It's going to be a long weekend in the Cordillera region come the 13th of September. A proclamation from Malacanang dated August 29 has declared September 13 as a non-working holiday in the region. The declaration is in commemoration of the Mt. Data Peace Accord that was held on September 13, 1986 between core members of the CPLA (Cordillera People's Liberation Army) led by Conrado Balweg and the Philippine government. The event is referred to as the Mt. Data Peace Accord because it was held at the Mt. Data Hotel in Bauko, Mt. Province.
Corazon Aquino, then the President of the Republic was present at the historic peace pact. As tokens for the signing of the peace pact, President Aquino presented a Bible and a rosary, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) presented an ArmaLite rifle, and the CPLA presented an Igorot spear and shield.
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| Then President of the Philippines Corazon Aquino and Conrado Balweg at the sipat (peace pact) in 1986. |
Balweg, the enigmatic leader of the CPLA, was a former member of the New People's Army (NPA). He split from the NPA in 1986 to form the CPLA and its political wing, the CBA (Cordillera Bodong Administration).
