Cordillera peoples and their allied organizations once again gathered on April 25, 2025, for the second day of the 41st Peoples’ Cordillera Day celebration held at the Mother and Family Multi-Purpose Cooperative (MOFAMCO) Multipurpose Hall, T. Alonzo Street.
With the theme “Assert Indigenous Peoples Rights, Persist in our Struggle for Self-determination, Advance the Politics of Change,” the event centered on the Cordillera Summit on Energy Transition and Indigenous People’s Rights, Part 1. It carried the call to “Protect the Environment! Defend Ancestral Lands and Indigenous Peoples Rights!”
The day-long activity, organized from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, provided a venue for discussions on the pressing challenges faced by indigenous communities. These included issues on energy projects, environmental degradation, and the defense of ancestral lands. Participants from various provinces in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) engaged in workshops, talks, and collective planning to advance the people’s agenda, particularly in preparation for the upcoming midterm elections.
The organizers emphasized that CordiDay 2025 serves not only as a celebration but also as a strategic gathering point. Baguio City, recognized nationally as a “secondary center” for peoples’ movements, provides an opportunity for reflection on pressing issues and for fostering electoral choices that prioritize indigenous rights and welfare.
The event was organized by the Cordillera Peoples Alliance, Center for Development Programs in the Cordillera, Cordilleran Youth Center, Innabuyog, and Tongtongan ti Umili. Their aim is to unite the Cordillera peoples, reaffirm their commitment to the struggle for self-determination, and honor the meaningful contributions made toward advancing the region’s collective journey.
The 41st Peoples’ Cordillera Day is a three-day event, which began on April 24 and culminated on April 26, 2025. The celebration gathers communities to strengthen unity and forge resolutions to move the Cordillera struggle forward. **Marianne Rose Tresmanio Orpilla, SP PIO Intern
