September 13 Declared as a Special Non-working day in Cordillera Administrative Region

By virtue of Proclamation no. 49 signed by Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez under the authority of the President of the Philippines, September 13, 2022 (Tuesday), was declared a special non-working holiday in the entire Cordillera Administrative Region.

The Reason for the Special Non-working Holiday

September 13 marks the commemoration of the 1986 Sipat Peace Talks between the Government under then President Corazon Aquino and the Cordillera People’s Liberation Army under the leadership of the former rebel priest Conrado “Ka Ambo” Balweg. The 1986 Sipat Peace Talks happened in Mount Data Hotel in Bauko Mountain Province.

“Sipat” which means in the local dialect in the Cordillera as “peace agreement”. This is an indigenous practice in the Cordillera region which is initially done before a peace pact between tribes are forged.

The 1986 Sipat agreement was the initial process towards peace between the government and the CPLA. The Sipat peace talks ultimately led to the creation of the Cordillera Administrative region by virtue of Executive Order No. 220 issued on July 15, 1986.

Proclamation 49 S.2022