Preparations for the 34th Cordillera Month are on the roll despite the pandemic. A Technical Working Group (TWG) convened on April 15,2021 to discuss a possible theme for the celebration and to plan activities considering the new normal.
This year’s host committee is the Regional Development Council (RDC-CAR) Sectoral Committee on Watershed and Environmental Management chaired by DENR-CAR Regional Director Ralph Pablo.NEDA-CAR recommended that this year’s theme highlights sustainable recovery from the pandemic and autonomy for the region which was further discussed with the group and will be submitted to the Watershed Sectoral Committee for approval.
The event will be a month-long celebration with a Kapihan press conference on the first day to kick-off the celebration followed by various activities including a series of webinars on green technologies to support economic recovery and sustainable resource use to be adopted under the new normal.
The Cordillera Day Program is scheduled on July 15 and the TWG recommends that it will be done entirely virtual to follow government restrictions on mass gatherings. The presiding officer of the meeting, DENR-CAR Assistant Regional Executive Director for Management Services Atty. Cleo D. Sabado-Andrada said “Mas maganda nalang na sa side of caution tayo,” when asked about having the celebration virtually. “Para mag-lead rin ang government sa pagsunod sa health protocols,” Redjie Cawis of PIA-CAR added.
A Kapihan Press Conference on the 2020 State of the Region and Sectoral Reports will mark the end of the month-long celebration. Another TWG meeting will be scheduled within this month to finalize the details for the Cordillera month celebration. The Cordillera month celebration is done to commemorate the founding anniversary of the Cordillera Administrative Region through Executive Order 220 that was signed on July 15, 1987 and an RDC-led initiative to showcase the rich culture and history of the Cordillera. This year’s celebration amidst pandemic will push through on online platforms to show the unwavering spirit of the region in the pursuit of regional autonomy as mandated by the Philippine Constitution.**By Bob Lyndon B. Daroya, NEDA-SPCAR
