Tabuk City, Kalinga (21 July) -- Local officials led this year's commemoration of the 21st Cordillera Day in the province by paying tribute to the struggles of political leaders to realize the creation of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

Governor Floydelia R. Diasen said that "we are blessed that we have reached this day to celebrate the Cordillera Day", which she said "could not be achieved without the leaders who toiled and worked hard" to gain our identity as Cordillerans.

Providing a glimpse of Cordillera history, Vice Governor Jocel Baac, exalted the past leaders and their efforts. "Let us give focus to the historic significant of this occasion to the people and leaders who sacrificed and work to achieve the creation of CAR," he said.

"There are many reasons why our leaders struggle for its creation, since it was only the vehicle for us to prosper and develop," he said adding that "our leaders believed that we are being left behind," by the past Presidents in terms of national development.

"The only remedy seen by our leaders is to have an autonomous government of our own for us to utilize our own natural resources and culture, for the Cordillerans to unite towards development," he said.

The creation CAR through Executive Order 220 on July 15, 1987 he said was the vehicle to towards achieving autonomy in the Cordillera.