Pimentel revives bid to create Cordillera autonomous region
SENATOR Aquilino Pimentel III has revived a bid to create an autonomous region in the Cordilleras.Pimentel said the grant of regional autonomy will allow for a government that will "recognize the unique norms, cultural heritage, values and vision of the people of the Cordilleras."
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"Regional autonomy is the most effective option to pursue sustainable development," he said.
With regional autonomy, the people of the Cordilleras can address issues of the use and management of the natural resources in the area, he said, adding it will ensure regional economic growth will result in an improved quality of life of the people in the Cordilleras.
Article X of the 1987 Constitution creates autonomous regions in Muslim Mindanao and in the Cordilleras "consisting of provinces, cities, municipalities, and geographical areas sharing common and distinctive historical and cultural heritage, economic and social structures."
The autonomous regional government will have legislative powers over administrative organization, creation of sources of revenue, and the use of ancestral domain and natural resources.
Under the Constitution, regional assemblies will also have the power to enact regional laws on personal, family, and property relations, economic and social development, educational policies, and the preservation and development of its cultural heritage.
The organic acts that will create the autonomous regions will also provide for special courts "with personal, family, and property law jurisdiction consistent with the provisions of this Constitution and national laws."
Two previous attempts to create a Cordillera Autonomous Region, in 1989 and 1997, were passed by Congress but failed to get enough support at plebiscites to ratify their creation.
The Regional Development Council of the Cordilleras, the region's highest policy-making body, has been working on a draft of an organic act to create an autonomous regional government.
"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," the RDC said in its Regional Development Plan 2011-2016.
According to its website, however, a survey in 2007 to 2008 found that many Cordillerans know little about the bid for autonomy. They "are likely to reject another Organic Act if they were asked to vote now," the RDC said. (Jonathan de Santos/Sunnex)
| CAR : CORDILLERA ADMINISTRATIVE REGION |
GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION Located at the northern portion and reaching until the central part of Luzon, it includes the provinces of Benguet, Kalinga, Apayao, Ifugao, Abra, the Mountain Province, and the city of Baguio. The Cagayan and Isabela provinces are on its northern and eastern border, Pangasinan and Nueva Vizcaya on the south and southwest, and the Ilocos provinces and La Union on the west. This region has rugged mountain ranges, forests, deep gorges and ravines, wide pasturelands and river basins. POPULATION In 2000, the population of the region in the year reached 1,352,000. It increased by 7.18% from 1995. In 1990, urban residents totaled 356,272 while 792,992 lived in the rural areas. CULTURAL GROUPS The different tribal communities are the Ifugao, Kankanai, Gaddang, Ibaloy, Kallahan, Kalinga, Bontok, Balangaw, Itneg and Isneg. |
The climate in the region is generally cool in the uplands. The rainy season is from May – October, while the dry season is from November to April.
LAND USE
Around 79% of the total regional land area are forest reserves and timberland. The rest have been classified as alienable and disposable which include agricultural, commercial, industrial, and residential lands. The major crops of the region are palay, corn, fruits, vegetables and root crops. The region leads in vegetable production.
NATURAL RESOURCES
The region has extensive forest resources, large mineral deposits of gold, copper, silver, limestone and raw materials for construction. Big mining companies abound but small-scale mining is encouraged. Its land is fertile and ideal for growing vegetables. There are water resources suitable for hydroelectric power.
ECONOMY
Agriculture is the backbone of the regional economy. Its main products are rice, vegetables and fruits. It is supplemented by cottage industries, trade and services.
