The Regional Director of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Ms. Milagros A. Rimando, was the main presentor. She gave a comprehensive and enlightening talk on the subject matter touching on decentralization and autonomy, types of decentralization, basic features of devolution in 1992, the next step after devolution, federal vs. presidential/parliamentary forms of government, unitary system in the Philippines, PDP proposal, and NEDA analysis as well as significant updates from the ongoing discussions by the “Charter Change Consultative Committee” created and tasked by President Rodrigo Duterte to study the proposed shift to a federal form of government.
The participants shared their views and insights on the presentation especially with respect to the proposed autonomy for the Cordillera. Ms. Rimando appreciated the substantive exchange of information from the security sector and members of civil society.