What do Cordillera people think about autonomy? Attempts by officials to make the region autonomous was voted down in a plebiscite in Jan. 30, 1990 when the four provinces of Kalinga, Abra, Benguet, Mountain Province and Apayao voted no with only Ifugao saying yes. The second attempt was also foiled with only Apayao voting yes on March 7, 1998.
What is autonomy? The people must have been right in their decision at the very first and second take. What chances do the third take give? Have the people become wiser, more informed, or they are already wise and informed in the very first place?
This politically hankered state of autonomy, I understand, refers to that state of being a free and independent region governing its economic, political and social life. If the Cordillera would become autonomous, would it be free from region from oppressive national policies. Government laws give us a framework on how to exercise this seemingly lofty state of regional autonomy following the peace accord entered into between the Cordillera People’s Liberation Army led by Fr. Conrado Balweg in Sept. 13, 1987 and then Philippine President Corazon Aquino giving birth to Executive Order 220 which sets up a regional administrative body while preparing for a Cordillera regional autonomy.
This, following Section 15, Article 10 of the Constitution which provides an autonomous region in the Cordillera with “common and distinctive historical and cultural heritage, economic and social structures, and other relevant characteristics within the framework of the Constitution and the national sovereignty.
With moves for an information drive on Cordillera regional autonomy purportedly being done, I am curious to see what attractive features an autonomous animal the Cordillera would be, otherwise, the P15 million info drive is just another futile attempt gone to kingdom never come.
I consider autonomously palatable the position of the late Fr.Balweg who pushed for a federal state of autonomy for the Cordillera. In a federal set up, the Cordillera people shall make their own laws, Constitution and policies yet still be a part of the national state.
What degree of autonomy will the Cordillera enjoy if it becomes autonomous according to what EO 220 will prepare? Will it be just the same setup where people will exercise their political, cultural and social affairs the way things are under the present laws and political structure? Or will there be a strikingly distinct set up where people can say they are autonomous?
Just what structure and laws will be created in order to make autonomy realized somehow? If there be a collective decision for example among Cordillera leaders, just how strong will this be as an autonomous policy? What measures are in place to make this so?
Where policies are concerned, can the envisioned autonomous region provide policies where it can go against a national law or policy? The Mining Act of 1995 for example was given judicial mandate by the Supreme Court when the application for Financial and Technical Assistance Agreement of a foreign mining firm in Mindanao legally upheld its constitutionality despite opposition from tribal B’laan communities.
Can the envisioned regional autonomy say no to a Supreme court decision? Can it come up with its own judicial laws? What policies can the envisioned autonomy come up with and not being considered contrary but rather supplementary to national policies? On the other hand, national policies and practices are already in place for a semi-autonomous state. The Local Government Code already provides a system of devolution where LGUs could exercise some relatively autonomous control on generating taxes for one. Congressmen are in place to represent their respective provinces and people in Congress. Structures are already in place where LGU representatives can lobby for their share in income derived from the natural resources located in their own territories for one. Although it is another story when representatives and government officials cannot deliver.
Where the people in the region with more or less similar cultural and distinct culture could come up with their own policies about their own economic and political existence without the sword of Damocles hanging over their head, would be considered autonomous. Meanwhile, Baguio Rep. Mauricio Domogan and other political leaders are reportedly pressing the implementation of a permanent Cordillera administrative setup. This move may make some people push the Cordillera Regional Assembly and the Cordillera Executive Board as overseers of Cordillera affairs in the regional level. Just what happened to the former CRA and the CEB are things of the past which cannot be forgotten with a yearly P5 million budget cost of a lesson to draw from.
Creating a bloated policy-making structure “to articulate and harmonize the interests and aspirations of the people of the Cordilleras” was the supposed role of the Cordillera Regional Assembly composed of not more than 250 appointed from each municipality of the Cordillera, 10 from Baguio City, 18 representatives from NGOs and a tribal representative each is also a question.
Granting that these envisioned representatives have articulated and harmonized the aspirations of the Cordillera people, where shall these articulations be forwarded to? To the President? Congress? What sizable vote will these collective articulation bring to Congress or the Office of the President? How strong are these articulations in influencing national policy or when these challenge national policies? Is this the kind of self-rule that original proponents to Cordillera autonomy envisioned that EO 220 prepared for? How will Cordillera regional autonomous policy be in consonance to national policy-making? We maybe creating one bloated, overlapping body which is far out from original intentions of what self and autonomous rule means.
Another EO mandated body is the Cordillera Executive Board which is the implementing arm of the CAR is composed of 29 regular members of the board to name the Baguio city mayor, 5 governors, 6 from the Cordillera Bodong Administration, 12 from the different ethno-linguistic groups in the Cordillera, and 5 representatives from NGOs. Under EO 220, the CEB is headed by an executive director appointed by the President. Aside from questions of criteria to membership, what difference will this implementing arm make from departments and offices currently doing envisioned functions. Where it is a matter of codifying laws for example, or “promotion of indigenous institutions and processes for conflict resolution and dispute settlement, preservation and enhancement of indigenous customs, traditions, languages and culture? Isn’t this the job of the National Commission on Indigenous People where it has its provincial branches? Where it is a matter of looking at agricultural development, there is also the Department of Agriculture who takes care of this, as well as health and tourism.
Seemingly, this bloated CAR body and its supposed functions are a repetition and overlapping of what the regular departmental offices are doing. Unless, this CAR body will do something distinctly independent to further policy for indigenous peoples rights will it become relevant. As talks go on about this third attempt for Cordillera autonomy, responsibility falls on the shoulders of the Regional Development Council to come up with real good, authentic, representative and people-based information of how and what true and genuine regional autonomy really means.
The people have become wise, I guess, and know if they are being taken for a ride or not and the third attempt may just become kaput. This P15 million budget might as well be de-programmed or re- aligned for livelihood support activities for the farming and struggling folks of the Cordillera .
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Thursday, September 11, 2008
From the rice terraces to policy advocacy
KIANGAN, IFUGAO - Governor Teddy Baguilat Jr lives and breathes home. Home is the rice producing province of Ifugao which boasts of its stairway terraces to the skies, the famous 8th wonder of the world.
Rice being the top product of the province, the young governor sees rice culture as a vital source of livelihood and a potential source of income to be developed too.
Currently heading the Save the Ifugao Terraces Movement (SITMO), Baguilat wants to bring the experiences of SITMO in the provincial level.
For one, SITMO wants to popularize a viable method of transplanting rice seedlings at an early 10- day age and not at the usual 30- day maturity. Tried in the municipalities of Kiangan and Lamut, rice seedlings of the tinawon variety are transplanted early and spaced at least 25 cm from each other.
The rice planting technique forces the roots to grow deeper into the ground, grow more panicles, and yield more harvest when transplanted earlier. Tried first in Nueva Ecija by the Kalikasan Federation of Farmers in northern Nueva Ecija, it was found out that yield increased by at least 50% from the usual harvest.
Recently, SITMO won a 2-year grant from the United Nations Development Program which works on a biodiversity program for four towns of Ifugao.
These experiences shall serve as models in related programs in the provincial government which can be replicated in other parts of Ifugao, the development-oriented governor-elect said.
Ifugao is known for its mud- walled rice terraces which have been built centuries ago. Rice culture continued through the years and has been the livelihood of majority of Ifugaos since then.
Depending solely on rice farming is not a viable source of income and livelihood in this times of commercialized era however. Where most Ifugaos, if not most Cordillerans have terraced rice lands in limited scale, rice production is only good for at least 6 months and the rest of rice supply bought from the market.
With this, rice culture is seen as a diversified source of income where tourism comes in.
SITMO launched a rice terraces cycle tours which intends to offer a different experience to tourists. They will not just see the rice terraces but actually experience working on them, Baguilat said.
The community will be economically benefited as to the fees which the visiting tourist will pay including environmental, guide, entrance, and cultural show fees. While this is the case, the community also shares an age-old culture of planting and harvesting rice the indigenous way to the visiting tourist who does not only see and take pictures of the eighth wonder of the world but also try working on them.
Currently, SITMO in cooperation with Pochon Group will be spearheading the B’foto ad Majawjaw tour (Harvest tour) on June 22-24 at Mayaoyaw,Ifugao.
The package tour includes transportation within the province, a three-day meals and lodging, and the fees as earlier mentioned, a souvenir t-shirt and an ID and certificate for the participant-tourist.
These experiences furthering tourism for Ifugao and generating income for the community shall be elevated in the provincial government through advocacy policies promoting eco-cultural tourism for one.
Packaging the rice wine is also a need. Ifugao wine makers bottle their wines in the San Miguel 4 x 4. Baguilat sees the need to support packaging of Ifugao products including rice wines.
Participatory development
Development for the province needs the participation of the community. For this dynamic governor in his early 40s, Baguilat wants to see progressive politics in Ifugao at least. “It is a development-oriented approach in terms of decision making on the appropriations for the allocation of funds for one. It is looking beyond tomorrow, towards the future.”
For example, “we want the community to decide what tourism they like in their community. They will decide the dos and don’ts. What is important is that you have a protected area”, he said. With this, Baguilat commented that Banaue is fast losing its rice terraces with the gradual building of houses in rice-terraced areas.
Baguilat asks, would they (the community) want to see rice terraces 50 years from now? Who will work on these rice terraces? What kind of development would they want? How relevant is culture in this modern times?
And one major approach in making progressive politics happen is to involve civil society groups in local governance. Baguilat wants the private sector like the church-based groups, cooperatives and non government organizations be part of special bodies of the provincial development council take part in decision making and local governance.
Progressive politics is also making a stand against traditional politics. It is making a stand against corruption. For this youthful leader who dons a ponytail as a sign of protest against corruption, he considers worth supporting the initiatives of community groups like the monitoring and evaluation systems of the church-based Social Action Development Center (SADC) in monitoring government programs and likewise curbing corruption.
And for corruption to be gradually eradicated, “I have to start with myself”. The two- time (he was governor in 2001-2004) governor-elect said corruption means not receiving SOPs. “Where one contractor has won his contract fair and square, then he does not have to give an SOP and bribe a public official,” he said.
“Corruption is not only malversation of funds. It is also poor planning”. Baguilat sees development as a wholistic and interrelated approach to development. Capability building and provision of support services are necessary to make a development program finally redound to the people in the community. For example, not only are roads built. Livelihood trainings are given and the necessary packaging and market outlets will be established to support a person’s initiatives and a community product.
Rice being the top product of the province, the young governor sees rice culture as a vital source of livelihood and a potential source of income to be developed too.
Currently heading the Save the Ifugao Terraces Movement (SITMO), Baguilat wants to bring the experiences of SITMO in the provincial level.
For one, SITMO wants to popularize a viable method of transplanting rice seedlings at an early 10- day age and not at the usual 30- day maturity. Tried in the municipalities of Kiangan and Lamut, rice seedlings of the tinawon variety are transplanted early and spaced at least 25 cm from each other.
The rice planting technique forces the roots to grow deeper into the ground, grow more panicles, and yield more harvest when transplanted earlier. Tried first in Nueva Ecija by the Kalikasan Federation of Farmers in northern Nueva Ecija, it was found out that yield increased by at least 50% from the usual harvest.
Recently, SITMO won a 2-year grant from the United Nations Development Program which works on a biodiversity program for four towns of Ifugao.
These experiences shall serve as models in related programs in the provincial government which can be replicated in other parts of Ifugao, the development-oriented governor-elect said.
Ifugao is known for its mud- walled rice terraces which have been built centuries ago. Rice culture continued through the years and has been the livelihood of majority of Ifugaos since then.
Depending solely on rice farming is not a viable source of income and livelihood in this times of commercialized era however. Where most Ifugaos, if not most Cordillerans have terraced rice lands in limited scale, rice production is only good for at least 6 months and the rest of rice supply bought from the market.
With this, rice culture is seen as a diversified source of income where tourism comes in.
SITMO launched a rice terraces cycle tours which intends to offer a different experience to tourists. They will not just see the rice terraces but actually experience working on them, Baguilat said.
The community will be economically benefited as to the fees which the visiting tourist will pay including environmental, guide, entrance, and cultural show fees. While this is the case, the community also shares an age-old culture of planting and harvesting rice the indigenous way to the visiting tourist who does not only see and take pictures of the eighth wonder of the world but also try working on them.
Currently, SITMO in cooperation with Pochon Group will be spearheading the B’foto ad Majawjaw tour (Harvest tour) on June 22-24 at Mayaoyaw,Ifugao.
The package tour includes transportation within the province, a three-day meals and lodging, and the fees as earlier mentioned, a souvenir t-shirt and an ID and certificate for the participant-tourist.
These experiences furthering tourism for Ifugao and generating income for the community shall be elevated in the provincial government through advocacy policies promoting eco-cultural tourism for one.
Packaging the rice wine is also a need. Ifugao wine makers bottle their wines in the San Miguel 4 x 4. Baguilat sees the need to support packaging of Ifugao products including rice wines.
Participatory development
Development for the province needs the participation of the community. For this dynamic governor in his early 40s, Baguilat wants to see progressive politics in Ifugao at least. “It is a development-oriented approach in terms of decision making on the appropriations for the allocation of funds for one. It is looking beyond tomorrow, towards the future.”
For example, “we want the community to decide what tourism they like in their community. They will decide the dos and don’ts. What is important is that you have a protected area”, he said. With this, Baguilat commented that Banaue is fast losing its rice terraces with the gradual building of houses in rice-terraced areas.
Baguilat asks, would they (the community) want to see rice terraces 50 years from now? Who will work on these rice terraces? What kind of development would they want? How relevant is culture in this modern times?
And one major approach in making progressive politics happen is to involve civil society groups in local governance. Baguilat wants the private sector like the church-based groups, cooperatives and non government organizations be part of special bodies of the provincial development council take part in decision making and local governance.
Progressive politics is also making a stand against traditional politics. It is making a stand against corruption. For this youthful leader who dons a ponytail as a sign of protest against corruption, he considers worth supporting the initiatives of community groups like the monitoring and evaluation systems of the church-based Social Action Development Center (SADC) in monitoring government programs and likewise curbing corruption.
And for corruption to be gradually eradicated, “I have to start with myself”. The two- time (he was governor in 2001-2004) governor-elect said corruption means not receiving SOPs. “Where one contractor has won his contract fair and square, then he does not have to give an SOP and bribe a public official,” he said.
“Corruption is not only malversation of funds. It is also poor planning”. Baguilat sees development as a wholistic and interrelated approach to development. Capability building and provision of support services are necessary to make a development program finally redound to the people in the community. For example, not only are roads built. Livelihood trainings are given and the necessary packaging and market outlets will be established to support a person’s initiatives and a community product.
International Sagada hosts the good and ugly
SAGADA, PHILIPPINES-A peaceful and friendly community, discrimination is alien here as locals accept visitors alike in all shades, colors, professions, and vocations.
This tourist town hosted and continues to host a number of one-day tourists to ten year resident-visitors since the backpacking tourists started coming in the 1970s. Through the years, people here came to encounter people from different countries with their different accents, smell, language, and behavior.
The early backpacking tourists, mostly from Canada, Switzerland, Germany and Israel came with tanned skin, long hair and light and peaceful disposition. Being one with nature, you can sense their respect to mother earth, respect to themselves and to people whom they found.
They came and enjoyed the clean air and scenery of an invigorating Sagada, ate with locals and enjoyed evening bonfires with them when the mission compound was then not prohibited for lighting bonfires. Bonfires lasted till the early hours of the mornings with guitar music, a bottle of gin or rum and coke, heavenly puffs of smoke and light happy chats which progressed on to heavy political discussions depending on the mood of the bonfire congregants.
The tourists came back with more friends, different friends and advertised Sagada for what it is—friendly, a low-cost place to live in, and a place where you can relax, be one with nature and have wholesome fun.
Restrictions were not imposed as people and the tourists alike observed respect and courtesy to the other. No brawls, no stealing, no taking advantage of the other. Life was good and people co-existed peacefully.
The tourists came and went and “took nothing but pictures and left nothing but footprints” and Sagadians treated and continue to treat them like they are part of the family. Some locals though, especially the guys, eventually married lady tourists who came here.
Through the years, tourists and resident tourists alike shared their good minds and hearts to the people of this most visited tourist town. Contributions and sharing of what is good ranged from what is educational, spiritual, physical, musical, environmental to tasty good cooking.
Among them include two Americans, Judy Wallace and Marge Moran from the Summer Institute of Linguistics who stayed in Sagada from the ‘80s through the ‘90s. With the help of local Jocelyn Navarro who served as translator, the two American linguists translated the Christian Bible to Sagada dialect.
Local visitors including Manila-based artist and businessman Boy Yuchengco, a good friend of former town mayor and now Presidential Assistant for Cordillera Affairs Tom Killip, had an immense contribution in the re-building of St Mary’s School in the 1980s after the wooden school building was razed down the ground in 1975. The school building stands now as it is, a U-shaped concrete two story building which houses at least 10 classrooms including a library, an auditorium and administration offices.
Now SMS principal Dennis Faustino, former vice principal of the International School in Manila and a music and stage director, had come here in Sagada in the 80’s through the 90’s and taught music to students while playing Santa to kids every Christmas day.
A number of concerts from local students and from the Glee Club of IS were performed where proceeds went to SMS. He also directed plays with cast from the community itself, among the noted plays included the classic Fiddler on the Roof and Caucasian Chalk Circle.
Resident artist Janet Eason from Australia now teaches art to students of SMS while
American Kent Sinkey also teaches computer technology to students here. We have English artist and potter David Fowler who stayed here since the early 1990s, shared his skills in pottery, and eventually married a Sagadan native. They are blessed now with a son.
Other foreign potters also who contributed to the interest on ceramics here include artist and potter Jaime de Guzman and his wife who stayed here with their children in the early 1990s. American Anglican missionary Rev. Fr Archie Stapleton’s son, Archie who was born and lived here in Sagada in the 1960s, came back from the US and shared and supported Sagada ceramic local enthusiasts Lope Bosaing, Alma Bawing-Bagano, Siegrid Bangyay, Tessie Baldo among others, do more pottery designs and hold their own exhibits.
Resident visitor – musicians also contributed what music means. National artist and musician Aster Teczon who stayed here also in the early 1990s taught children how to play the guitar. While a number of local and foreign musicians as well including painter-musician Diokno, artist-musician Memra, writer-musician Steve Rogers regaled locals with their reggae and folk music along with local musicians.
Australian soccer player Steve Jackson who comes and goes to Australia and back to Sagada trained high school boys on soccer which made some local soccer team players earn titles in their respective tournaments. This is to mention Sagada Little League Ganduyan Bucks which gained national awards, supported by Manila-based businesswoman Bingirl Clemente who visits Sagada now and then.
Married to a Bontoc native, Bing, also an environmentalist, supported Sagada with its recycling waste and Materials Recovery Facility program. This further let this clean and green community gain awards in a nationwide search for best environmentally attended municipalities.
This tourist town which accommodates at least 15,000 tourists a year with sudden leaps noted during Christmas and Lenten season, also accommodates cooks and bakers. French cook and baker Philippe named “Aklay” by locals here who stayed here since the 1990s, specially does good tasty cooking for few to a hundred diners. His yummy delicious bread is specially sold at restaurants in town.
While most tourists were good and friendly, stories were also heard about burial caves being vandalized reportedly by some visitors. These stories heard through the grapevine in the ‘80s stayed and the culprits were never found yet the bones of the dead remained vandalized and missing.
As years passed by and tourism reached the later years of 2000, changes were seen in the behavior of some tourists, a far cry from the tourists of yesteryears.
This town recently is host to an abusive Austrian tourist who presently lives now with his Filipina partner at Bitin, Ambasing. Based from documented stories of the residents at Sitio Bitin and Barangay Ambasing, the tourist’s disrespectful and inconsiderate behavior had gone beyond what is acceptable which led the people to declare him persona non grata and wanted him out of the village.
Stories have also been heard of a Filipina wife of a foreigner who stayed in town a year ago. This woman named Paz Villanueva-Ballou was charged in court for eight counts of child abuse for reportedly physically mishandling the daughter of Sagada resident and complainant, Luz Badongen. Her child, Megan Badongen, 9, is the classmate of the daughter of Villanueva who took her Grade 3 education at Sagada Central School. A warrant of arrest was issued but Paz Villanueva-Ballou couldn’t be found.
What is perplexing is this story. Long time Sagada resident Jennylyn Bacarisas Stavely from Talisay, Cebu suddenly died of heart failure March 19 last year in Baguio City and was reportedly cremated. This was after her husband, John Stavely from England, accompanied her to Baguio to have her treated of her sickness, police reports say. Sometime later, an anonymous email was received by the Department of Social Welfare and Development that Stavely is reportedly abusing his wife physically.
Tourists have experienced their own miseries here especially noted the recent years. The police blotter has a number of reports of theft done to foreign visitors and an isolated case of mugging and robbery.
Sagada is becoming exposed to circumstances and incidents which goes beyond what is normally and regularly acceptable. It takes a vigilant community to guard and nurture its age-old and sound values both to protect the locals and the visitors alike in order that camaraderie and sharing between and amongst locals and visitors continue mutually and peacefully.
This tourist town hosted and continues to host a number of one-day tourists to ten year resident-visitors since the backpacking tourists started coming in the 1970s. Through the years, people here came to encounter people from different countries with their different accents, smell, language, and behavior.
The early backpacking tourists, mostly from Canada, Switzerland, Germany and Israel came with tanned skin, long hair and light and peaceful disposition. Being one with nature, you can sense their respect to mother earth, respect to themselves and to people whom they found.
They came and enjoyed the clean air and scenery of an invigorating Sagada, ate with locals and enjoyed evening bonfires with them when the mission compound was then not prohibited for lighting bonfires. Bonfires lasted till the early hours of the mornings with guitar music, a bottle of gin or rum and coke, heavenly puffs of smoke and light happy chats which progressed on to heavy political discussions depending on the mood of the bonfire congregants.
The tourists came back with more friends, different friends and advertised Sagada for what it is—friendly, a low-cost place to live in, and a place where you can relax, be one with nature and have wholesome fun.
Restrictions were not imposed as people and the tourists alike observed respect and courtesy to the other. No brawls, no stealing, no taking advantage of the other. Life was good and people co-existed peacefully.
The tourists came and went and “took nothing but pictures and left nothing but footprints” and Sagadians treated and continue to treat them like they are part of the family. Some locals though, especially the guys, eventually married lady tourists who came here.
Through the years, tourists and resident tourists alike shared their good minds and hearts to the people of this most visited tourist town. Contributions and sharing of what is good ranged from what is educational, spiritual, physical, musical, environmental to tasty good cooking.
Among them include two Americans, Judy Wallace and Marge Moran from the Summer Institute of Linguistics who stayed in Sagada from the ‘80s through the ‘90s. With the help of local Jocelyn Navarro who served as translator, the two American linguists translated the Christian Bible to Sagada dialect.
Local visitors including Manila-based artist and businessman Boy Yuchengco, a good friend of former town mayor and now Presidential Assistant for Cordillera Affairs Tom Killip, had an immense contribution in the re-building of St Mary’s School in the 1980s after the wooden school building was razed down the ground in 1975. The school building stands now as it is, a U-shaped concrete two story building which houses at least 10 classrooms including a library, an auditorium and administration offices.
Now SMS principal Dennis Faustino, former vice principal of the International School in Manila and a music and stage director, had come here in Sagada in the 80’s through the 90’s and taught music to students while playing Santa to kids every Christmas day.
A number of concerts from local students and from the Glee Club of IS were performed where proceeds went to SMS. He also directed plays with cast from the community itself, among the noted plays included the classic Fiddler on the Roof and Caucasian Chalk Circle.
Resident artist Janet Eason from Australia now teaches art to students of SMS while
American Kent Sinkey also teaches computer technology to students here. We have English artist and potter David Fowler who stayed here since the early 1990s, shared his skills in pottery, and eventually married a Sagadan native. They are blessed now with a son.
Other foreign potters also who contributed to the interest on ceramics here include artist and potter Jaime de Guzman and his wife who stayed here with their children in the early 1990s. American Anglican missionary Rev. Fr Archie Stapleton’s son, Archie who was born and lived here in Sagada in the 1960s, came back from the US and shared and supported Sagada ceramic local enthusiasts Lope Bosaing, Alma Bawing-Bagano, Siegrid Bangyay, Tessie Baldo among others, do more pottery designs and hold their own exhibits.
Resident visitor – musicians also contributed what music means. National artist and musician Aster Teczon who stayed here also in the early 1990s taught children how to play the guitar. While a number of local and foreign musicians as well including painter-musician Diokno, artist-musician Memra, writer-musician Steve Rogers regaled locals with their reggae and folk music along with local musicians.
Australian soccer player Steve Jackson who comes and goes to Australia and back to Sagada trained high school boys on soccer which made some local soccer team players earn titles in their respective tournaments. This is to mention Sagada Little League Ganduyan Bucks which gained national awards, supported by Manila-based businesswoman Bingirl Clemente who visits Sagada now and then.
Married to a Bontoc native, Bing, also an environmentalist, supported Sagada with its recycling waste and Materials Recovery Facility program. This further let this clean and green community gain awards in a nationwide search for best environmentally attended municipalities.
This tourist town which accommodates at least 15,000 tourists a year with sudden leaps noted during Christmas and Lenten season, also accommodates cooks and bakers. French cook and baker Philippe named “Aklay” by locals here who stayed here since the 1990s, specially does good tasty cooking for few to a hundred diners. His yummy delicious bread is specially sold at restaurants in town.
While most tourists were good and friendly, stories were also heard about burial caves being vandalized reportedly by some visitors. These stories heard through the grapevine in the ‘80s stayed and the culprits were never found yet the bones of the dead remained vandalized and missing.
As years passed by and tourism reached the later years of 2000, changes were seen in the behavior of some tourists, a far cry from the tourists of yesteryears.
This town recently is host to an abusive Austrian tourist who presently lives now with his Filipina partner at Bitin, Ambasing. Based from documented stories of the residents at Sitio Bitin and Barangay Ambasing, the tourist’s disrespectful and inconsiderate behavior had gone beyond what is acceptable which led the people to declare him persona non grata and wanted him out of the village.
Stories have also been heard of a Filipina wife of a foreigner who stayed in town a year ago. This woman named Paz Villanueva-Ballou was charged in court for eight counts of child abuse for reportedly physically mishandling the daughter of Sagada resident and complainant, Luz Badongen. Her child, Megan Badongen, 9, is the classmate of the daughter of Villanueva who took her Grade 3 education at Sagada Central School. A warrant of arrest was issued but Paz Villanueva-Ballou couldn’t be found.
What is perplexing is this story. Long time Sagada resident Jennylyn Bacarisas Stavely from Talisay, Cebu suddenly died of heart failure March 19 last year in Baguio City and was reportedly cremated. This was after her husband, John Stavely from England, accompanied her to Baguio to have her treated of her sickness, police reports say. Sometime later, an anonymous email was received by the Department of Social Welfare and Development that Stavely is reportedly abusing his wife physically.
Tourists have experienced their own miseries here especially noted the recent years. The police blotter has a number of reports of theft done to foreign visitors and an isolated case of mugging and robbery.
Sagada is becoming exposed to circumstances and incidents which goes beyond what is normally and regularly acceptable. It takes a vigilant community to guard and nurture its age-old and sound values both to protect the locals and the visitors alike in order that camaraderie and sharing between and amongst locals and visitors continue mutually and peacefully.
Election hang-ups
A friend narrated how he came across a man walking on the street alone and holding some polyetos. My friend offered him a ride and asked him who he was campaigning for. The man said he was campaigning for himself.
Surprised, my friend asked him if he walked in all the ten towns of the province to campaign for himself. The candidate said he didn’t have a car so he rode in public transport and campaigned to the passengers while in the bus or jeep. Good strategy. The candidate lost however by many votes.
While walking inside villages and personally getting in touch with people is a good strategy, it is not an effective way to get votes. Walking comes along with a proven track record and having many relatives.
Former board member Fr. Eduardo Solang hiked the trails and streets of the towns of Bauko, Tadian, Sabangan, Sagada to campaign for his candidacy during the May elections in 2001. He won. This was an exceptional and exemplary case.
The good reverend father gained a track record as a staunch human rights worker and indigenous peoples rights advocate through the years. He also served as a priest in Bauko and Tadian thus gaining votes from there. He traces his roots from Sagada and relatives of his wife from Tadian, which added up to more votes.
What was similar though in the above examples was that both candidates showed how it was not to spend too much money during elections in order to prevent eventual corruption.
I asked Padi Solang earlier how much he spent during the 2001 elections and he said at least P200,000. The money was used especially for food of supporters and people who visited his home.
I asked one board member candidate how much he spent during the previous elections and he said nearly half a million pesos which went to food, transportation and pollwatchers’ allowance. He won. He rarely walked, yet his winning came along with a proven track record and having many relatives and support from friends.
Here’s to this winning young board member to keep a pro-people record and steer away from corruption-related tendencies. I happened to talk to the wife of a former congressman-governor of Mountain Province and she said, her husband spent something like P200,000 which went to food and transportation all over the then undivided Mountain Provinces. That was in the 70’s when there was no vote buying then.
Today, the P200,000 is estimated to be nearly 1.5 million pesos. Yet, a candidate for congressman would need multi-millions in order to win. With a minimum of two poll watchers paid P1,500 each and deployed in 620 precincts in Mt. Province for example, nearly 2 million pesos is needed for this minimum number of poll watchers. This amount excludes the other assistors’ allowance; food and transportation of supporters, and campaign materials including publicity and possibly, money to buy votes.
What am I saying? One needs money in order to win. Where to get all the money? Either the candidate will mortgage or sell his house, borrow money from the bank or
from usurers, or do magic with public funds. Need I say more? Corruption stinks and this
topic is already emphasized too much. Let us dream of the day that the candidate during elections will:
* File his candidacy based on a proven track record and his capacity to lead and serve his constituents, and not on the number of his relatives or the thickness of his money.
* Not buy votes or entice voters with money, insurance benefits, pigs or digicards.
* Not make elections a time to make money.
* Walk the talk.
* Other reasons which would do away with patronage politics and corruption.
Let us dream of the day when the electorate will:
* Not sell their votes. Vote based on the candidate’s proven track record and capacity to lead.
* Vote based on issues and not on the money or gifts he receives from the candidate.
* Avoid making the candidate corrupted.
A shot at the moon? These dreams are attainable. If Neil Armstrong was able to land on the moon, we human beings would be able to realize the above. It starts with believing, acting on the belief with participatory governance from elected public officials.
Surprised, my friend asked him if he walked in all the ten towns of the province to campaign for himself. The candidate said he didn’t have a car so he rode in public transport and campaigned to the passengers while in the bus or jeep. Good strategy. The candidate lost however by many votes.
While walking inside villages and personally getting in touch with people is a good strategy, it is not an effective way to get votes. Walking comes along with a proven track record and having many relatives.
Former board member Fr. Eduardo Solang hiked the trails and streets of the towns of Bauko, Tadian, Sabangan, Sagada to campaign for his candidacy during the May elections in 2001. He won. This was an exceptional and exemplary case.
The good reverend father gained a track record as a staunch human rights worker and indigenous peoples rights advocate through the years. He also served as a priest in Bauko and Tadian thus gaining votes from there. He traces his roots from Sagada and relatives of his wife from Tadian, which added up to more votes.
What was similar though in the above examples was that both candidates showed how it was not to spend too much money during elections in order to prevent eventual corruption.
I asked Padi Solang earlier how much he spent during the 2001 elections and he said at least P200,000. The money was used especially for food of supporters and people who visited his home.
I asked one board member candidate how much he spent during the previous elections and he said nearly half a million pesos which went to food, transportation and pollwatchers’ allowance. He won. He rarely walked, yet his winning came along with a proven track record and having many relatives and support from friends.
Here’s to this winning young board member to keep a pro-people record and steer away from corruption-related tendencies. I happened to talk to the wife of a former congressman-governor of Mountain Province and she said, her husband spent something like P200,000 which went to food and transportation all over the then undivided Mountain Provinces. That was in the 70’s when there was no vote buying then.
Today, the P200,000 is estimated to be nearly 1.5 million pesos. Yet, a candidate for congressman would need multi-millions in order to win. With a minimum of two poll watchers paid P1,500 each and deployed in 620 precincts in Mt. Province for example, nearly 2 million pesos is needed for this minimum number of poll watchers. This amount excludes the other assistors’ allowance; food and transportation of supporters, and campaign materials including publicity and possibly, money to buy votes.
What am I saying? One needs money in order to win. Where to get all the money? Either the candidate will mortgage or sell his house, borrow money from the bank or
from usurers, or do magic with public funds. Need I say more? Corruption stinks and this
topic is already emphasized too much. Let us dream of the day that the candidate during elections will:
* File his candidacy based on a proven track record and his capacity to lead and serve his constituents, and not on the number of his relatives or the thickness of his money.
* Not buy votes or entice voters with money, insurance benefits, pigs or digicards.
* Not make elections a time to make money.
* Walk the talk.
* Other reasons which would do away with patronage politics and corruption.
Let us dream of the day when the electorate will:
* Not sell their votes. Vote based on the candidate’s proven track record and capacity to lead.
* Vote based on issues and not on the money or gifts he receives from the candidate.
* Avoid making the candidate corrupted.
A shot at the moon? These dreams are attainable. If Neil Armstrong was able to land on the moon, we human beings would be able to realize the above. It starts with believing, acting on the belief with participatory governance from elected public officials.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Gloria’s SONA and Cordillera autonomy
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in her state of the nation address asked Congress to pass a law to let companies directly pay their taxes corresponding to the share of local government units operating in LGUs’ respective jurisdictions.
Corrdillera hosts a number of national and multinational companies operating in its respective territories which directly pay their taxes to the place where the principal office is located mostly found in the national capital city of Quezon City or Manila .
We have SMART and GLOBE telecommunication companies spread out in almost all parts of the Cordillera. We have SM in Baguio City including Texas Instruments and EPZA in Loakan. We host Lepanto Mining company in Mankayan, Benguet including Philex Mines and other profit-driven companies.
As it is, most of these companies directly pay their taxes to the Bureau of Internal Revenue based in Quezon City and Manila. The National Power Corp. also sources its electric power within the Cordillera’s sturdy watersheds and mighty river basins and pays its taxes directly also to the national treasury.
These companies churn out millions of profits and shares in taxes are not paid directly to the LGU where it operates. This is so considering that national laws provide that companies pay their taxes directly to the location of the principal office where there are located.
Although the local government code provides also that local government units have 40 percent share on the taxes paid by the companies. But LGUS don’t get their 40 percent share automatically. Taxes are pooled in the national treasury and the Department of Budget and Management shall then be responsible in including the LGUs’ shares in the general appropriations act. But still, most of the time, DBM forgets to allocate the LGU shares.
Ifugao, for one, was able to get its P29 million share from Napocor’s taxes due to the urgings of then and comebacking Gov. Teddy Baguilat during his initial stint as governor in 2001-2004.
It is a welcoming development that congressman Mauricio Domogan of Baguio City refiled a bill in Congress which he initially filed in the 12th Congress asking companies to directly pay the LGUs share to the respective LGU where the company operates.
Now comes the third drive for Cordillera autonomy. While the Constitution provides for the creation of autonomous regions of Mindanao and the Cordillera, it is a welcoming thought to think of how the envisioned autonomous regions will be able to come up with policies beneficial to its people.
As it is, the Constitution provides for the passage of an organic act subject to the provisions of the Constitution and national laws. An autonomous region’s legislative powers covers the region’s administrative organization; creation of sources of revenues, ancestral domain and natural resources; regional urban and rural planning development; and economic, social, and tourism development.
With the Cordillera’s third drive for autonomy along with the appropriation of 15 million for this purpose, questions of realizing the intentions of the law remain to be seen.
How autonomous would the Cordillera be in legislating laws beneficial to its own constituents with respect to its vast natural resources for one? The Supreme Court ruled the constitutionality of foreign mining companies with 100 percent capital to be granted FTAA’s despite a constitutional provision that foreign companies can only operate in the Philippines with a 60-40 percent equity.
An exception indeed and the Cordillera along with other areas in the country which has a vast reserve of mineral wealth are easy targets for foreign mining companies which have already applied and will apply to operate its mining belts.
Otherwise, where the Cordillera can only follow what national laws say, the intents of what an autonomous region is, does not realize the avowed meaning of what true autonomy means.
Otherwise, it will always take a people to be vigilant and protest what they consider is not right for them which is not necessary if a law is already favorable for them. And still, the Cordillera better come up with an administrative set up which is more realistic and practical rather than telling ourselves that we are autonomous, yet, not really.
Or better still, let us better move to a federal system where Cordilleras can truly manage their own economic, cultural, social, and political systems.
***
Still on GMA’s SONA, it is frustrating to note that the second phase of Halsema Highway’s rehabilitation particularly Baguio- Bontoc and Bontoc-Kalinga road showed an un-connected line to the rest of the roadlink of the country. As it is, it was learned that the project is undergoing audit by the Commission on Audit following allegations of irregularities on slippages and substandard work.
Corrdillera hosts a number of national and multinational companies operating in its respective territories which directly pay their taxes to the place where the principal office is located mostly found in the national capital city of Quezon City or Manila .
We have SMART and GLOBE telecommunication companies spread out in almost all parts of the Cordillera. We have SM in Baguio City including Texas Instruments and EPZA in Loakan. We host Lepanto Mining company in Mankayan, Benguet including Philex Mines and other profit-driven companies.
As it is, most of these companies directly pay their taxes to the Bureau of Internal Revenue based in Quezon City and Manila. The National Power Corp. also sources its electric power within the Cordillera’s sturdy watersheds and mighty river basins and pays its taxes directly also to the national treasury.
These companies churn out millions of profits and shares in taxes are not paid directly to the LGU where it operates. This is so considering that national laws provide that companies pay their taxes directly to the location of the principal office where there are located.
Although the local government code provides also that local government units have 40 percent share on the taxes paid by the companies. But LGUS don’t get their 40 percent share automatically. Taxes are pooled in the national treasury and the Department of Budget and Management shall then be responsible in including the LGUs’ shares in the general appropriations act. But still, most of the time, DBM forgets to allocate the LGU shares.
Ifugao, for one, was able to get its P29 million share from Napocor’s taxes due to the urgings of then and comebacking Gov. Teddy Baguilat during his initial stint as governor in 2001-2004.
It is a welcoming development that congressman Mauricio Domogan of Baguio City refiled a bill in Congress which he initially filed in the 12th Congress asking companies to directly pay the LGUs share to the respective LGU where the company operates.
Now comes the third drive for Cordillera autonomy. While the Constitution provides for the creation of autonomous regions of Mindanao and the Cordillera, it is a welcoming thought to think of how the envisioned autonomous regions will be able to come up with policies beneficial to its people.
As it is, the Constitution provides for the passage of an organic act subject to the provisions of the Constitution and national laws. An autonomous region’s legislative powers covers the region’s administrative organization; creation of sources of revenues, ancestral domain and natural resources; regional urban and rural planning development; and economic, social, and tourism development.
With the Cordillera’s third drive for autonomy along with the appropriation of 15 million for this purpose, questions of realizing the intentions of the law remain to be seen.
How autonomous would the Cordillera be in legislating laws beneficial to its own constituents with respect to its vast natural resources for one? The Supreme Court ruled the constitutionality of foreign mining companies with 100 percent capital to be granted FTAA’s despite a constitutional provision that foreign companies can only operate in the Philippines with a 60-40 percent equity.
An exception indeed and the Cordillera along with other areas in the country which has a vast reserve of mineral wealth are easy targets for foreign mining companies which have already applied and will apply to operate its mining belts.
Otherwise, where the Cordillera can only follow what national laws say, the intents of what an autonomous region is, does not realize the avowed meaning of what true autonomy means.
Otherwise, it will always take a people to be vigilant and protest what they consider is not right for them which is not necessary if a law is already favorable for them. And still, the Cordillera better come up with an administrative set up which is more realistic and practical rather than telling ourselves that we are autonomous, yet, not really.
Or better still, let us better move to a federal system where Cordilleras can truly manage their own economic, cultural, social, and political systems.
***
Still on GMA’s SONA, it is frustrating to note that the second phase of Halsema Highway’s rehabilitation particularly Baguio- Bontoc and Bontoc-Kalinga road showed an un-connected line to the rest of the roadlink of the country. As it is, it was learned that the project is undergoing audit by the Commission on Audit following allegations of irregularities on slippages and substandard work.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Vote buying and mental slavery
Once again, the Philippines has exercised its popular version of what elections mean -- cheating and violence. The recent display of elections, Philippine style, is another round of a stinking electoral exercise practiced in the previous 2004 elections where the electoral fraud reportedly perpetrated by top officials of this country has not reached satisfactory decision in court.
Here in culture-rich and peaceful Mountain Province where there are no reported cases of murder and violence during elections, accounts and stories of vote-buying however have been heard to have reportedly been done throughout the province.
Talks of 500 to 1500 peso bills are rife over the grapevine to have been given to the electorate and even directly reported to this writer to have been distributed per household.
Not only is there reported direct vote-buying which is an illegal act, but also reports of indirect vote buying perpetrated through the giving of pigs during reunions and other family or community celebrations.
A local tourist here in this tourist town was surprised to know vote-buying happened here knowing that cases of vote-buying were filed with the Commission on Elections. She thought it was only in her hometown in Sorsogon and other poverty stricken places that vote- buying happens.
Sagada, while it is a tourist town is still an agricultural community just like other town or province of this agricultural country. Only a few households derive their income from tourism with a few families operating inns and restaurants, and others serving as tourist guides. The rest of the majority of the populace are farmers while some of the very few are employed in government and in private businesses.
Like the rest of the poverty-stricken Filipinos, Sagada populace are also hit with the effects of poverty such that a 500 peso bill freely given by a supporter of a political candidate or given by the candidate himself is already a blessing enough to buy a half cavan of rice or a 1,500 bill enough to buy a cavan of rice and a kilo of sugar.
To complicate matters, the acceptance of the money comes along with the psychological effect of voting for the one who gives the money, otherwise, it would be a curse not to. With a people who have strong cultural, if not superstitious beliefs of receiving a favor and giving back a favor in return, people become enslaved to this system of conscionable vote selling.
That is why, the advise of some politicians for the electorate not to vote for the one who gives the money does not work especially in this 4th class province. Chances are, the one who gives the money or a cow or a pig always wins and the one who presents a very good platform without giving money, will not win.
Calls for new politics, consultative governance, and democratic participation espoused by losing former congressional aspirants in the province including lawyers Anthony Wooden and David Daoas in the 2004 elections, and engineers Arnold Pilando and Jupiter Dominguez in the recent elections remain to be ideal platforms of good governance which have not taken off the ground.
Even implementation of the Local Government Code involving non-government agencies and participation of constituents in the making of barangay municipal and provincial development plans have not been fully implemented since the law’s passage in 1991.
The assertive involvement of the electorate in making a better community is still to be felt. While the law is there for people to participate in decision making for their own betterment and active involvement, governance has been left in the hands of the ones whom they have elected into office.
Either the electorate is apathetic due to utter helplessness or ignorance, or they have simply considered involvement in decision making the least of their priorities in life. This “stinking political system” says Sagada native Rose Capuyan, will continue with a people enslaved and helpless.
This feeling of helplessness and chosen slavery perpetuates when money or a gift is received from a traditional politician who in turn is voted by the recipient in return during elections.
Here in culture-rich and peaceful Mountain Province where there are no reported cases of murder and violence during elections, accounts and stories of vote-buying however have been heard to have reportedly been done throughout the province.
Talks of 500 to 1500 peso bills are rife over the grapevine to have been given to the electorate and even directly reported to this writer to have been distributed per household.
Not only is there reported direct vote-buying which is an illegal act, but also reports of indirect vote buying perpetrated through the giving of pigs during reunions and other family or community celebrations.
A local tourist here in this tourist town was surprised to know vote-buying happened here knowing that cases of vote-buying were filed with the Commission on Elections. She thought it was only in her hometown in Sorsogon and other poverty stricken places that vote- buying happens.
Sagada, while it is a tourist town is still an agricultural community just like other town or province of this agricultural country. Only a few households derive their income from tourism with a few families operating inns and restaurants, and others serving as tourist guides. The rest of the majority of the populace are farmers while some of the very few are employed in government and in private businesses.
Like the rest of the poverty-stricken Filipinos, Sagada populace are also hit with the effects of poverty such that a 500 peso bill freely given by a supporter of a political candidate or given by the candidate himself is already a blessing enough to buy a half cavan of rice or a 1,500 bill enough to buy a cavan of rice and a kilo of sugar.
To complicate matters, the acceptance of the money comes along with the psychological effect of voting for the one who gives the money, otherwise, it would be a curse not to. With a people who have strong cultural, if not superstitious beliefs of receiving a favor and giving back a favor in return, people become enslaved to this system of conscionable vote selling.
That is why, the advise of some politicians for the electorate not to vote for the one who gives the money does not work especially in this 4th class province. Chances are, the one who gives the money or a cow or a pig always wins and the one who presents a very good platform without giving money, will not win.
Calls for new politics, consultative governance, and democratic participation espoused by losing former congressional aspirants in the province including lawyers Anthony Wooden and David Daoas in the 2004 elections, and engineers Arnold Pilando and Jupiter Dominguez in the recent elections remain to be ideal platforms of good governance which have not taken off the ground.
Even implementation of the Local Government Code involving non-government agencies and participation of constituents in the making of barangay municipal and provincial development plans have not been fully implemented since the law’s passage in 1991.
The assertive involvement of the electorate in making a better community is still to be felt. While the law is there for people to participate in decision making for their own betterment and active involvement, governance has been left in the hands of the ones whom they have elected into office.
Either the electorate is apathetic due to utter helplessness or ignorance, or they have simply considered involvement in decision making the least of their priorities in life. This “stinking political system” says Sagada native Rose Capuyan, will continue with a people enslaved and helpless.
This feeling of helplessness and chosen slavery perpetuates when money or a gift is received from a traditional politician who in turn is voted by the recipient in return during elections.
Friday, May 11, 2007
The Anglican Angle
The demolition of the Anglican church in Sabangan by contractors of the multipurpose gym funded from the pork barrel funds of incumbent Rep. Victor Dominguez has created a situation wherein differing supporters of Mt Province congressional candidates used the issue to propel candidacies of their respective candidates.
Based from campaign sorties, incumbent mayor of Sabangan and candidate for congressman Jupiter Dominguez’ supporters are supporting the mayor for having been at their side during the chaotic times of the church’s demolition in 2006, among other reasons. On the other hand, the candidate congressman’s rivals and their supporters claim the opposite.
Let the events that transpired be given credit to whom these are due. Where the mayor’s support was felt by people who claim it to be so, then let it be. Where Jupiter Dominguez’ rivals says the opposite, the burden is on them to prove it so.
With the issuance of the Anglican Diocesan Convention resolution which forwards a strong political position against Victor Dominguez, this has apparently invited comment from the solon’s supporters as well as those who capitalized on the issue and attacked church leaders for indulging in “hate campaign and partisan propaganda”.
While differing supporters and their candidates have their own political gimmicks and strategies to further their popularity basing their conclusions on the events that transpired from the church’s demolition, what currently stands is the solon’s denial of the church’s existence and consequent denial of a congregation who gather to express their religious faith and beliefs.
Victor Dominguez has repeatedly denied the existence of the Anglican church in Sabangan with claims that the lot where the church stands is owned by the Poblacion of Sabangan.
While it is a legal controversy of who owns the lot where the church building stands, whether it is the Poblacion of Sabangan or the Anglican church, the solon has blinded his eyes to the congregation of St Peter’s church who regularly conduct their church services at the very building which was demolished.
This is every evident on some 50 Anglican families who go to church every Sunday and who have been baptized Anglicans in the wooden one-story building, since the Anglican church was established in 1958 up to the moment. This is very evident also on the assignments of the many Anglican priests who have served in St Peter’s church year in and year out.
Bishop Renato Abibico of the Anglican diocese of northern Luzon, and who hails from Sabangan, himself says that he was a regular worshipper of the demolished church building which was then referred to as “pwestoan” in 1965.
The very act of denying the existence of St Peter’s church is denying the existence of the very people who have lived and continued to live in Sabangan. It is denying the existence of the very people who may have voted for the solon in the past 30 years of his term as solon of this 5th class province. It is denying the very principles of the divine law apart from State law, which makes up policies of the government where he sits as congressman.
Thus, the solon’s pronouncements were seen as having violated the very fundamental, human, universal, and constitutional rights to worship and religion which basically composes our essence as human beings. This notwithstanding, let the Anglicans separately pursue with reason their individual choices of candidates this coming May 14 elections as part of their right to suffrage
Based from campaign sorties, incumbent mayor of Sabangan and candidate for congressman Jupiter Dominguez’ supporters are supporting the mayor for having been at their side during the chaotic times of the church’s demolition in 2006, among other reasons. On the other hand, the candidate congressman’s rivals and their supporters claim the opposite.
Let the events that transpired be given credit to whom these are due. Where the mayor’s support was felt by people who claim it to be so, then let it be. Where Jupiter Dominguez’ rivals says the opposite, the burden is on them to prove it so.
With the issuance of the Anglican Diocesan Convention resolution which forwards a strong political position against Victor Dominguez, this has apparently invited comment from the solon’s supporters as well as those who capitalized on the issue and attacked church leaders for indulging in “hate campaign and partisan propaganda”.
While differing supporters and their candidates have their own political gimmicks and strategies to further their popularity basing their conclusions on the events that transpired from the church’s demolition, what currently stands is the solon’s denial of the church’s existence and consequent denial of a congregation who gather to express their religious faith and beliefs.
Victor Dominguez has repeatedly denied the existence of the Anglican church in Sabangan with claims that the lot where the church stands is owned by the Poblacion of Sabangan.
While it is a legal controversy of who owns the lot where the church building stands, whether it is the Poblacion of Sabangan or the Anglican church, the solon has blinded his eyes to the congregation of St Peter’s church who regularly conduct their church services at the very building which was demolished.
This is every evident on some 50 Anglican families who go to church every Sunday and who have been baptized Anglicans in the wooden one-story building, since the Anglican church was established in 1958 up to the moment. This is very evident also on the assignments of the many Anglican priests who have served in St Peter’s church year in and year out.
Bishop Renato Abibico of the Anglican diocese of northern Luzon, and who hails from Sabangan, himself says that he was a regular worshipper of the demolished church building which was then referred to as “pwestoan” in 1965.
The very act of denying the existence of St Peter’s church is denying the existence of the very people who have lived and continued to live in Sabangan. It is denying the existence of the very people who may have voted for the solon in the past 30 years of his term as solon of this 5th class province. It is denying the very principles of the divine law apart from State law, which makes up policies of the government where he sits as congressman.
Thus, the solon’s pronouncements were seen as having violated the very fundamental, human, universal, and constitutional rights to worship and religion which basically composes our essence as human beings. This notwithstanding, let the Anglicans separately pursue with reason their individual choices of candidates this coming May 14 elections as part of their right to suffrage
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