THE ANNUAL celebration of the Cordillera Month will focus on the youth.
National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) Assistant Regional Director Jade Aquino said engaging the young ones in the pursuit of regional autonomy is not limited to forums and lecture.
For this year’s celebration, activities centered to the youth include provincial tree planting with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP)–Educational Assistance Program (EAP) grantees, youth contest for regional autonomy, Cordillera Got Talent, and concert for regional autonomy.
On July 9 to 31, the provincial tree planting will be conducted by 1,300 NCIP–EAP student grantees as a way of enhancing the IP youth’s protection of ancestral domains, giving back to the grant they are receiving, and responding to climate change, said NCIP director Roland Calde.
For the students to maintain their grants, the families of each student must participate in the maintenance of the trees as Calde added by the end of the year, an estimate of 7,000 trees will be maintained.
The Cordillera Got Talent and youth concert for regional autonomy will be held July 14, where the original compositions regarding the pursuit for self-determination would be played, said Aquino.
Earlier this year, A Victory Postponed, a book published by Neda about the struggle of 10 former members of the Cordillera Peoples Liberation Army (CPLA) for self-governance in the Cordilleras, is being distributed to both private and public schools.
The play ‘Song of Mateo’ was conducted at the Baguio City High School in February this year which depicts the life of about Cordilleran hero Mateo Cariño, who championed the legal battle against Insular Government, securing the doctrine of Native Title.
Aquino added exposing the youth to different kinds of medium is one of the better ways to engage children in regional autonomy. (Arianne Jo Julaton, UP Baguio intern/SunStar Baguio)