Old Cordillera bodies seek PNoy’s blessing for their re-activation
Posted on | Sunday, 17 April 2011 | No Comments
by Lito Dar
The Cordillera bodies - Cordillera Regional Assembly (CRA) and the Cordillera Executive Board (CEB)- created under Executive Order 220, are re-activating themselves and are seeking the blessing of President Benigno S Aquino III for their reactivation in line with the region’s pursuit for regional autonomy.
In a kapihan forum, Wednesday, CRA titular head Jack Dulnuan said the old Cordillera bodies still exist and are re-activating with an interim status pending the President’s appointment of them as fully reactivated organizations.
It can be recalled that the three bodies were created under EO 220 signed by then President Corazon Aquino on July 15,1987 to administer the affairs of government in the newly created Cordillera Administrative Region; accelerate the economic and social growth and development of the units of the region, and prepare for the establishment of autonomous region in the Cordillera.
Following two failed attempts for an autonomous region, however, Congress in 2000 did not allot any appropriation for the CAR bodies virtually deactivating the three. Then President Joseph Estrada issued Executive Order 270 winding up operations of said bodies.
Dulnuan affirmed that they are willing to work hand in hand with Regional Development Council(RDC) and other groups in working for the attainment of autonomy in Cordillera. For now they are also willing to sacrifice to work, even with little funding, until a Third Autonomy Act is drafted.
He called on their members in the provinces to submit their suggested input for the new organic act so that they can collate it now and submit it to the Third Organic Act Drafting Committee (TAADC), created by the RDC and chaired by Baguio City Mayor Mauricio Domogan.
Dulnuan though said that they will continue to appeal to the government for a share in the IEC fund for autonomy, as he stressed the need for a massive information drive down to the grassroots level.
CEB executive director Atty. Nestor Atitiw also agreed with Dulnuan, as he stressed that the first two organic acts were substantial in content. “There is no problem on the content of the two previous organic acts but on how we can explain it clearer to the public, down to the grassroots level on what autonomy is all about and its basic content, so they will approve it,” he said.
Atitiw added that the two previous organic acts failed due to the misinformation of some groups with vested interest and selfish motives.
Other panelists during the said Kapihan forum included CRA member, Professor Bienvenido Balweg, CEB member Henry Aliten representing Ifontok tribe Mt. Province, CRA member Cibaya Sabino from Lacub, Abra, and Apayao representative. (LD-PIA CAR)
The Cordillera bodies - Cordillera Regional Assembly (CRA) and the Cordillera Executive Board (CEB)- created under Executive Order 220, are re-activating themselves and are seeking the blessing of President Benigno S Aquino III for their reactivation in line with the region’s pursuit for regional autonomy.
In a kapihan forum, Wednesday, CRA titular head Jack Dulnuan said the old Cordillera bodies still exist and are re-activating with an interim status pending the President’s appointment of them as fully reactivated organizations.
It can be recalled that the three bodies were created under EO 220 signed by then President Corazon Aquino on July 15,1987 to administer the affairs of government in the newly created Cordillera Administrative Region; accelerate the economic and social growth and development of the units of the region, and prepare for the establishment of autonomous region in the Cordillera.
Following two failed attempts for an autonomous region, however, Congress in 2000 did not allot any appropriation for the CAR bodies virtually deactivating the three. Then President Joseph Estrada issued Executive Order 270 winding up operations of said bodies.
Dulnuan affirmed that they are willing to work hand in hand with Regional Development Council(RDC) and other groups in working for the attainment of autonomy in Cordillera. For now they are also willing to sacrifice to work, even with little funding, until a Third Autonomy Act is drafted.
He called on their members in the provinces to submit their suggested input for the new organic act so that they can collate it now and submit it to the Third Organic Act Drafting Committee (TAADC), created by the RDC and chaired by Baguio City Mayor Mauricio Domogan.
Dulnuan though said that they will continue to appeal to the government for a share in the IEC fund for autonomy, as he stressed the need for a massive information drive down to the grassroots level.
CEB executive director Atty. Nestor Atitiw also agreed with Dulnuan, as he stressed that the first two organic acts were substantial in content. “There is no problem on the content of the two previous organic acts but on how we can explain it clearer to the public, down to the grassroots level on what autonomy is all about and its basic content, so they will approve it,” he said.
Atitiw added that the two previous organic acts failed due to the misinformation of some groups with vested interest and selfish motives.
Other panelists during the said Kapihan forum included CRA member, Professor Bienvenido Balweg, CEB member Henry Aliten representing Ifontok tribe Mt. Province, CRA member Cibaya Sabino from Lacub, Abra, and Apayao representative. (LD-PIA CAR)
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Baguio City
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