COTABATO CITY\u2014 The people who understand best the struggle for self-governance are those who went through it themselves.<\/p>\n
In this spirit, the interim Bangsamoro parliament passed a resolution expressing full support for the passage of measures now pending before Congress seeking to establish, yet again, an autonomous region in the Cordillera (ARC).<\/p>\n
The current cause for Cordillera autonomy is contained in House Bill No. 5687 filed by All seven Cordillera representatives and Senate Bill No. 1232 filed by Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri.<\/p>\n
The 1987 Constitution provides for the creation of autonomous regions in Muslim Mindanao and in the Cordilleras.<\/p>\n
In the resolution,\u00a0 Bangsamoro parliament members said they believe that \u201cthe Cordillera\u2019s pursuit of autonomy also deserves the same amount of attention and support as that of the Bangsamoro.\u201d<\/p>\n
The resolution was introduced by parliaments members Baintan Adil-Ampatuan, Jose Lorena, Laisa Alamia, Rasol Mitmug Jr., Suharto Ambolodto, Don Mustapha Loong, Amir Mawallil, Rasul Ismael, and Lanang Ali Jr.<\/p>\n
During the plenary deliberation on the measure, Mohagher Iqbal, who is also the Bangsamoro\u2019s education minister, expressed the\u00a0 desire to co-author the resolution.<\/p>\n
Iqbal used to head the Moro Islamic Liberation Front\u2019s panel in the long and arduous negotiations with the government to gain greater self-governance powers.<\/p>\n
When the Bangsamoro Organic Law was still pending in Congress, the Regional Development Council of the Cordillera Administrative Region issued a resolution expressing support for the passage of\u00a0the Moro autonomy law.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is now our turn to support the bid of the people of the Cordilleras for their autonomous region,\u201d Ampatuan said.<\/p>\n
The Cordilleras included the provinces of Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Mountain Province, Ifugao and Kalinga, and the City of Baguio.<\/p>\n
Two plebiscites were held in the past but votes against full Cordillera autonomy overwhelmed votes in favor of it.<\/p>\n
In the first, on January 30, 1990, Ifugao was the lone province to vote for self-rule. In the second, on March 7, 1998, only Apayao province chose autonomy.<\/p>\n