By Atty. Antonio P. Pekas
There is one dominant voice in the Cordillera’s quest for autonomy—that of Baguio City Mayor Domogan. His was the one during the first try, during the second and in this third attempt. There is just no other prominent politician around or leader with equal energy and enthusiasm to spearhead the drive.
With such sameness, will the result of this latest drive be any different?
There was a time when I tried to broach the idea to the driver of a cab I rode in the other day and the issue sounded so foreign to him. The announcer in the blaring radio inboard was discussing the issue with the city mayor in Ilocano but the driver was not at all animated by it. Even by the supposed benefits being cited. These appeared so foreign or so distant from his circumstances that he did not care at all. He even blurted out what I heard from so many other common folks that it will just be the politicians who will be benefitted.
These show that the attempt of the RDC to reach out to our brothers and sisters in the grassroots these past many years miserably failed. Too bad for people like us who are pro-autonomy. If the people don’t understand what is in it for them, who will vote for autonomy?
I don’t know. I just know that a new strategy is urgently needed to rally the people into going for the drive. What is that strategy? I also don’t know. So the search for it is what should be breaking the heads of all those spearheading the effort.
What I also noticed was the explanations on autonomy in information drives over the years was rational, even intellectual, but it was just that. At least for me, these were not hair raising, unable to arouse the emotions of the people being courted to go out there and spread the word. “Saan nga makapatakder ti dutdot” in Ilocano, or “hindi nakaka-antig ng damdamin” in Tagalog.
Perhaps some marketing experts to sell the idea of autonomy should be taken on board to help out. They have the tools and the brains out of experience for it. They can readily spot what’s wrong. To cite an example, in 1992 when Jose De Venecia was running for president, his marketing experts were given the order to sell him to the voters in no uncertain terms. One of the techniques they used to determine his salability was to get the reaction of innocent children. When they showed the picture of De Venecia to the kids with his big ears, they all started making fun of the picture shouting, “Ya! Micky Mouse, Micky Mouse!” The marketing experts sighed in exasperation, “Napakahirap talagang ibenta!” More so to the voters whose first idea whenever they saw his image was,” Tradpol.”
A suggestion which might work for autonomy is to order all government employees to actively participate in the drive. The President might even be a big help if he orders all his people in national agencies to go out there and deliver the votes. He just might agree if he sees the drive as a way towards Federalism. He might bark, “Pesteng yawa kayong mga Cordillerans. Autonomy lang di nyo madeliver.” Then he goes ahead spouting all those cuss words.
When we say going out to deliver, the government employees must be monitored like private marketing agents. Everyday a team leader should monitor everyone’s accomplishment. “How many did you convince for autonomy?”
But then again, can this be done? Perhaps, in a dictatorship.
So let us all go back to the drawing board.**
