BAGUIO CITY July 20 –- Leaders of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) have expressed their thanks to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte for his commitment to support the region’s quest for autonomy the same attention as the Bangsamoro.
Loud applause was received by Baguio mayor and Regional Development Council (RDC) chairman Mauricio Domogan as he relayed to the group President Duterte’s commitment to the region during the seminar on political awareness and public communication of the Cordillera Association of Regional Executives (CARE) on Wednesday.
This was the same reaction of about 120 political leaders from the region who joined the RDC meeting with President Duterte at Malacañang Palace on Tuesday.
Domogan said “he will support us and give importance to pursue (autonomy), the same with that of Mindanao.”
He explained that while President Duterte did not say the words everyone was waiting to hear, to directly and openly say he would declare the proposed autonomy bill as a priority one and include the issue in his second State of the Nation Address (SONA), the President’s words saying “parehas na din sa Bangsamoro” was enough to imply he supports autonomy for the Cordillera.
The mayor talked about his relationship with the President which he said started years back when they were still both mayors.
“We were together in Japan for a seminar. We represented the mayors and I got to know him personally.”
He said “he is one who does what he says,” the mayor relayed.
Mayor Domogan led the CAR delegation in a private meeting with President Duterte to personally inform the Chief Executive of the united stand of the Cordillera provinces to pursue the quest for autonomy.
Domogan gave a briefing about House Bill 5343 entitled “An act establishing the autonomous region of the Cordilleras” pending before the lower house of Congress.
In 1986, former President Corazon Aquino issued Executive Order 220 which created the Cordillera Administrative Region which would prepare it to become an autonomous region. Two bills were passed in Congress became laws, but these were rejected by the region’s voters.
With the massive information campaign being done to inform constituents about Cordillera autonomy, “we are confident that this time, the constituents will give a positive vote,” Domogan earlier said.
He also mentioned that unlike in the past when the two autonomy acts failed to be voted on, all the congressmen in the Cordillera have co-authored HB 5343, the governors and mayors are all supportive now including a large percentage of the residents.
He, however, said that the information campaign will continue for better understanding by the cross section of the region. **Liza T. Agoot and Pamela Mariz Geminiano/ PNA
