On March 5, 2018 at Ating Tahanan, South Drive, Baguio City, a forum on Cordillera Autonomy was conducted in partnership with NEDA-CAR (National Economic and Development Authority-Cordillera Autonomous Region) and CORDNET (Cordillera Network of Development NGOs and POs) in the implementation of the Social Preparation of the CAR in becoming an Autonomous Region.

NEDA-CAR supported the logistical requirements of the participants from the five CAR provinces while CORDNET mobilized participants from its provincial network members as well as NGO partners based in Baguio and Benguet. A total of 78 actively participated in the workshop conducted in the afternoon after the three-hour input on “Autonomy”, which was delivered by Mr. Vladimir Cayabas from NEDA-CAR.

The objective of the forum was to conduct IEC (Information, Education Campaign) to the Civil Society group in the Cordillera.

Topics discussed in the forum include:

1. SPCAR PROGRAM which means Social Preparation for CAR into an Autonomous Region. Its purpose are IEC, Alliance Building and Capacity Building.

2. What is Regional Autonomy? It is the establishment of a Regional Government to which the National Government DEVOLVES certain powers and functions in accordance with laws and the constitution.

3. CORDILLERA AUTONBOMY and the CONSTITUTION

Section 15, Art. X of the 1987 Philippine Constitution mandates the creation of AUTONOMOUS REGIONS in Mindanao and the Cordilleras sharing common and distinctive historical and cultural heritage, economic and social structures, among others.

4. Why CORDILLKERA is currently administrative region NOT AUTONOMOUS REGION?

Before 1987, the provinces of Abra, Benguet, Mt. Province and the City of Baguio were part of Region 1, while Apayao, Ifugao and Kalinga were part of Region 2. The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) was created in July 15,1987 thru E.O. # 220 in response to the relentless clamor for regional autonomy, which culminated in a historic ”SIPAT” or peace accord between the government under president Corazon Aquino and Fr. Conrado Balweg of the CBA-CPLA (Cordillera Peoples Liberation Army-Cordillera Bodong Association) at Mt. Data Hotel, Bauko, Mt. Province. This administrative set up was meant to prepare the region towards AUTONOMY. The CAR is only a temporary region. IF E.O. 220 is repealed or if we reject/say no to autonomy, CAR will return to regions 1 and 2. If Cordillera becomes autonomous, it will become a permanent region.

5. AUTONOMY FOR THE CORDILLERA MEANS:

• Enhanced Cordillera Identity-Regional Autonomy will preserve indigenous knowledge systems and allow each culture to flourish unhampered by the dominance of another culture and thereby contribute effectively to regional and national progress.

• Responsive policies for the Region-National Standards do not always respond to the needs of the Cordillera. Example: PD 705 or the Forestry Code and RA 7880 or the Roxas Law are applicable to other regions in the country but NOT suitable in the Cordillera given its geography and sparse population.

• Regional Autonomy will give the Cordillerans the opportunity to decide and select policies and programs that best suit the region.

• Progress for ALL-Regional Autonomy allows the Cordillerans to sustainably manage and utilize its resources using indigenous knowledge, systems and practices, and provides more funds for development.

6. Workshop per sector was done in the afternoon which outputted messages for the promotion of Autonomy in the 6 Cordillera provinces.

Tita Butz is the Executive Director of CORDNET.