Kalinga Governor James Edduba also expressed his untiring support to the creation of a Cordillera autonomous region.
"To the Cordillerans, addu ti natay panggep ti panang laban ditoy Autonomy. Isugarod ti 1987 Constitution ket adda ti mai-establish nga Autonomous Region ti Muslim Mindanao ken Cordillera. Idiay Mindanao naala dan, na-achieve dan jay kayat da, kadatayo nag i-Cordillera, datayo ni naibati, (many sacrificed their lives in the fight for autonomy. It has been written in the 1987 Constitution the establishment of the autonomous region for the Muslim Mindanao and the Cordillera; it has been granted in the Muslim Mindanao but we, Cordillerans, have not achieved autonomy),” Edduba said.
Edduba urged the Cordillerans to support the pursuit of Cordillera autonomy for the future of the children. “Tatta kuma metten nga aware tayo ti Cordillera autonomy, even dagitoy ubing ket pangaasi tayo kuma ta supportaran tayu daytoy establishment ti Cordillera Autonomy, (Now that we including our children are aware and educated on the Cordillera autonomy, we should support the establishment of a Cordillera autonomous region), the governor added.
For his part, Sadaga Mayor Felicito Dula thanked the Regional Development Council for selecting the municipality of Sagada as the venue for the kick off program and he also expressed support to the advocacies and pursuit of Cordillera autonomy.
"Marking the 35th Cordillera Anniversary Celebration, we enjoin your noble activities which highlight the presentations of our native products, the tree planting activity which was done, and the beating of the Cordillera Unity Gong. These meaningful activities you have planned for this municipality is not a fantasy of kindness and humility but rather, to treasure the values and aspiration with hope to become one region and nation. We are very proud that you have selected Sagada for this event, as we feel that you like us very much not because we are one of the most visited towns in Northern Luzon,” Dula said.
This year’s Cordillera Month celebration with the theme “One Autonomous Cordillera: Ensuring Social Development and Inclusive Growth in the New World,” is hosted by the Regional Development Council – Regional Social Development Committee with the Mountain Province as the host province,
The kick off ceremony started with tree planting at the Saint Mary’s School compound, followed by the indigenous prayers or the “Dawis di Etag” led by Sagada Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative Jaime Tigan-o, cultural performances and the program
The program was capped with the beating of the Cordillera unity gong following the solidarity messages of the Cordillera leaders. (JDP/RMC PIA-CAR)