by Seth Cabanban
Valenzuela 1st district Rep. Rex Gatchalian has expressed his support for the creation of the Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR), something he described as “long overdue”.
“The establishment of the Cordillera Autonomous Region has been long overdue. It is high time that we legislate this very important measure that will give Cordillerans the right to freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development,” the chairman of the House Committee on Local Government said on Thursday, Nov. 10.
The CAR has been a transitory coordinating agency since 1987, following President Corazon Aquino’s Executive Order (EO) 220. HB 3267, if enacted, would grant it autonomy.
The local government panel approved House Bill (HB) 3267 or “An Act Establishing the Cordillera Administrative Autonomous Region” on Nov. 10.
“I congratulate the authors of this measure for their fortitude in tirelessly pursuing its passage. We assure our Cordilleran brothers and sisters that this Committee will continue to fully support this measure until its final approval in the House,” Gatchalian said. He is likely to sponsor the measure in plenary, as chairman of the Committee on Local Government.
Abra Rep. Ching Bernos, Apayao Rep. Eleanor Bulut-Begtang, Ifugao Rep. Solomon Chungalao, Mountain Province Rep. Maximo Dalog Jr., Baguio City Rep. Mark Go, Kalinga Rep. Allan Mangaoang, and Benguet Rep. Eric Go Yap authored the measure.
“The collective aspiration of the Cordillerans for genuine autonomy is rooted on the right to self-determination of the people fueled by a long history of struggle for the recognition of their rights. It is high time that we make good on this Constitutional mandate, and allow the Cordillerans to determine their political status and to freely pursue their economic, social, and cultural development,” the authors wrote
In the 18th Congress, a measure that sought autonomy for the Cordillera Administrative Region was approved on the third reading and was transmitted to the Senate but fell short because of a “lack of material time”, as Gatchalian put it.
https://mb.com.ph/2022/05/31/bill-batting-for-politically-autonomous-car-hurdles-house/
