Gov. Edduba, Kalinga leaders join national peace month opening marking key peace accords

TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Kalinga Governor James S. Edduba led the province’s delegation to the opening of the 2026 National Peace Consciousness Month at Malacañang Palace on September 1, an event that also marked two major milestones in the country’s peace-building history.

Edduba, together with Kalinga Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) Michael Karel Sugguiyao and Matagoan Bodong Council of Elders Chairperson Engr. Andres Ngao-i, joined President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and other Cordilleran officials in the national observance themed “Kapayapaan Pagtibayin, Kaunlaran Paigtingin.”

The celebration highlighted the 30th anniversary of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement (FPA) between the Government of the Philippines and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), as well as the 40th anniversary of the 1986 Mount Data Peace Accord or “Sipat” between the government and the Cordillera Bodong Administration-Cordillera People’s Liberation Army (CBA-CPLA).

The Mount Data Peace Accord holds particular significance for the Cordillera, as it is considered a landmark in the region’s journey toward peace through dialogue, reconciliation, and traditional mechanisms of conflict resolution.

During the opening ceremony, Marcos led the ringing of the Peace Bell and called on Filipinos to choose peace despite differences in views and opinions.

“Let us always choose to be at peace with our fellow Filipinos,” Marcos said, emphasizing that Filipinos remain bound by a shared home, a shared future, and a common Filipino identity.

The President said the milestones being commemorated demonstrate the enduring power of dialogue and reconciliation in overcoming differences and advancing peace and development.

He also called on Filipinos to protect and strengthen peace so that future generations will inherit not the conflicts of the past, but the peace, unity, and hope that the country builds together.

The National Peace Consciousness Month is observed every September under Proclamation No. 675, issued in July 2004, to promote greater understanding and support for the country’s comprehensive peace process.

The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) leads the annual observance in coordination with national and local government agencies and civil society organizations.

Edduba, in an interview with Guru Press Cordillera, said joining the event and having discussions with the national leaders help the province much in maintaining peace and keeping progress moving forward, adding that Kalinga is a peaceful province and that its people want to keep it that way and are willing to work hand-in-hand with the national government.