How About “One Ebullient Cordillera – Embracing The New Normal Towards Prosperity!”?

Inset, the Facebook sharing of Secretary of Agriculture William Dar after having been appointed as Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security in the Cordillera Administrative Region, CORDS-CAR, the region aiming for “One Resilient Cordillera” under a Whole of Nation Approach – in peace. This is exactly how I would love the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, BARMM, to behave as a whole people: Security along with Development.

It is the Ilocanos who have been in peaceful association with the Igorots, the Cordillerans. The Ilocanos and Igorots respect each other’s distinct culture, with ethnic jokes coming back & forth. I know because I am an Ilocano, and I have visited Baguio City a great many times not to notice. (I also notice the disappearing native pine trees, but that’s another story.)

So, I am not surprised that William Dar, an Ilocano like me, such that he prefers to be called Manong Willie, is supporting the Cordillerans in their fight against the Communist Party of the Philippines, CPP, along with the Cordillerans in their fight against poverty in the nature-rich mountains.

In his support statement on Facebook, Manong Willie says:

Together, let us commend and support the people of Sadanga for keeping and upholding their indigenous ways and a rich history against tyranny and terrorism. Indeed, our communities must remain free and not become bases for terror groups and their illegal activities.

That is part of the statement of support of Manong Willie to the Elders of Sadanga and Mayor Gabino Ganggangan. Sadanga, under Mayor Gabby, is the most active municipality in all of Mountain Province in terms of development programs along with the defense of the people’s way of life. In any case, when Manong Willie says “Sadanga” there, he means all of the Cordillera.

I say: Not only should it be to declare as persona non grata the Cordillera Peoples Alliance and other leftist organizations, but to declare persona non grata poverty of the Cordillera peoples!

If I were Mayor Gabby, that statement of support from Manong Willie will serve as the key to opening opportunities and knocking down obstacles towards the regional development not only of Sadanga but all of the Cordillera. Mayor Gabby must note, if he has not already done so, that Manong Willie has come out, even before he was appointed by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte as Secretary of Agriculture on 05 August 2019, with his “The New Thinking For Agriculture” that has 8 components that he refers to as “8 paradigms,” and these are: (1) Modernization. (2) Industrialization. (3) Promotion of exports. (4) Consolidation of small- and medium-sized farms (5) Infrastructure development. (6) Higher budget & investment. (7) Legislative support. And(8) Roadmap development.

There must be new thinking for agriculture in the Cordilleras!
(Thinking about BARMM.)

The Facebook post from PIA Cordillera says, “One Resilient Cordillera embracing the new normal towards recovery.” #WHOLEOFNATION.

Beyond recovery, anybody or group talking of any of those 8 paradigms are friends of the Cordillerans.

In there, the Ilocanos will stand with the Igorots!@517