BAUKO, Mountain Province—Close to 200 local officials, civil society organization and tribal leaders on Friday signed the Mount Data declaration of support for the establishment of the Autonomous Region of the Cordillera as they anticipate the planned shift from the existing presidential to a federal form of government by the Duterte administration.
The Cordillera officials signed the declaration after the forum entitled “Pioneer Autonomy Advocates, Getting Together,” spearheaded by the Office of the Presidential Assistant on the Peace Process and the Cordillera Regional Development Council at the historic Mount Data hotel that started last April 24.
“We, the Cordillerans recognize our differences but we remain united by our shared goal to achieve regional autonomy in order to establish our permanent Cordillera identity, to accelerate the region’s socio-economic development, and to have responsive policies for the Cordillera within the context of our common and distinctive historical and cultural heritage, economic structures and other relevant characteristics, do declare our commitment to support the establishment of an autonomous region of the Cordillera towards federalism,” the declaration stated.
The regional leaders declared their commitment by collectively urging President Rodrigo R. Duterte to certify as priority and urgent House Bill No. 5343, which aims to establish the Autonomous Region of the Cordillera.
They want Duterte to “exert all necessary efforts available” to ensure that HB 5343 will be enacted into law without substantial change; support the establishment of regional autonomy in the Cordillera while awaiting the establishment of a federal system of government, and pushing as separate federal state by itself once a federal form of government is operationalized; and adopt the 2017 to 2019 road map for achieving autonomy towards federalism “as our guide in pursuing autonomy in the region.”
They also committed to “continue capacitating themselves on the current discourse on federalism vis-à-vis autonomy to become effective advocates; conduct consistent information, education and communication activities to increase awareness and support among our fellow Cordillerans and constituents; active in engaging in programs, projects and activities of the RDC-CAR in forwarding autonomy at various levels.”
The groups intend to “pursue a process of healing, reconciliation and building back cohesive relationships to advance the advocacy for the attainment of regional autonomy, and support the initiatives of the OPAPP that facilitate the region’s autonomy advocacy together with Muslim Mindanao.”
Key personalities present during the forum were Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza, RDC-CAR Chairman and Baguio City Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan, Mountain Province Gov. Bonifacio Lacwasan Jr., Mountain Province Vice Gov. Francis Tauli, Kalinga Gov. Jocel C. Baac, and Kalinga Vice Gov. James Edubba.
Provincial and municipal officials of the Mountain Province, leaders and members of the fragmented Cordillera Peoples Liberation Army, and numerous representatives from various civil society organizations were also present.
Meanwhile, Dureza said the national government should “reward” the Cordillerans for embracing peace for three decades now as its leverage to convince national leaders to grant their long overdue clamor for autonomy towards federalism.
While admitting the national government “tends to immediately recognize those who create noise through armed struggle,” Dureza said Cordillerans “should not be left out in the equation” because they opted to sustain peace after the signing of the historic Mount Data peace agreement.
The secretary urged Cordillerans not to be disappointed by the lack of attention given to them by the national government, “because most of the time national leaders are in conflict-stricken areas in a bid to achieve lasting peace in the country.”
Dureza assured the regional leaders he is meeting with President Rodrigo R. Duterte to bring to his attention the need for him to certify the filed autonomy law of the Cordillera alongside the Bangsa Moro Basic Law, which is being finalized by the Bangsa Moro Transition Commission.
“I have already texted the President regarding the request of the Cordillera leaders to have an audience with him. I will get back to them as soon as I have received his positive response in the coming weeks. I will also personally discuss the matter with him as soon as I find time to do it considering his hectic schedule this month,” Dureza stressed.
The peace adviser commended the six factions of the fragmented Cordillera Peoples Liberation Army and other civil society groups for taking the initiative of patching up their previous differences with a unified goal of achieving regional autonomy amidst the region’s diverse culture.
Dureza said there is nothing wrong with diversity “as long as everyone is working for a common goal in autonomy, then there will be surely be light at the end of the tunnel.”
He advised the leaders present to recognize the existence of diversity among the tribes, the presence of differences among them, and strive for reconciliation leading towards a common goal, which would be the autonomous region “that will partly address the injustices of the national government over the region.”
Establishing the autonomous region “will not solve all the problems of the region,” Dureza said, thus there will still be “a continuing struggle the people should share” in a bid to live with the system that will be established for the benefit of the present ad future generations of Cordillerans.
The official challenged Cordillerans “to continue making noise” in the national scene for the region’s renewed quest for regional autonomy “but the noise should not be through violence but through peaceful means, to convince the national government that it is high time for the national leaders to grant the desired autonomous status in the future.”