CAR at 25 kicks off month-long celebration at Mount Data

By Joseph B. Zambrano

Thursday 31st of May 2012

BAUKO, Mt. Province, May 31 (PIA)--The month -long celebration of the 25th foundation anniversary of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) kicked off last Monday at the historic Mount Data Hotel here with theme, “Looking Back with Pride, Moving Forward with Hope”.

The Cordillera Regional Development Council (RDC) headed by Kalinga Governor Jocel Baac led the kick off with the launching of the Cordillera Unity Relay. A gong which serves as the unity symbol will be transferred from province to province until it reaches Baguio City, the regional capital, for the commemorative program on July 15.

A native pig and chicken were butchered as offering and thanksgiving as the the region reaches its silver year having been established on July 15, 1987 by virtue of Executive Order 220.

'It is just fitting that we are starting the celebration here at the Mount Data Hotel where the late President Corazon Aquino and Father Conrado Balweg held their peace talks that started the cessation of hostilities between the government and the Cordillera Peoples Liberation Army (CPLA)', Baac said.

It can be recalled that on September 13, 1986, then Pres. Cory met with Balweg and his group at the Mt. Data Hotel for the exchange of peace tokens to signify the "sipat"(cessassion of hostilities), and acknowledged their aspirations for autonomy in the Cordilleras. This led to the inclusion of a provision(Article X, Section 1) in the 1987 Philippine Constitution which provides for the creation of an autonomous region in Muslim Mindanao and the Cordilleras.

Eventually on July 15, 1987, Aquino signed EO 220 creating the Cordillera Administrative Region composed of the provinces of Abra, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga-Apayao(still one province then), Mountain Province and Baguio City. Also created were three regional bodies to accelerate the economic and social growth and development of the region and to prepare for the establishment of an autonomous region in the Cordillera.

'Our theme is timely as we show pride for the accomplishments of our founders in genuinely putting in place the foundations of the our region, Baac said adding that the establishment of CAR has witnessed the tremendous changes not only in terms of its physical development but also amongst its people.

'We have become cohesive cultural communities amidst our cultural diversity; our major roads are being developed for interconnections with our neighboring regions thus keeping us united and accessible with the rest of the Filipinos,' he said.

Baac said it is a challenge for his fellow Cordillera leaders to work hard for the passage of the third organic act now pending in Congress, as he expressed hope that this time the people are already matured and realize the greater consequence when the autonomous region in the Cordillera is established.

The Cordillera Unity Relay which started in Mountain Province will travel to the province of Abra on June 4, then in Benguet on June 11, then to Lagawe, Ifugao on June 18, then to Tabuk City, Kalinga on June 25, and to Luna in Apayao on July 2. It will culminate on July 15 in Baguio City for the celebration of the 25th CAR Day.(JDP/JBZ- PIA CAR)