Yes, before the agitators succeed in creating civil war!
Yes, even inspite of the bombings, killings, knocking down power lines, burning of some towns, kidnappings, etc.
Yes, because the terrorists don’t represent the majority of Muslims. Yes, because the greater number of the silent majority condemn the terrorists in whispers because they still don’t share with their mission of violence to create an Islamic state vision.
Yes, because We, Christians, could not have attained our present state of development have it not been for their hospitality & friendship as evidence by openly welcoming settlers from Luzon and Visayas at the turn of the century until the mid-sixties.
Yes, because many of us children of settlers still remember many of them having given large tracts of homestead of 24 hectares per family.
Yes, because we know that our present troubles are not due to religious beliefs.
Yes, because the troubles are simply due to the fact that they feel they are being left behind politically and economically.
Yes, because the majority of them feel victims of benign neglect. Yes, because there is a strong need to help them to become participants in a market economy from subsistence level.
Yes, because if we don’t, the consequence would be so frightening for both sides because the extremists want to escalate hatred between Muslims and Christians.
HOW THEN CAN WE SHOW SINCERITY?
Not by more public demonstrations! Not by more promises of help! Not by merely having meetings, etc., in costly hotels. Not by more press releases especially the ignorant and naives from outside of Mindanao.
Not by demanding solution only from the President but by the local governments themselves!
Not by more NATO (No Action, Talk Only)! Not by more ASEAN (Always Speaking Eloquently, Action None) by some people including Muslim officials in the government.
YES, WE CAN DEMONSTRATE SINCERITY BY PROPOSING TO OUR LEADERS FROM PRESIDENT DOWN TO THE BARANGAY OFFICIALS TO APPOINT OR CAUSE TO BE APPOINTED MORE QUALIFIED MUSLIM AND LUMAD PROFESSIONALS INTO CAREER POSITIONS FROM SECRETARY TO JANITOR PROPORTIONATE TO POPULATION.
And since they had been unwittingly deprived for a hundred years, we should not begrudge them if they are allotted more now.
Yes, we can ask PGMA to certify to Congress that legislation is needed to institutionalize a policy of electing Muslims and Lumads proportionate to population, or any of our legislators proposing the above policy the soonest.
WHAT ARE SOME SPECIFIC PROJECTS WE CAN ESTABLISH WITH THEM?
As we already know a project can only be sustainable if the locals participate in conceptualizing.
Like the marsh in Buluan and of its other side. There is a project that will instantly transform the more than 36,000 hectares of natural fishpond into a market economy. The marsh abundantly produces hundreds of tons of eel, mudfish, tilapia, catfish, popoyo, gurami, shellfish, crayfish, etc. yearly. So that the stock of fish will remain aplenty breeding and multiplication facilities can be established by the University of Southern Mindanao at nearby Kabacan.
Yes, a similar facility can be established in Jolo to process and package all the fish caught in the Sulu Archipelago.
Yes, let us help train the Tausug’s “basing” fishing technology through the help of the Ilonggos, and since the latter are already experts in fish capture can be requested to go further out into the open seas.
Yes, the government through the foreign assistance projects or loans can help set up many Cardava banana chip factories and international flour in baking. According to Sec. Peping Cojuangco, China is in need of more than 160 tons of cassava flour. Our agriculture and commercial attaches should be required to do their job of market generation abroad and should be evaluated by output.
Yes, the success of Toto Paglas in Paglas town in improving the lives of Muslim via Cavendish banana plantation should be duplicated. Their success is evident. The Muslim workers have decent home and their children are in good schools. Toto put up a sign:
“Bawal ang tamad dito”
SUMMARY:
In sum, LET’S SINCERELY HELP OUR MUSLIM AND LUMAD KINS BEFORE THE AGITATORS SUCCEED IN CREATING CIVIL WAR JUST LIKE WHAT HAPPENED IN EAST TIMOR.
