The meeting was attended by the President and members of her Cabinet.

The President told the Cordillera leaders present during the RDC-Cabinet meeting that since the organic law creating the Cordillera Autonomous Region was rejected by the Cordillera people in two plebiscites on Jan. 30, 1990 and on March 7, 1998, it showed the non-acceptance by the Cordillera people of autonomy.

Speaking for the proponents of autonomy, Govenor Dalog said there was a persistent clamor among the Cordillera people to opt for autonomy to hasten the economic development of the region. He said the RDC of the CAR favors regional autonomy.

The President, however, refused to give an endorsement.

Ifugao Gov. Benjamin Cappleman who was present during the meeting said Dalog also failed to win the support of the other Cordillera governors.

Earlier, the Cordillera Regional Development Council (RDC) passed a resolution to renew debates on the autonomy issue with wider public participation to include the private sector.

However, Baguio Congressman Mauricio Domogan proposed that debate on the Cordillera autonomy issue be deferred and instead attention and efforts be focused on the conversion on the administrative status of the Cordilleras into a permanent region.

Congressman Domogan said that the Cordillera Region can gain permanent status through the amendment of Executive Order (EO) 220 which was issued by then President Corazon Aquino on July 15, 1987. EO 220 created the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) composed of Baguio City and the provinces of Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, and Mountain Province.

The congressman said that should CAR be converted into a full-fledged region through amendment of EO 220, it would be easier for it to gain independence and autonomy in the event that the proposed Charter change, from bicameral to the parliamentary form of government, is approved.