Reds a 'spent force' in Cordilleras

From the Manila Times (Jul 7, 2023): Reds a 'spent force' in Cordilleras (By Dexter A. See)

TABUK CITY, Kalinga: Mayor Darwin Estrañero believes the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) will not be able to recover its influence in the Cordillera region.

In his message during the launching of the Unity Gong Relay in the province, Estrañero said that development in the Cordillera is not possible without peace and stability that is why there was the "alasiw" and the "sipat" or the exchange of peace tokens between the government and the Cordillera People's Liberation Army (CPLA) then headed by the Fr. Conrado Balweg 37 years ago.

On April 7, 1986, the CPLA Lumbaya company led by Fr. Balweg split from the CPP-NPA at the Kili valley in Baclingayan, Tubo, Abra because of differences on ideology where the group was fighting for just cause such as the protection of the lands of the Indigenous peoples, among others.

He narrated that prior to July 15, 1987, then-president Corazon Aquino met with the Cordillera Bodong Administration-CPLA and presided over the alasiw to signify the sipat for the signing of the historic Mount Data peace agreement on Sept. 13, 1986.

The peace agreement paved the way for the cessation of hostilities between the CPLA and the government forces in the Cordillera.

The local chief executive said the sipat was followed by the creation of a joint panel led by Fr. Balweg for the Cordillera side and Ambassador Emmanuel Pelaez for the government side to draft an executive order creating the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) in preparation for the enactment of the Organic Act that will establish the autonomous region.

On July 15, 1987, Executive Order (EO) 220 was signed into law by then-President Aquino exercising both her legislative and executive powers that created the CAR, which comprised the provinces of Abra, Benguet, Mountain Province and Baguio city from Region 1 (Ilocos) and the provinces of Ifugao, Kalinga-Apayao from Region 2 (Cagayan Valley) to prepare for the subsequent establishment of the autonomous region.

"The autonomy that we are fighting for is an offshoot of a long-time dream of every Cordilleran that the region must be developed as we have all the natural resources waiting to be tapped for the common good. This has been preceded by armed struggles, which the communist movement tried to take advantage of to push their political ideology that was contrary to Cordillera customs, tradition and culture," Estrañero said.

He noted that EO 220 is considered as a reasonable measure by which the people of the Cordillera can actively participate in the pursuit of peace and development.

Among its fundamental objectives are to accelerate economic and social growth and development in the region and to prepare the region for autonomy.

The mayor decried the lack of interest to establish the autonomous regional government.

"It is our hope that together with the other Cordillera provinces, this autonomous government of the Cordillera will soon be established," he said.

The mayor explained that the Cordillera Executive Board (CEB), Cordillera Regional Assembly (CRA) and the DBA had been defunct since the time of president Joseph Estrada and funds for autonomy information and education campaign have been transferred to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and the Regional Development Council (RDC) in the Cordillera.

Since then, the chance of the Cordillerans to actively participate in the pursuit of peace and development has been curtailed by the government itself that resulted in serious setbacks to the region's quest for autonomy.

This year, each of the provinces will conduct its own Unity Gong Relay and concerned stakeholders will converge in Luna, Apayao, on July 15, 2023, for the celebration of the 36th founding anniversary of the CAR.

https://www.manilatimes.net/2023/07/07/regions/reds-a-spent-force-in-cordilleras/1899463