“Let us secure our future...Let us continue to fight until Cordillera Autonomous Region is finally born” - Gov. James Edduba

Tabuk City, Kalinga - As Cordillera Administrative Region celebrates its 38th Founding Anniversary, Kalinga Governor James S. Edduba reminded all Cordillerans of the ongoing fight for autonomy, a dream that remains unfinished.

In a video posted on his Facebook page for Cordillera Day this July 15, 2025, Edduba said the theme, “Securing the Future of a Unified Cordillera,” is a reminder that the region’s future will never be truly secure without autonomy.

“38 years tayon nga umad-addang. Sapay koma ta daytoy tema tayo ita nga tawen, “Securing the future of a unified Cordillera,” ket mangipalagip nga saan tayo masecure ti future ti Cordillera nu awan ti autonomiya,” said Edduba.

Before Cordillera was created in 1987, provinces of the now Region CAR were parts of Region 2 and Region 1.

Edduba, in his message, encouraged all Cordillerans to remember that the fight for autonomy is rooted in the sacrifices of elders and pioneers, some of whom gave their lives for the cause to have a self-governing region.

“The people of Kalinga have always been fighting for autonomy because this is the gift of our predecessors, our fathers, and our mothers, some of whom even sacrificed their lives that we may hope and that we may have identity,” he added.

With that, the governor called on everyone to stay united and continue to fight until the dream of an autonomous Cordillera becomes real, saying, “Let us secure our future; let us continue to fight until the Cordillera Autonomous Region is finally born. Kadagiti amin nga Cordilleran, Matatago Tako Losan.”

Governor Edduba, this July 15, is in Baguio City joining fellow Cordilleran leaders, officials, and advocates in commemorating the 38th Cordillera Founding Anniversary.

Being held at the Baguio Convention and Cultural Center (BCCC), the event brought regional stakeholders together to honor the establishment of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) under Executive Order 220, s. 1987, which was envisioned as a transitional regional government on the path to full autonomy.

Speakers and leaders emphasize the importance of preserving identity, pursuing development, and standing as one region.

Why fight for autonomy?

Currently, Cordillera is the sole region in the nation established through an executive order instead of legislation. That makes the region temporary and limited in power. Without autonomy, Cordillerans depend on a national system that frequently fails to align with their distinct culture, geography, and lifestyle.

For this reason, Cordilleran leaders have been advocating for the region to gain autonomy. The fight for autonomy is about protecting the region’s ancestral lands, traditions, and identity while gaining the authority to develop policies that genuinely address the people's needs.