities and geographical areas sharing common and distinctive historical and cultural heritage, economic and social structures and other relevant characteristics within the framework of the Constitution, the national sovereignty, and the territorial integrity of the country.
Domogan said public hearings chaired by the members of the local government panel regarding the Cordillera autonomy have already been conducted in the City of Baguio which covers Baguio City and Benguet Province and second public hearings were done in Mountain Province (Mt. Province) which include the province of Ifugao and other areas of Cordillera.
Palma advised Domogan to submit their records of the public hearings as well as the proposals for amendments that can be used as a point of reference by the TWG.
Go disclosed that during recess of Congress, the authors of the bill held consultation meetings with their constituents in Baguio, Benguet, Kalinga, and the Mt. Province with the authority of the Committee Chairman.
He assured Domogan that the panel will consider the proposed amendments saying “your inputs will be documented and at the same time included in the amendments that we will have in the proposed bill.”
Baguilat assured Domogan that they will fast-track the conduct of the meetings on the bill.
He said that as a legislator for seven years it is also important to get the feel of Congress. “We may have various proposals based on our consultations in our provinces but at the end of the day, we have to defend it here in Congress.”
Rep. Manuel Zubiri (3rd District, Bukidnon) recommended to the panel the creation of a timeline for the bill.
Dimaporo suggested that the panel approve the bill in principle, saying the problem seems to be a little administrative kink which has to do with holding a public hearing which he thinks the TWG can do and then come up with a draft committee report.
Palma said that he would like to do the same, but the panel can’t simply approve the bill in principle as the proposed amendments to be submitted may be substantial. He instead suggested the creation of a timeline as what Zubiri proposed.
Go said there is no problem with the timeline as the panel will work it out in such a way as to address the concerns and the proposed amendments and come up with a draft substitute bill immediately.
He told the group of Domogan, who all came all the way from the different areas of Cordillera, to attend the meeting to see to it that they will win in the plebiscite that will be called for. /Vicki Palomar
House Bill 5343, or “An Act Establishing The Autonomous Region Of The Cordillera (ARC),” is authored by Reps. Teddy Baguilat Jr. (Lone District, Ifugao), Joseph Sto Niño Bernos (Lone District, Abra), Eleanor Bulut-Begtang (Lone District, Apayao), Ronald Cosalan, (Lone District, Benguet), Mark Go (Lone District, Baguio City), Allen Jesse Mangaoang (Lone District, Mangaoang) and the late Maximo Dalog (Lone District, Mt. Province).
Cosalan in his sponsorship speech said that Cordillera autonomy is seen as the most effective option to provide the region with the needed solid foundation to pursue sustainable development as the region hopes to benefit from the management and use of its natural resources.
He further said Cordillera autonomy will bring to the national attention as well the benefits of accepting and promoting cultural diversity through the formulation of multi-cultural policies for Indigenous Peoples (IPs).
Two Organic Acts for Autonomous Region of the Cordillera were enacted in 1990 and 1998. Both failed ratification, however, mainly because of the people’s lack of information and discussion on the pros and cons of self-governance.
“This is the third attempt we have on autonomy so we are hoping that this will be finally accepted by our people in the Cordillera region,” Cosalan said.
It was Rep. Khalid Dimaporo (1st District, Lanao del Norte) who made the motion for the creation of a TWG to address the issues regarding the autonomous region for the Cordilleras.
“If I am not mistaken, one of the requirements just like what we have done in the Bangsamoro Organic Law is our public hearings prior to approval. If that is the intention of the Chair, I would like to move for the creation of a TWG, membership of which will be decided by the Chairman,” Dimaporo said.
Rep. Wilter Wee Palma (1st District, Zamboanga Sibugay) who presided over the meeting also expressed support for the creation of the Cordillera Autonomous Region.
“Kami naman pong taga Mindanao ang magsusuporta sa inyo. You have done the same for us,” he said.
Baguio City Mayor Mauricio Domogan expressed his appreciation and commended Congress on the approval of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL which he said is in compliance with Section 16, Article 10 of the 1987 Constitution.
The said provision mandates the creation of autonomous regions in Muslim Mindanao and in the Cordilleras consisting of provinces, cities, municipalities and geographical areas sharing common and distinctive historical and cultural heritage, economic and social structures and other relevant characteristics within the framework of the Constitution, the national sovereignty, and the territorial integrity of the country.
Domogan said public hearings chaired by the members of the local government panel regarding the Cordillera autonomy have already been conducted in the City of Baguio which covers Baguio City and Benguet Province and second public hearings were done in Mountain Province (Mt. Province) which include the province of Ifugao and other areas of Cordillera.
Palma advised Domogan to submit their records of the public hearings as well as the proposals for amendments that can be used as a point of reference by the TWG.
Go disclosed that during recess of Congress, the authors of the bill held consultation meetings with their constituents in Baguio, Benguet, Kalinga, and the Mt. Province with the authority of the Committee Chairman.
He assured Domogan that the panel will consider the proposed amendments saying “your inputs will be documented and at the same time included in the amendments that we will have in the proposed bill.”
Baguilat assured Domogan that they will fast-track the conduct of the meetings on the bill.
He said that as a legislator for seven years it is also important to get the feel of Congress. “We may have various proposals based on our consultations in our provinces but at the end of the day, we have to defend it here in Congress.”
Rep. Manuel Zubiri (3rd District, Bukidnon) recommended to the panel the creation of a timeline for the bill.
Dimaporo suggested that the panel approve the bill in principle, saying the problem seems to be a little administrative kink which has to do with holding a public hearing which he thinks the TWG can do and then come up with a draft committee report.
Palma said that he would like to do the same, but the panel can’t simply approve the bill in principle as the proposed amendments to be submitted may be substantial. He instead suggested the creation of a timeline as what Zubiri proposed.
Go said there is no problem with the timeline as the panel will work it out in such a way as to address the concerns and the proposed amendments and come up with a draft substitute bill immediately.
He told the group of Domogan, who all came all the way from the different areas of Cordillera, to attend the meeting to see to it that they will win in the plebiscite that will be called for. /Vicki Palomar
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