I am very delighted to be with all of you to celebrate the 36th Cordillera Day Commemoration.

Cordillera is best known for its fascinating mountainous topography, rich cultures and, of course, the resilient and peace-loving people.

May this joyous event serve as an invitation to our local and foreign tourists to visit this region and allow them to be enchanted and marveled by the breath-taking beauty of the Cordillera.

Today, we honor the many feats you have achieved and the challenges you have prevailed upon through the years. Therefore, let us celebrate with pride
and vigor the solidarity, dynamism, and camaraderie among the Cordillerans.

Please allow me to take this opportunity to once again express my utmost gratitude for the overwhelming support you gave me during last year’s national elections.

The trust that you have given motivates me to keep going and serve you with passion, strength, and purpose.

I therefore urge everyone to support the government as it pursues initiatives aimed at improving and uplifting the lives of the Cordillerans.

This includes the laying down of fiber optic cables to improve communications and access to the internet, and the many programs that are being spearheaded by the Regional Development Council of the Cordillera Administrative Region towards inclusive development.

As a region endowed with rich natural resources and vast fertile valleys, we should continue to explore the opportunities these can offer without destroying your natural heritage.

The Cordilleras’ potential in terms of hydropower, irrigation, and agriculture is vast and should continue to be tapped for the benefit of all.

Many of our brothers and sisters here are engaged in farming, which sustains not only this region but the entire country.

That is why, as President and concurrent Agriculture Secretary, I am relentlessly pushing and prioritizing the development of our agricultural lands.

I cannot emphasize it enough, but we really need to invest in the development, productivity, and modernization of our agriculture sector.

By building infrastructure and improving market linkages of our farmers, our farmlands will yield not only crops but also opportunities that create ripples
of positive effects throughout our nation.

So, I humbly ask that you continue to join me and the whole government in our pursuit of providing a better, brighter, and more productive life for every Filipino.

You can rest assured that this Administration will work for the progress of every Cordilleran in the years ahead.

Once again, I wish you a Happy 36th Cordillera Day!

Mabuhay ang buong Cordillera! [applause]

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