A Mindanao young scholar speaks

It is heartening to know that our articles encourage our readers to reflect, to react and to share their ideas with us.

Mr. Jan Lorenzo G. Alegado, a third year Political Science student from the University of the Philippines Cebu College handed us a thoughtful letter which he wrote in response to our article entitled “How much do we know about Mindanao?” published last August 30, 2008 in the Freeman newspaper.

His letter expressed his “concerns on the prospect of dismembering the Bangsamoro from the Philippines and the ensuing war in some parts of Mindanao, which really cost the lives of so many civilians.” Below are highlights of the letter of this young Mindanao scholar.

 Although the MOA-AD has been junked by the Philippine government, it does not really ensure that no agreement would ever be forged again between the MILF and the Philippine government containing the same ideas found in the MOA-AD particularly that terror still reigns in some parts of Mindanao and the MILF has not yet given up their incessant desire to secede from the Philippines. In addition, there is a warning that the Philippine government would be facing a tribunal before the International Court of Justice had the MOA-AD been signed.

Notwithstanding the scrapping of MOA-AD, some parts of Mindanao still continue to serve as a battleground between the forces of the MILF and of the Philippine government with no immediate end in sight. I agree with most of your points particularly with the existing animosity and discord between the Moros and Christians population and how some of us are imperviously labeling our Muslim fellows as trouble-makers and terrorists.

The lack of substantial written history about the Moros and other indigenous people in the Philippines has unfortunately been ostensibly manifested through the assertion of the Christian majority to their claim as the rightful heirs of the Philippine soil and discrediting other minorities as inferior and unworthy. This contentious issue is already entrenched deep down into our culture ever since we were colonized by the Spaniards who made us fear and hate the Moros. But does that really excuse us, the majority Christians to treat our Moro brothers and sisters the way that we have treated them.

The problem, of course goes beyond the clamoring of the Moro people over their ancestral domains. It really boils down to the main fact that the Philippine resources are unevenly distributed to the whole public; Christians or non-Christians alike. Had the needs of the Moros been sufficiently addressed by our government, I am very positive that the Moros would not be demanding secession from the Philippines …

The proposal of the dismissed MOA-AD was a desperate political maneuver of the Arroyo administration to change our constitution because once the agreement was signed with Malaysia as the arbiter, the Philippines will be forced to change its domestic laws to comply with the new situation. In addition, the Arroyo administration would not be bothered anymore with the persisting impoverishment in Mindanao once it is already out of the Philippine responsibility.

I apologize if I contradict some of the points in your article particularly when you said Mindanao is an important food basket of the Philippines. It is true that Mindanao is rich in natural resources, no point of contending that one but the question is, are the natural resources in Mindanao really enjoyed by the greatest number of Filipinos for the longest period possible? I grew up in Mindanao and I must say I am in better position to also speak about the situation in Mindanao. I have experienced what is like to be living in a place wrongly believed to be the area of terrorists (though some parts are). I could safely claim that the Philippines is not enjoying the fruits of Mindanao since most of the lands are owned by multinational corporations, which grow products for export purposes notwithstanding the presence of many landowners who lord over their lands much to the disadvantage of the poor people.

Not contented with what’s happening in Central Mindanao, you go over the eastern part and you will witness the rampant and abusive practices of illegal loggers whose main benefactors are countries like Japan. If really Mindanao is abundant in natural resources then why should we import rice and other food products from other countries such as Thailand and Vietnam? For heaven’s sake, we are an agricultural country yet we are importing food products, which could have been easily produced domestically. That is why I would not wonder who would not become subversive to the Philippine government if those mentioned above are committed against the dissidents.

I am not saying that the MILF should continue to wage terror but if the government is really sincere in putting an end into this conflict, it should start giving real priorities on the marginalized people and not just sham words of promises stated in SONAs. We cannot stop this conflict unless we stop hating each other and unless the government is willing enough to initiate change.

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