Family keeps custom of voting in traditional wear in Baguio City

BAGUIO CITY — Siblings Mia Nicole and Igor Nikolai Cawed took to the polling center Monday to exercise their right to vote in traditional garb, keeping in line with a tradition that has been in the family for decades.

According to the siblings, they continue to vote in traditional wear as started by their father, Bong Cawed, a tribal leader from Bontoc, Mountain Province.

“Actually, it started with our dad, and we just want to show the people who the Igorots really are. Even if you’re part of the indigenous people, your vote still counts,” Igor said in an interview.

“It’s one of the legacies of our father. Of course we’ve come to like it also. We want to show the people who the Igorot are,” he added.

Moving forward, the siblings said they plan to keep the tradition for years to come.

The siblings are two of the 166,416 registered voters in Baguio City, based on data from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) as of March 12, 2025.

For election 2025, polling centers opened at 5 a.m. on Monday, May 12, for senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and pregnant women, while regular voting hours started at 7 a.m. and will last until 7 p.m. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News

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