Ifugao convenes information task force on autonomy

By Vivencia D. Bulayungan

Tuesday 10th of April 2012

LAGAWE, Ifugao, Apr. 10 (PIA) --The Provincial Task Force on Information on Cordillera Regional Autonomy recently convened to come up with information activities these coming months.

Some of the activities that the task force approved include Trainer’s training where members of the regional speakers group will be invited as speakers; organization of Provincial Technical Working Group; IEC for Provincial Local Government Unit (PLGUs) employees, and IEC at the community level.

Barangays shall be clustered where at least a total of 25 participants from the various sectors per barangay are targeted.

During the meeting, Arnel Bilibli of the Provincial Planning and Development Office and Provincial Legal Officer, Atty. Valdoboid, took turns in presenting the salient features of House Bill 5595 and Senate Bill 3115 to members of the said task force composed of the provincial officials, the Population Sustainable Development Division and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA).

House Bill 5595 seeks to accelerate economic growth and sustained development of the Cordillera Region which is a major component of the goal to achieve national solidarity under Philippines 2000.

The goal of a well-balanced and equitable development of the country, its various regions, more so the traditionally left out regions of the country such as the Cordillera must be given the much needed attention it deserves.

On the other hand, Senate Bill 3115 introduced by Senator Aquilino Pimentel III states that pursuant to the Regional Development Plan for 2011-2016 drafted by the National Economic Development Authority-Cordillera Administrative Region (NED-CAR), regional autonomy is seen as the most effective option to provide CAR the needed solid foundation to pursue sustainable development as it hopes to address lingering issues on the management and use of its natural resources and how the region should benefit from it.

It further states that attaining regional autonomy in the Cordilleras will also bring to the national attention the benefits of promoting and accepting cultural diversity through the formulation and multi-cultural policies for indigenous peoples and indigenous cultural communities as the traditional uniform application of national norms and standards do not apply well to the Cordilleras.

House Bill 5595 was introduced by Cordillera congressmen namely: Bernardo M. Vergara of Baguio City, Maximo Dalog of Mt. Provine,Teddy Baguilat Jr. of Ifugao, Manuel S. Agyao of Kalinga and Eleanor Bulut-Begtang of Apayao, (JDP/VDB- PIA CAR, Ifugao)