Membership and Organizational Process
The Cordillera Peoples Alliance is composed of
community organizations and sectoral federations
in the Cordillera region — mainly indigenous peasants who comprise
the bulk of its members, formal wage workers and odd-job workers, youth
and students, women, professionals, and church people.
There
are also some individual members who abide by the CPA principles and
who consistently support CPA programs and activities.
The
member federations, organizations, and individuals are bound by the
CPA Declaration of Principles and General Program. They are further
guided by its Constitution and By-Laws, as well as policies and decisions
adapted by its duly constituted bodies.
As
an alliance, CPA promotes the principle of consensus in decision-making,
after free and full discussions with due respect to independence of
each member. CPA also promotes the principle of mutual support, cooperation,
and protection in the relations of it members.
CPA
continues to expand its members through organizing of indigenous communities
and sectors and active networking with other indigenous organizations,
institutions and individuals.
LEADERSHIP BODIES
The Regional Congress is the highest decision-making body of the CPA. It is composed of representatives
of member-organizations, sectors and some individuals. It meets in an assembly every two years for
the evaluation, formulation of the general two-year program and thrust
and policies of the
Alliance
.
The Regional Congress elects the members of the Regional Council.
The
Regional Council (RC) is the highest decision-making body in between
regional congresses. The Regional Council formulates the bi-annual campaign
plans of CPA and organizational policies pertaining to the work of the
Executive Committee and the Commissions. The RC is composed of representatives
of chapters and regional sectoral organizations and alliances, elected
by the participants of the regional congress. The RC meets twice a year.
At present, the Regional Council has 23 members.
The
Executive Committee, elected by the Regional Council, exercises general
leadership and makes decisions and practical plans between Regional
Council meetings. It is composed of the CPA Chairperson, two Vice-Chairpersons,
the Secretary General, the Deputy Secretary General, the Treasurer,
and the Heads of Commissions as ex-officio members. The EC meets at
least once in three months and as the need arises. The EC collectively
supervises the implementation of the campaign and other plans assigned
to the regional secretariat. It also decides on administrative and financial
matters. The EC members are directly accountable to the Regional Council.
It also works closely with the leadership bodies of the Chapters and
sectoral member-organizations.
The
EC members are the official spokespersons of CPA at the regional level
and represents the Alliance in various activities. There are three members
of the EC who are full time in working with the regional secretariat,
namely the Chairperson, the Secretary General and the Deputy secretary
General.
MAIN
OFFICERS
The
current members of the Executive Committee are the following:
Chairperson: Mr. Windel Bolinget
Vice Chairperson for external affairs: Ms. Jill Cariño
Vice Chairperson for internal affairs: Mr. Xavier Akien
Secretary General: Ms. Abigail Anongos
Deputy Secretary General: Mr. Santos Mero
Treasurer: Ms. Elvira Taguba
The Regional Secretariat serves as the EC’s staff in managing the CPA regional center and the implementation of its programs on a daily
basis at the regional level. Secretariat members staff the various CPA
Commissions, which include the Education Commission, the Public Information
Commission, the Research Commission, the Solidarity Commission, and
an Elders' Desk. There are five full-time staff
of the regional secretariat. The regional secretariat also acts as the
regional campaign secretariat while at the same time implementing the
programs of the different Commissions in close coordination with member-organizations.
The regional secretariat also provides support and assistance to the
needs of CPA members.
CHAPTERS AND SECTORS
At present, CPA has provincial
chapters and affiliate organizations in the provinces of Abra, Kalinga,
Ifugao, Mountain Province
, Apayao and the City of Baguio
. Organizing work among Cordillerans in Metro Manila
and overseas is being facilitated by CPA Likewise, organizations
and alliances covering indigenous communities in other regions adjacent
to the Cordillera have affiliated with CPA.
Regional
sectoral organizations and alliances that are affiliated with CPA
include those based among peasants (APIT TAKO or Alliance of Peasants
in the Cordillera Homeland), workers (KMU-Cordillera), youth and
students (Anakbayan-Cordillera), women (Innabuyog-Gabriela),
elders (Binodngan Pungors Organization and AM-IN), urban poor, and
the Dap-ayan ti Kultura iti Kordilyera (DKK or the regional umbrella
of cultural organizations).
Regional organizations of government employees
and church people are working towards formal affiliation.
The
chapters of CPA and sectoral-member organizations have their own leadership
structures and particular programs, while carrying the General Programme
of Action of CPA. Their full time staff and or pool of volunteers are
mainly engaged in sustained organizing work of indigenous communities
and sectors. The Regional Secretariat and the Executive Committee work
closely with the leadership bodies and volunteers of CPA chapters and
sectoral organizations in the over-all implementation of CPA’s
program, activities and campaigns.
LINKS WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
Within the Cordillera region, CPA is affiliated
with the Center for Development Programs in the Cordillera (CDPC), which
is a network of 11 major non-government organizations (NGOs) with excellent
track records in undertaking various socio-economic development programs in Cordillera communities.
CPA is one of the convenors of the Save the Abra
River Movement (STARM) and works closely with member-organizations in
the campaign to save the Abra River from further pollution and destruction
by Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company.
CPA is also in partnership with DINTEG (Cordillera
Indigenous Peoples Legal Center) and the CHRO (Cordillera Human Rights
Organization) in coordinating the overall human rights campaign and
advocacy work in the region in providing services to victims of human
rights violations human rights advocacy-related services. The establishment
of DINTEG and CHRO were initiated by CPA in response to the worsening
militarization and human rights violations in the region.
Believing that the problems of the Cordillera
indigenous peoples are similar to those of other indigenous peoples
in the Philippines and worldwide, the CPA actively seeks to establish
linkages with other indigenous peoples’ movements and organizations
nationwide and overseas. It is ready to work with other organizations
and individuals of other political persuasions based on our principles
and in the pursuit of common causes and demands.
On this basis, the CPA is an affiliated with
the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN, New Patriotic Alliance), a national
federation of people’s organizations in the Philippines committed
to nationalist and democratic goals. It is also a member of KALIKASAN
(People's Environment Network) and is in partnership with IBON Foundation,
a research and advocacy institution.
It is also affiliated with the Kalipunan ng mga
Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas (KAMP, National Federation of Indigenous
Peoples of the Philippines).
CPA is not affiliated with any political party
and maintains its independence as a civil-society mass organization. At
the international level, CPA is a member of the Asian Indigenous Peoples
Pact, and the International Alliance of Indigenous/Tribal Peoples of
the Tropical Forest (International Alliance). It is also a member and
facilitator of the Rivers Watch, East and Southeast Asia (RWESA) and
a member of the Mining and Communities Network (MAC). CPA maintains
partnership and solidarity relations with numerous international organizations
and NGOs that have extended various forms of support and assistance
to the program and campaigns of CPA.
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