“Fight for Cordilleran autonomy”: BM Donaal says greater control of resources can unlock region’s full potential

Tabuk City, Kalinga – Kalinga Board Member Christopher Donaal renewed the call to fight for genuine Cordilleran autonomy, saying the region could achieve far greater progress if it were given greater authority over its own resources and wealth.

Donaal made the statement during the Provincial Government of Kalinga's flag-raising ceremony on Monday, July 6, as the province joined the 39th Cordillera Month celebration.

In his speech, Donaal recalled the message delivered by Baguio City Congressman Atty. Mauricio Domogan during the kickoff of the region-wide celebration in Benguet, saying it perfectly captured the true purpose of the annual observance.

According to Donaal, Domogan stressed that the celebration of Cordillera Month would lose its significance if it no longer served as a platform to pursue the region's long-standing goal of attaining genuine autonomy.

"I will just recall the message of the Congressman of Baguio City, Atty. Mauricio Domogan; he said that the celebration of the Cordillera Month will be without meaning if we do not push for genuine autonomy because that is the real deal, that is the real goal in celebrating the Cordillera Month and the Cordillera Day," Donaal said.

Donaal emphasized that while cultural presentations and commemorative activities remain important, the celebration should also remind Cordillerans of the unfinished mission that led to the creation of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) nearly four decades ago.

The provincial legislator urged all sectors, including national government agencies in the region, to support the campaign for autonomy, stressing that the creation of the CAR itself already demonstrated the benefits of having a distinct regional government.

He noted that because the CAR was established, the Cordillera now has its own regional offices, including those of the Department of Health, Department of Education, and Department of Trade and Industry, instead of remaining under Regions I and II.

"To the line agencies, we ask you to join us to accelerate the creation of the Cordillera Autonomous Region. Nakita tayo met, lalo ti line agencies; there will be no regional health office, there will be no DepEd regional office, and there will be no regional DTI office if we are still beholden to Region I and Region II and if the Cordillera Administrative Region was not created. How much more if we have an autonomous region? Can you imagine what we can do if we are allowed to have majority control of our resources and our wealth? That is the goal of genuine Cordillera," Donaal added.

A decades-long aspiration

The 39th Cordillera Month celebration officially opened on July 1 at the Benguet Sports Complex in Wangal, La Trinidad, Benguet, with the theme "Smart Cordillera: Enabling Local Enterprises through Digital Transformation and Accelerated Regional Autonomy."

Observed every July, the month-long celebration commemorates the creation of the Cordillera Administrative Region through Executive Order No. 220, signed by then-President Corazon Aquino on July 15, 1987.

Beyond cultural and commemorative activities, the observance aims to sustain the Cordillera's long-standing campaign for regional autonomy—a struggle that began even before the region was established as an administrative region.

During the 1970s and early 1980s, indigenous communities opposed large-scale government projects, most notably the proposed Chico River Dam Project, fearing it would submerge villages in Kalinga and Mountain Province and displace thousands of families from their ancestral lands.

The movement gained national prominence following the killing of Kalinga tribal leader Macli-ing Dulag, whose death became a lasting symbol of the Cordilleran people's struggle to defend their ancestral domain, natural resources, and cultural identity.

Following the 1986 People Power Revolution, peace negotiations between the government and the Cordillera People's Liberation Army led to the signing of the Mt. Data Peace Accord, which paved the way for Executive Order No. 220 creating the Cordillera Administrative Region.

Why is autonomy still unfinished?

Despite the creation of the CAR, the region has yet to achieve full autonomy. For this to happen, Congress must enact an Organic Act, which must then be ratified by the people of the Cordillera through a plebiscite.

Previous attempts in 1990 and 1998 failed after most provinces voted against the proposed autonomy laws.

Studies later identified limited public understanding of regional autonomy as one of the primary reasons for the failed plebiscites. Many residents mistakenly believed autonomy meant separation from the Philippines, while others were unfamiliar with the additional powers and opportunities an autonomous regional government could provide.

Why fight for autonomy?

Today, the Cordillera remains the only region in the Philippines created through an executive order rather than an act of Congress, limiting the powers it can exercise.

Autonomy does not mean separation from the Philippines. Instead, it would give the Cordillera greater authority over regional development, the management of natural resources, the protection of ancestral lands, the preservation of indigenous culture, and the delivery of government services tailored to the unique needs of its people.

Cordillera leaders continue to educate the public on the true meaning of autonomy, believing that greater public awareness is essential to realizing the region's decades-long aspiration for self-governance.