First Peoples’ Cordillera Day under Marcos Jr. strengthen calls to rise against anti-people policies
[Tongtongan ti Umili - Cordillera Peoples Alliance]
April 22, 2023
Baguio City, Philippines – In line with the celebration of the 39th Peoples’ Cordillera Day, Baguio City will launch various activities from April 25 to April 28. The annual event commemorates the struggles and victories of the Cordillera peoples in their quest for self-determination and the protection of their ancestral lands and resources.
This year’s commemoration will also be the first Peoples’ Cordillera Day under the administration of Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the son of the late dictator Marcos Sr. who was the prime instigator of development aggression in the region, tracing back from the World Bank-funded Chico River Basin Hydroelectric Dam Project that has led to the martyrdom of Macliing Dulag. During the time of another Marcos presidency, we are yet again caught between the threats of a fascist regime and its anti-people policies.
The theme for this year's celebration is “Sumkad para iti daga, biag ken dayaw!" or “Rise and defend land, life, and honor” to shed light on various issues revolving around development aggression, historical distortion, and intensified fascist attacks in the region.
Particularly, the celebration in Baguio City highlights the issues of the people as they struggle against multiple corporate takeovers of large corporations, such as the cases of the impending “rehabilitation” of Baguio Public Market, jeepney phaseout, and the attempts of state-sponsored takeover in the Benguet Electric Cooperative (BENECO).
With these, the city is not spared from the effects of a neoliberal framework wherein basic rights and services are threatened and privatized.
While these issues were vehemently opposed by the Cordillerans, the state continues to red-tag individuals and organizations by spreading false accusations among human rights defenders, youth organizers, and indigenous people activists in the city and across the Northern Luzon. State-perpetuated tactics of inciting terror like the’ Dumanon Makitungtong’ cases and several trumped-up charges have been prevalent in Baguio City with its primary objective to silence dissent.
“It is now more than ever to imbibe the essence of why we continue to commemorate the Peoples’ Cordillera Day amidst historical distortion. Through this, it is the demand of the conditions to overcome struggles with lessons learned from the past and by actualizing them in the present. For it is a shame to forget the heroism and martyrdom of those who came before us,” Geraldine Cacho, Chairperson of Tongtongan Ti Umili-Cordillera Peoples Alliance (TTU-CPA), emphasized.
The opening of “Balligi ti Aldaw Kordilyera ti Umili (Victories of the Peoples’ Cordillera Day),” an exhibit and live mural making, on April 25, 10:30 a.m. at the IM Plaza, UP Baguio will kickstart the week-long celebration in Metro Baguio.
This will be followed by a book launch titled “PANAGLAGIP: The North Remembers,” featuring narratives and literary works of activists who fought against Martial Law in Northern Luzon, on April 25, 3:00 p.m. at the University of the Cordilleras Theater.
Moreover, Alternative Classroom Learning Experience (ACLE) discussing various educational discussions and cultural workshops will be held at UP Baguio on April 28 from 1:00 p.m. onwards.
To culminate the week-long commemoration of the 39th Peoples’ Cordillera Day, “Sinsinapo: a Cultural Gathering for Land, Life, and Honor,” is a cultural concert that will serve as a solidarity night which aims to raise prevalent issues in Northern Luzon. The event will also feature performances by various cultural organizations in the region.
The Peoples' Cordillera Day celebration is a significant event for the Cordillera people and their allies, as it provides an opportunity to amplify their voices and struggles for their ancestral lands and right to self-determination. It also serves as a reminder of the need for unity and solidarity in the face of continuing challenges.
The events in Baguio City will be spearheaded by TTU-CPA, Dap-ayan ti Kultura iti Kordilyera (DKK), and the University of the Philippines Baguio University Student Council.