Duterte silent on Cordillera autonomy in SONA

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — Cordillerans’ high hopes regional autonomy would be included in President Rodrigo Duterte’s second State of the Nation Address were doused on Monday afternoon.

 

“He did not mention it,” Baguio City Mayor Mauricio Domogan shrugged as he said, “we will just wait and see what will happen next.”

 

Domogan, chairman of the Regional Development Council and chief promoter of the region's third bid for autonomy, and other political leaders met with the president in Malacañan last Tuesday night and got Duterte’s nod to make House Bill 5343 a priority bill.

 

Domogan could not say how serious Duterte is in supporting Cordillera autonomy, the mayor who had been pushing other leaders to race against time in achieving the long-sought aspiration for regional autonomy otherwise the highland region will return to its old regionalization setup.

 

Several days before Duterte’s SONA, Cordillerans were hopeful HB 5343 would be certified as urgent and a priority bill.

 

HB 5343 will be pushed as a legislative agenda by the Duterte administration alongside the Bangsamoro Basic Law, the president reportedly vowed during last week’s meeting.

 

The Duterte administration has promised to push for federalism, which could lead to a Cordillera Autonomous Region.

 

National Economic Development Authority-Cordillera director Mila Rimando, also one of the main advocates of regional self-rule, said even if the president did not mention Cordillera autonomy, “we trust his statement in the meeting with Cordillera leaders that whatever priority is given the BBL, the same is given the HB 5343.” 

 

Abra Rep. Joseph Bernos earlier lauded the president’s promise. “It will be the best thing that will happen to the Cordillera once genuine autonomy will be passed into law.” 

Bernos, who co-authored HB 5343 with all six Cordillera lawmakers, also seemed dumbfounded that autonomy was not mentioned.

 

Kalinga Rep. Jesse Allen Mangaoang earlier was hopeful that the president would certify the bill a priority. “(Pag ganun) smooth sailing na yan!”

 

But the Kalinga lawmaker said “by saying BBL and saying IPs to form part of those who would look into the BBL and assuing CAR to be allotted one or two members of the 25 constituting the transition council is fine with us Cordillerans.”

 

The president mentioned his expansion of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission, the body that prepared the draft BBL, to include representatives of Mindanao's indigenous peoples and sultanates.

 

Mangaoang is also sitting as caretaker congressman of Mt. Province after the death of Rep. Maximo Dalog last month.

 

“The fact that he committed to put two Cordillera representatives in the constitution review committee is his recognition of our need as a special region to be heard and given opportunity to contribute to the work,” added Rimando.

 

Presidential peace adviser Jesus Dureza, who was the guest of honor and speaker during the Baguio leg of the Cordillera Unity Gong Relay on July 14 here, promised Duterte would certify HB 5343 a priority, claiming government recognizes the wisdom behind the constitutional mandate for the creation of autonomous regions in Muslim Mindanao and the Cordillera.

 

Dureza said that is why the president wants to achieve the creation of the autonomous regions before aggressively pursuing federalism.

 

As ever, senior Cordillera lawmaker, Benguet Rep. Ronald Cosalan was aloof last week when news broke out that the president will certify the bill urgent.

 

“Let us wait if (the president) certifies the bill,” he earlier said.