LA UNION – Autonomy IEC and Alliance Building Partners of the Cordillera Regional Development Council and National Economic and Development Authority in the implementation of the Social Preparation of Cordillera Administrative Region into an Autonomous Region (SPCAR) program gathered in the regularly held Partners’ Assembly on December 28-29, 2017. The Assembly aimed to review the accomplishments of the autonomy IEC and Alliance Building thrusts and provide recommendations for further enhancement. The event was also a venue to learn more on the proposed Philippine Federalism.
NEDA Director and RDC Vice-chair Milagros A. Rimando presented the State of the Regional Autonomy Advocacy emphasizing the major accomplishments of the SPCAR program.
Accomplishment reports of the partners from local government units, regional line agencies and civil society organizations followed with Lawrence Balud, Shiela Marie Claver and Ferdinand Gonzales reporting on each group’s accomplishments, respectively after which plenary ensued for evaluation and recommendation.
Meanwhile, Gary Pekas of Mountain Province Governor’s Office and Autonomy IEC Speakers’ Bureau proposed different ways to present the House Bill 5343 which seeks to establish the Autonomous Region of the Cordilleras, to various sectors highlighting appropriate provisions that cater to the interests of each sector.
Halfway through the program, the participants were treated to a Wellness and Stress Management discourse with TESDA Ambassadress Cristina Reyes, sharing healthy diets and ways to cope with a hectic environment.
The assembly was also graced by the Director General of the Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department Romulo Emmanuel M. Miral, Jr. who discussed Federalism by presenting the PDP-Laban model of Philippine federalism and the prospects of CAR and Bangsamoro autonomy towards federalism. This forms part of the capability building objective of the activity, to apprise the assembly of the administration’s desired form of government and incorporate these learning with the RDC-CAR’s advocacy.
By Maverick Lumbag Alalag
