BAGUIO CITY— The Regional Development Council (RDC) has invited President Rodrigo Duterte to grace the 31st anniversary of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) in Ifugao on July 14.
City Mayor Mauricio Domogan, who chairs the RDC, said in a late afternoon press conference at city hall Wednesday, that they are now coordinating with the Office of the President (OP) for the details of the event.
Domogan said that the RDC’s invitation to the President is aimed at further drumming up the region’s clamor for autonomy.
“We hope that the President can squeeze in his busy schedule our invitation for the 31st anniversary of the Cordillera,” he said. CAR became a region following former President Corazon Aquino’s issuance of Executive Order (EO) 220 which gave way for the creation of CAR as an administrative region pending its becoming an autonomous region. He said that annually for a number of years now, the Cordillera leaders led by the RDC has been boosting the clamor for autonomy by holding various information campaign activities, lectures and other events to inform the residents in the region of the continuing bid for autonomy. The annual Gong Relay, where a giant gong, representing the region’s culture is brought to the different provinces and cities in the Cordillera to boost the campaign. The gong relay, which lasts for a week commencing at the host province and ending in the same place in time for the big day, to commemorate the date of the issuance of EO 220 in July 15. The mayor, however, said that the invitation for President Duterte is for July 14, a day before the anniversary day, to highlight the event on the following day. Domogan said that celebration would be graced by the gathering of all leaders of the region and its people. There would be merry making and the offering of animals to the “Kabunyan” (gods) in thanksgiving for taking care of the region, its officials and the people, he added./PNA
