Officials culminate 34th Cordillera Month events

By Bob Lyndon Daroya

BAGUIO CITY -- The Cordillera Regional Development Council led by its watershed and environment management committee recently culminated the month-long celebration of the 34th founding anniversary of Cordillera Administrative Region here.
    The program included: messages from DICT Sec. Gregorio Honasan II and National Economic Development Agency Undersecretary Mercedita Sombilla, delivery of the State of the Region Address and highlights of CAR’s development performance in 2020; and turn-over ceremony from the RDC watershed committee to the regional social development committee.
    In his keynote speech, Honasan congratulated the region for its successful celebration of its anniversary and called for support of local governments in the region in providing broadband connectivity to all which is a basic right like food and clothing. 
    He said CAR government agencies, public schools, public hospitals and barangay halls are already connected to the regional GovNet under the National Broadband Program of the DICT.
    Honasan aims to hasten GovNet and other DICT programs in the Cordillera region. 
    NEDA Undersecretary Sombilla cited the critical role of the Cordillera in the country’s recovery efforts in ensuring food security for the nation, CAR being the primary producer of high value crops and in taking the lead in the development of the country’s emerging creative industries and eco-cultural tourism.
    “We shall continue to provide policy and budgetary support to the RDC- social preparation of CAR into an Autonomous Region program and NEDA will continue to actively support the passage of an autonomy bill as a priority legislative agenda,” she added.
    The SORA WAS presented by RDC-CAR vice-chairperson and NEDA-CAR regional director Susan A. Sumbeling who highlighted the resilience of the Cordillera and its people in battling effects of the pandemic through application of indigenous values and practices such as binnadang (bayanihan) and indigenous lockdowns.
    This was expounded by the highlights of the 2020 regional development performance presented by NEDA-CAR assistant regional director Stephanie Christiansen.

She said regional economy contracted by 9.9 percent with all sectors adversely affected by the pandemic.

Christiansen urged everyone to work together to recover from Covid-19 towards a better normal.

Chairpersons of the different sectoral committees of the RDC served as panelists during the open forum.

Present were regional directors Ralph Pablo of DENR, Juliet Lucas, DTI;  Khadaffy Tanggol, DPWH; Jovita Ganongan,  DOT; assistant regional director lawyer Jennilyn Dawayan, DA; RDC private sector representatives Ryan Mangusan of committee on indigenous peoples concerns and Ferdinand Gonzales of the development administration committee.

Pablo turned over the hosting for the 35th Cordillera Month celebration  to RSDC chairperson DSWD regional director Arnel B. Garcia and co-chairperson private sector representative Arnel Cabanisas with a “kattukong” (bamboo hat) symbolizing leadership and responsibility and a bamboo plant symbolizing resilience.

Garcia accepted the responsibility and the turn-over ceremony was sealed with the ceremonial beating of the Cordillera unity gong.