Substitute Bill 5687 gets approval, Cordillera Autonomy now a step nearer to reality

Tabuk City, Kalinga – Kalinga Lone District Representative Allen Jesse Mangaoang announced on August 24, 2021, that “another step towards the realization of our long dreamed Autonomous Region was conquered.”

This is after the Committee on Local Government (CLG) approved the Draft Substitute Bill 5687 or the Act Establishing the Autonomous Region of the Cordilleras.

Congressman Mangaoang, during the virtual hearing of the House of Representatives Committee on Local Government (CLG) of the proposed law in December 2020, affirmed that the region, which was once divided between Regions 1 and 2 from 1972 to 1987, is more than ready for self-governance.

Mangaoang explained that the failure of the past attempts at regional autonomy was attributed to poor information dissemination and a lack of readiness and unity among the provinces.

On July 14 this year, the solon requested President Rodrigo Duterte to certify the autonomy bill’s urgency to expedite supposedly the process which was then pending in the house and senate.

With the recent approval of CLG, Mangaoang expressed gratitude to “all the National Line Agencies who have enhanced the draft bill by way of their inputs” and assured that suggestions will be incorporated.

“We received an overwhelming statement of support from all the National Line agencies and we made the assurance that all their comments and suggestions will be incorporated,” the solon stated through his Facebook post.

Regie Wacas of the Office of the Governor disclosed most of the suggestions provided were administrative matters and will be consolidated by the secretariat.

“The next grilling to defend this landmark measure will now shift to the plenary,” Mangaoang added on his post.

The bill will be presented in the plenary, and the whole Congress will discuss details of it. After the plenary, there will be the approval of the third and final reading of the proposed law ‘Establishing the Autonomous Region of the Cordillera.’

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