Former Cordi youth leader still dreams for autonomy passage

July 18, 2020 Provincial

HAPAO HUNGDUAN, Ifugao – “The creation of a separate Cordillera region has boosted the confidence of residents in the region and gave a sense of identity and ‘pride of place’ for all Cordillerans, especially full-blooded-igorots like myself.”
This is the assertion of Timmy Apilis Mondiguing, the Bagong Lakas ng Indigenous (BALAI) founder and staunch PDP stalwart. “Having a separate region of our own made Cordilleran professionals hold our head up high and made us highly effective wherever we were called to serve outside the region,” he stressed.
Mondiguing is one of the youngest regional executive who has served in various government offices. He fondly recalls attending conventions, seminars and conferences some of which as guest speaker, where the audience were totally amazed when he proudly mentions the region he hails from.
“They must have wondered how very different I look from the picture they have in their minds of what a Cordilleran or an Igorot is supposed to look like,” Mondiguing recalled with a smile at the cultural discrimination still prevalent among many Filipinos about the Igorot.
It is during this speaking engagement that he never fails to quote from his idol, the late Mountain Province Congressman Alfredo Lamen who declared: “Who says we (Igorots) are not Filipinos? The only difference between Igorots and other Filipinos is that we were our tie down below while you wear yours above the waist.” Lamen was describing the g-string or “bahag” worn by Igorots during festive occasions.
On a more serious vein, Mondiguing lamented the fact that it has already been 35 years and yet the dream of a cherished autonomous Cordillera region still remains that – a dream. He pointed out that if the Cordillera people will not be united and get its act together, their collective dream for autonomy may never be realized.
“If this happens, then the different LGUs in our region most probably would go back to Regions I and II as was the case before. This would truly be a sad day for the people of the Cordillera if we allow this to happen. Our identity and pride of place would once again be lost,” Mondiguing stressed.
Thom Picana