Baguio City Rep. Mark Go (Photo by Pamela Mariz Geminiano)
BAGUIO CITY -- The six congressmen from the Cordillera region are working hard to finish the report of the House Committee on Local Government on the “Cordillera Organic Law” for submission to Congress’ plenary, Baguio City Rep. Mark Go said on Monday.
“We are scheduled to meet with the technical working group (TWG) in Manila on Aug. 27 together with the other five Congressmen of Cordillera,” Go said in an interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
The region’s six congressmen have been tasked by the Committee on Local Government during its hearing last Aug. 14 to compose the TWG, which will write the committee’s report; and to draft the bill, which will include the proposed amendments to House Bill 5343 or the Act establishing the Cordillera autonomous region.
The Cordillera congressmen are Ronald Cosalan of Benguet, Joseph Sto. Niño Bernos of Abra, Eleanor Bulut Begtang of Apayao, Teodoro Baguilat of Ifugao, Allen Jesse Mangaoang of Kalinga, who is also the caretaker of Mountain Province, and Go of Baguio. The six, including the late Mountain Province Rep. Maximo Dalog, jointly authored HB 5343.
Part of the job of the TWG is to look at all the proposed amendments of HB 5343.
"From there, if we find them meritorious and it will help in improving the bill, we will include them in the proposed amendments,” Go said.
Go said a number of adjustments in the proposed bill were raised during the House committee and the TWG's discussion on the Bangsamoro Basic Law bill.
“Palagay ko dito mas madali dahil our bill is a simple bill (I think we will have an easier time with our autonomy bill because ours is a simple bill).There are no Constitutional issues. I have reviewed the bill. As a matter of fact, we are one of the sponsors of the bill and hindi ganun kadugo ang magiging discussion pag nasa plenary na ang autonomous region of the Cordillera (The discussion in the plenary would not be that tedious),” Go said.
“I think this is the first time lahat ng Congressmen nagkakaisa para ipasa itong autonomous region for the Cordi (all congressmen are united in having the Cordi autonomy bill passed) and this Cordi thing will help in the development of the Cordillera," he added.
What is important, however, is to make sure that the people of the region will ratify the law and will elect the right people to run the government in the Cordillera, Go said.
At the Senate, four versions of the bill are pending. One is by Senator Miguel Zubiri, which is similar to the one at the Lower House, and the other three are by Senators JV Ejercito, Bam Aquino, and Aquilino Pimentel III. Go said the Senate bills might have to be consolidated.
In case of conflicting provisions, the bills would be reconciled through a deliberation by the bicameral committee, composed of representatives from both chambers of Congress. Once done, it will be returned to both houses for ratification and to President Rodrigo Duterte for signature.
Go said the Cordillera representatives have committed to move fast and hopefully meet the target for the bill’s transmittal to the Senate by September.
The Cordillera leaders are drumming up their autonomy bid while the excitement on the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) is still there.(PNA)
