The Asia Young Indigenous Peoples Network joined the celebration of the 42nd Cordillera Day last April 24–25, 2026 in Tadian, Mountain Province under the theme, “Ipinget ti Karbengan iti Daga, Biag, ken Kabiagan!” (Assert Our Right to Land, Life, and Livelihood).
The two-day celebration was filled with learning, solidarity, and cultural performances that reflected the rich tradition of resistance of the Cordillera peoples against destructive development projects, land dispossession, and continuing attacks on ancestral lands and communities.
The indigenous youth learned the importance of protecting ancestral lands and watersheds, which serve as the primary source of drinking water, daily household use, and irrigation for the community’s farms and livelihoods in the area. The gathering also deepened the understanding of the continuing threats faced by indigenous communities, including militarization, displacement, and destructive projects imposed in the name of “development.”
Inspired by the legacy and sacrifice of Cordillera martyrs such as Macli-ing Dulag, indigenous youth reaffirmed the importance of defending land, life, culture, and self-determination.
Despite the richness of natural resources in indigenous territories, many indigenous youth are still forced to leave their communities and families to pursue education or seek livelihood opportunities due to the lack of social services and economic support in their communities.
AYIPN also joins the call to end militarization and state repression in indigenous communities, where military presence and attacks continue to threaten the safety, livelihood, and rights of indigenous peoples across the region.
As indigenous youth from different countries gathered in solidarity, the celebration became a powerful space to strengthen international solidarity among indigenous peoples and youth movements in the collective struggle for the defense of ancestral lands, self-determination, and the rights of indigenous communities!
Read our full statement for the 42nd Cordillera Day:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18MfqN1qrp
Daga, Biag, Kinabaknang, Salakniban!
(Defend the Land, Life, and Resources!)
