| 1998 Cordillera Autonomous Region creation plebiscite | |
| Flag Year: | 1986 |
| Country: | Philippines |
| Location: | Cordillera Administrative Region, Philippines |
| Previous Year: | 1990 |
| Previous Referendum: | 1990 Cordillera Autonomous Region creation plebiscite |
| Map: | 1998 CAR plebiscite result.png |
| Mapdivision: | locality |
| Notes: | On the map, the darker shades of a color indicate a larger majority for (green shades) or against (red shades) autonomy. |
| Outcome: | Autonomy rejected in Baguio and all provinces save for Apayao; rejection of measure. Retention of Cordillera Administrative Region |
The 1998 Cordillera Autonomy plebiscite was held on March 7, 1998. In the plebiscite, the people of Cordillera were asked if they wanted to be autonomous region under Republic Act No. 8438. The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) consists of the provinces of Abra, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province and Apayao.
Majority of Cordillera voters rejected the plan to be an autonomous region. For them, it will affect their families, livelihood, and cause terrorism due to Conrado Balweg and the New People's Army (NPA).
Only Apayao voted for autonomy, but due to the Supreme Court decision in 1990 disallowing an autonomous region composed of only one province, the autonomous region was not created. Because of the plebiscite, President Fidel V. Ramos amended the autonomous region proposal to a regular administrative region before he finished his term of office.
| For autonomy | Against autonomy | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | % | Total | % | |||
| Abra | 22,684 | 36.25% | 39,897 | 63.75% | 62,581 | |
| Apayao | 23,201 | 74.98% | 7,741 | 25.02% | 30,942 | |
| Baguio | 19,205 | 14.41% | 114,043 | 85.59% | 133,248 | |
| Benguet | 15,345 | 18.02% | 69,823 | 81.98% | 85,168 | |
| Ifugao | 16,417 | 47.05% | 18,476 | 52.95% | 34,893 | |
| Kalinga | 21,841 | 46.01% | 25,631 | 53.99% | 47,472 | |
| Mountain Province | 16,154 | 38.34% | 25,982 | 61.66% | 42,136 | |
| Turnout | 436,440 | |||||