BANGUED, Abra (PIA) – Presidential Adviser for the Cordillera Administrative Region Assistant Secretary Antonio R. Tabora Jr. urged Cordilleran leaders and officials to bring the regional autonomy advocacy down to the grassroots.
“Tayong mga leaders are craving for autonomy, however I challenge all of our leaders – Congressman, Governor, Mayors, Barangay Captains, and down the line to pass it down to the common people because they are the ones who are going to vote for autonomy,” he emphasized during the 37th Cordillera Day celebration at the Abra Sports Complex on July 15.
Tabora also encouraged all Cordillerans that now is the time to make autonomy for the Cordillera a dream come true as he highlighted the immediate need to protect and promote the region’s rich culture and tradition and to maximize the full potential of the natural resources in the Cordillera.
“Masapol nga usaren tayo to the richest potential, our rivers, our mountains, our minerals, isu dayta ti masapol nga aramiden tayo para hindi na po lumalabas itong mga kayamanan natin. Dapat tayo dito sa Cordillera ang mismong makinabang sa ating natural resources,” he stressed.
[We should use the richest potential, our rivers, our mountains, our minerals. It’s what we should do so that the natural resources of the region should go out. It should be the Cordillera that should benefit from its natural resources.]
Tabora added that Cordillerans should also take advantage of the opportunity of having a presidential adviser specifically for the Cordillera region as compared to the past years with an assistant secretary for Northern Luzon as a whole.
“Maybe this is the time, maybe this is the reason why we got appointed for Presidential Assistant for the Cordillera for the reason that we can bring the Cordillera closer to Malacañang and Malacañang closer to the Cordillera,” he said.
As Presidential Adviser for the Cordillera, Tabora expressed his commitment in the pursuit of regional autonomy that has been stalled for 37 long years.
“I will make it a point that all of our pledges, all of our calls (for Autonomy) in the Congress, in the Senate, ay makakarating po sa Malacañang ang mga iyan,” he assured.
The 37th Cordillera Day celebration with the theme “Multiculturalism Towards Regional Autonomy and Development” was participated by officials, guests, and delegates from all over the region.
Said celebration was highlighted by a parade along the main thoroughfares of the capital town of Bangued followed by a program featuring solidarity messages from national and local leaders, the beating of the gong, cultural performances, and a community dance led by Miss International Myrna Esguerra who represented the province of Abra in the 2024 Binibining Pilipinas competition.
The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) was created through Executive Order 220 signed on July 15, 1987. The creation of the CAR is in preparation for an autonomous region in the Cordillera. **JJPM-PIA CAR, Abra
