Atty. Antonio P. Pekas
After almost four decades, Cordillera autonomy is still nowhere in sight. Is there any reason for us to be expectant? Negative.
There are ominous signs we cannot just ignore. Number one is the failure of PBBM to certify as urgent the passage of the autonomy bill. This, despite the overwhelming support he got from Cordillerans during the last election. Had it been so certified, the bill could have smoothly passed through the legislative mill without delay to be subjected to a plebiscite or for us, the Cordilleran people, to approve it.
Another reason is the big fiscal problem the country is facing regarding the pensions of retirees from the Uniformed Services. If their retirement rates will continue, the national coffers will surely go bankrupt in no time. To the extent that uniformed personnel or officers are now required to contribute big amounts to their future retirement funds. These are being deducted from their monthly salaries.
Moreover, any autonomous region to be established will have to be financially supported by the national government to the tune of P10 Billion annually for the next five years, if memory still serves. Some huge disbursements will also have to be done for the region to be able to get moving on its own feet.
And just like any expansion in private business, a lot of unforeseen costs will arise. No one else will pay for such but the national government.
The more pressing issue though is, will the people in a plebiscite really go for autonomy? Note that two plebiscites were already undertaken before and autonomy lost badly. The other side, spearheaded by the left, overwhelmingly won because they appealed to the emotional side of people. They campaigned by saying that if people went for autonomy, even their plants in flower pots, their chickens, their piglets would be taxed. Mention tax and it means death. Educated people knew that was a big lie, but the masses who were the big majority believed.
As I mentioned to a big promoter of autonomy, you should hire people in the marketing industry who could convince the masses. Somebody of the caliber of those who came up with the Marlboro ad on TV which was practically the same over the years. The main character there did not even talk or mention anything, just one word, Marlboro. The rest on the scene were galloping horses, mountains, and other outdoor scenes that looked good and suggestive of toughness against the elements. Those assured millions of people to keep on puffing Marlboros and a lot of them, am sure, got cancer.
Cordillerans did not get cancer for voting for autonomy. Just the continuation of their hardships, bad national policies on our region, and the exploitation of our natural resources by outsiders. And many more.
Will the result of a similar plebiscite on the matter have a different result? While there is more positive involvement of local politicians for autonomy, the campaign we are hearing for it remains intellectual or mainly enumeration of the supposed benefits of autonomy. It is cold. It does not emotionally move people to make them feel they should also go out there to do their part in convincing others to go for autonomy.
What am I saying? The prospects are bleak.**
