LAGAWE, IFUGAO – – The Philippine needs to shift its form of government to a federal one and further pursue reforms in the socio-economic spheres if it seeks to stand by its goals to push for inclusive growth.
However, the country’s future will also depend largely on its ability to make good of its commitments to promote the aspirations of Muslim Filipinos in the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and ethnic Filipinos in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), former governor Eugene Balitang, explained during the Information Education Campaign (IEC) program on regional autonomy in Lagawe. It was held at the Amungan Hall of the Schools Division Office of the Ifugao Department of Education (DepEd).
“We have to make a move toward granting autonomy status in the Cordilleras. If we want to say we really want inclusive growth for our people, it entails propelling development in an impoverished region like ours,” he said.
“I think that in the coming years, the federal form of government is going to be most helpful to the Philippines,” Balitang said.
Balitang, also a lawyer, largely batted for autonomy in the CAR. “Autonomy is beneficial to the education sector in our region,” Balitang said, explaining that conditions are quite different in so far as needs or requirements of stakeholders here compared to those in Metro Manila or the National Capital Region (NCR) are concerned.
“Who understand better the design of school buildings in a region with a mountainous terrain than Cordillerans? Engineers of the DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) in Metro Manila have different perspectives,” he said.
Under House Bill 5343, upon creation of the Autonomous Region of the Cordillera, the regional government shall have jurisdiction over the formulation of regional educational policies and on the preservation, safeguarding and development of cultural heritage.
About 300 educators composed of principals, school heads, master teachers, teachers and Schools Division Office officials and personnel earlier expected their distinguished speaker to share his invaluable insights with them on the autonomy issue. Clearly, they were fully enlightened. Thereafter, they don’t need to worry about how federalism works and in fact, they even learned concepts and importance of leadership, sustainable peace and development and nation building.
In recent years, after the autonomy bid for the CAR failed twice there has been renewed call to revive it. The campaign is largely led by politicians.
The concept of “autonomy” is clearly tied-up to self-rule by the people in a certain region.
A mentor raised the query on the difference between autonomy and federalism, saying that there is a growing confusion even among educators on the two concepts.
In answer, Balitang motioned that “both simply advocate the same principle of governing among themselves.” “The only difference is that when the CAR adopts the federalism mode or is federalized, it loses its unique characteristics,” he added.
Balitang, who was governor in 2010 to 2013, also discussed at length the salient features of House Bill 5343. The proposed measure outlines the creation of the Cordillera Autonomous Region.
Balitang, who is reportedly seeking the Ifugao congressional seat in next year’s midterm polls, is known for his commitment of inspiring educators strive to fulfill the thrust towards achieving excellence in student education. During his three-year tenure as the highest official of the province, Balitang found ways to help and serve the widest majority of the people. Over the years, apart from pushing for autonomy in the CAR, Atty. Balitang emphasized the need to speed up Ifugao’s progress in addressing basic human needs and well-being as well as creating opportunities for the people, most of them poor. High scoring areas during Balitang’s incumbency include governance and delivery of fundamental services to the poor, needy and sick.
“To secure a brighter economic future for Ifugao, its people and government will need to work hard together to do even better in many areas of concern and truly focus on turning around the economy,” he told the ZigZag Weekly.
“I remain steadfast in standing side-by-side with the people to become key players for achieving economic growth. With the reformist agenda the government has set, I am confident that more opportunities will arise in 2019 and beyond,” he quipped. To this day, Balitang refused to be drawn to the attitude of most Ifugao officials who downgrade the notion that people should chart their course to nation building through active participation in the decision-making process and for those in the government to be ever responsive to their needs.
In the meantime, what should be done to offset the seemingly slackening manner of enacting the proposed autonomy bill at Congress? As it is, the priority of the members of the Senate and the House of Representatives and even President Duterte is clearly the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL). The BBL is a key feature of the peace agreement the Aquino administration inked with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and which seeks to create an expanded Muslim region in Mindanao to replace the ARMM. Other priorities of the Duterte administration and Congress are the move to shift to a federal form of government and the General Appropriations Act of 2019 or the national budget. Politicians in the CAR think that House Bill 5343 is a priority of the Palace. It is not.
Nonetheless, a few individuals in the Cordilleras are not about to wave the white flag.
There lies the importance of enlightening the educators in this part of the CAR on the intricacies of the federalism mode through an individual with a distinguished track record in the person of Atty. Eugene Balitang.
“Proper mechanisms must be put in place to educate teachers and all others in the education sector as a means of achieving the noteworthy goal of this activity,” a school head of a public elementary school in Lamut said. She and many others lauded Schools Division Superintendent (SDS) Gloria Bayao-ao for conducting the half-day activity. They said mentors are firmly behind her leadership.
Another teacher, who asked not to be identified, said if there’s no chance to pass House Bill 5343, Cordillera officials should not be “fascinated with taking on the burden of pushing autonomy” so they can attend to other pressing needs of the people instead of spending so much time on the autonomy issue.
Not a few are saying that due to time constraints House Bill 5343 is as good as dead as far as Congress is considered. Local and national bets are to file their certificates of candidacies (CoCs) by Oct. 1 to 4 thus, congressmen and senators are likely to start campaigning in their places. Raising this point is not a condition precedent in the discussion on the autonomy. After all, the seemingly never-ending drive for autonomy has already strained the emotions of many.
Atty. Deirdree Culhi, administrative officer Jihn Gahid and Teresa Aliguyon also took part in the activity. Of course, SDS Bayao-ao provided the tone of coverage of the activity. How Ms. Bayao-ao’s role became “pivotal” in the activity’s success is a unique and interesting story. She has been actively engaging and encouraging fellow educators to take part in a healthy discussion on nationwide issues. By expressing their thoughts or beliefs educators can influence the province and nation in helping improve both one small step in a time. And indeed, a teacher should be prepared to do something almost at any cost. They must provide that space for the clash of ideas. Students should be encouraged and motivated to explore, engage, question and experiment the truth of their lives. Well-meaning educators should consider this as a great investment for the young’s brighter tomorrow. **By Anthony A. Araos
