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Speech
of Prof. Nur Misuari
Malita, Davao del Sur
November 15, 1999
First of all, allow me to convey to you the noble
greeting of peace, Assalamu alaikum warahmatullahi Taala
wabarakatuhu, peace be on you and the greetings of
Almighty God.
To begin with, allow me to convey my profound and
abiding sense of gratitude for the great honor you have
vested in me as your ________________. This is a great
honor on my part because it represents your confidence in
my leadership. The honorable governor was asking me awhile
ago, how many times have you been crowned as “Datu”? I
said this is the eight times already. The first one was in
1997 during my official visit to the State of Sabah,
Malaysia, I was crowned as Datuk Seri Panglima _________.
Datuk Seri Panglima _________implies that it is highest
kind of Datus in the State of Sabah, because _________ as
we all know is a mountain, a peak
which is the highest in the whole of Asia. And
later on, I was also crowned as Supreme Datu of the
Supreme Council of Indigenous Leaders of which my brother
Datu ________is the Chairman and I am the honorary supreme
chairman. And also I was honored to have been crowned as
Supreme datu of our brothers in ________________, our
brothers in Saranggani province, our brothers in the
Subanen group and
so on and so forth.
As
I have said this is the 8th
times to have this honor and at the same time I do not _____
as a ______ order from you. Because I have been made to
understand that this coronation is a very symbolic one. I
will live in the task you have imposed on me. Now I would
like to assure you that in conformity of this great task
that you have imposed on me, I will make it my ___________
to perform my task Insha Allah in accordance with your
expectation. I hope I will not fail you. And among the
primary tasks that you have _________ on me is one which
is most precious to all us and that is how I can serve as
an instrument for the unity or unification of our people
here in Mindanao. Here in Mindanao there are so many
tribal communities, the _________ tribe, your tribe, (our
tribe because I’m now a part of you) is just one of
those tribes. There are _________ of these tribes in
Mindanao but if I understand my brother Bong Parcasio
right, he was trying to narrate to us the history of the
people here. And this was confirmed
by my meetings with the senior datus of all these
tribes including in my meeting in 1973 with Datus from the
Bilaan tribes. I was holding my
camps in Sultan Kudarat province specifically in
______ when I received a series of missions coming from
the indigenous people. And in one occasion they told me
____________ that we the people of Mindanao and in
particular the indigenous native people, the son of the
soil of this land Mindanao and its islands, they said that
we came from a common ancestry, that there were two
brothers who sired the people of Mindanao now. They were
two brothers who decided at one point in time to divide
themselves, one of them decided to go up the mountains
while the other one decided to stay at the coastal areas.
Those who went up the mountains gave birth to that various
communities here in Mindanao, the tribal communities based
in the mountains and in the forests, the lovely and
charming forests and mountains in our fatherland or
motherland Mindanao. While the one who stayed at the
coastal areas and by the side of the rivers were the ones
who sired the Muslims communities, because the Muslims
were the ones who were able to welcome visitors from the
Middle East and they became Muslims. Although, at one
point in time even our brothers and sisters on the
mountains already were able to share the same culture and
the same civilazation as their
brothers in the coastal areas. But then because of
the long war that we had to fight, fight for our survival,
377 years against Spain, more than 40 years of war against
America, half a decade of war against Japan, periodic war
against the Dutch, the Portuguese, the British and so on
and so forth and if I may add nearly three decades of war
against the Philippine government. Because of this long
war, we have been isolated from each other. And as a
result of this isolation, we have been divided against
each other sometimes.
But
now it is our duty, ngayon sa palagay ito na ang panahon
upang magkaroon tayo ng pagkakaisa muli. This is the time
now where we should come together, re-unify ourselves
because as our dear Governor was saying “that unless we
are united together for a common purpose, it is not
impossible to consolidate and sustain the momentum of
peace in our homeland Mindanao”. I share the same view.
I believe that not only the Muslims and the highlander
communities who came from a common ancestry but also our
Christian brothers and sisters, all of the people of
Mindanao must take it upon themselves the sacred beauty of
coming together and unifying themselves for a purpose of
defending, protecting and championing the cause of peace.
I
was telling our dear governor that for our people to
succeed, it is important that we take into consideration
the fundamental view that for peace to survive, for peace
to gain the momentum in our homeland it is important that
the peace be protected by all of us. We can not expect our
brothers from the Luzon and the Visayas to protect this
peace for us. The primary goal of protecting the peace
belongs to us the people of Mindanao because our brothers
and sisters in the Luzon and the Visayas have problems of
their own. So no matter they want to help us, they can
only at times give us _____ service because they have to
take care of their own affairs first and foremost.
So
therefore, I would like to call on all of you not only
those who are present here but kasama na ang lahat ng
ating mga kapatid sa ibat-ibang lugar dito sa Mindanao
kasama na ang mga isla tulad ng Palawan, Tawi-Tawi, Sulu,
Basilan at Camiguin, kailangan ngayon ay magkaisa-isa tayo
upang magkaroon tayo ng ating reunification at saka
tinatawag na solidarity. Without unity and solidarity, it
is impossible to protect the peace in Mindanao.
So
much with that with issue of peace. Let me now move on to
the other issue which is also connected to peace and I
think this the most vital thing for all of us. Ito ang
pinakamahalaga sa ating lahat. I want to refer to the
question of poverty in Mindanao. Mindanao is known to be
one of the richest (potentially) one of the richest parts
of the globe. I can vouch to this, dahil sa halos lahat sa
daigdig ay napuntahan ko na maliban sa Australia. There is
no part of this world that I have not gone through except
for Australia. And Australian Ambassador came to see me a
couple of weeks ago asking me to visit Australia in the
coming days. But I would like to tell you that I have gone
to many places in the world. And I can vouch the fact that
potentially Mindanao can be considered as one of the
richest parts of the world. Ngunit, it is very ironic that
it is here in Mindanao wherein you can find people who can
barely feed themselves three times a day. And if you also
go around makikita ninyo and mga bahay natin, sometimes
mas maganda pa ang mga bahay ng mga manok kaysa mga bahay
natin. This is an insult to the dignity of man. I think
even in the Jewish and the Christian religion and of
course the Islamic religion, it is said that man is
the highest creation of God. It is the highest creation of
God because _________ indulged with intelligence
unlike all other members of the animal kingdom. Tayo ang
pinakamataas na uri, we have the highest
quality in terms of the creation of God by His
Mercy and by His Wisdom and by His
Benevolence.
But
then everywhere you go, you find that and ang mga standard
ng mga tao natin lalong-lalo na dito sa Mindanao. You
always find the ugly face of poverty. The ugly face of
poverty is everywhere to be seen. Bakit?
Now, the answer is, we are not able to decide for
ourselves, every power and every decision is lodged in the
hands of Manila, nandoon na sa mga kamay ng mga taga-Manila
hindi na sa kamay natin. Lahat ng puersa, all the power,
political, economic, cultural, legal and all kind of
powers, they are all lodged in the hands of the government
in Manila. And our people, our brothers in Luzon who are
close to the kitchen, so to speak, close to Malacanang and
also our brothers in the Visayas, sila ang nagkaroon ng
advantage, because of the mere fact that they are very
close to the center, to the nerve center of power. And not
only close but they also monopolize that power.
As
a matter of fact,
until 1998, last year in May during the last elections,
Mindanao was not even represented in the Senate. Out of 24
Senators, kahit isa walang galing sa atin. There was no
single representative in the Senate when as a matter of
fact that Senate could be considered as one of the most
powerful, even the most powerful locus of power. At times
it is even more powerful than the Office of the
President himself. But out of 24, 19 came from
Luzon and 5 came from the Visayas, walang galing dito sa
Mindanao. No single Christian from Mindanao, no sigle
Muslim from Mindanao, no single Highlander from Mindanao
was able to represent us in the Senate for many years.
After the last elections, we were fortunate to elect three
but with due respect to the honorable representative,
Senator Barbers, Senator Guingona and Senator Pimentel
lahat sila galing sa Luzon originally. But we are very
happy that they are very sympathetic to us. As a matter of
fact, Barbers, Guingona and Pimentel were the ones
instrumental in protecting our interest there. But they
are only three from Mindanao out of 24. And we are
supposed to represent territorially more than 1/3 of the
territory of the country,
and about 28% of the population of the Philippines.
And also were are contibuting according to some
information about 55% to the national ecenomy, specially
in terms of raw materials, in terms of export raw
materials ay galing dito lahat. But then if you look at
the situation in Manila, sa opisina ng presidente with due
respect to President Estrada ay wala tayong galing sa
Mindanao except DENR Sec. Antonio Cerilles. Out of so many
members of the Office of the President, only Cerilles, and
Cerilles with due respect to him is neither a Muslim nor a
Highlander. He is just like the other Senators also came
from Luzon. Yong taga Mindanao don’t have
participation in the Office of the President.
And
take a look also at the Supreme Court, wala din tayo doon
out of 15 members of the Supreme Court. We don’t have
representation there no single Muslim, no single
Highlander, I wonder if there is any Christian Mindanaoan
who is sitting in that lofty office of the Supreme Court
of the Philippines. In the Court of Appeals, there are
only two Muslims, I’m afraid, there is no single
Highlander let alone from Mindanao. And in the Armed
Forces of the Philippines as well as in the Philippine
National Police likewise wala tayo doon.
If
you continue to analyze and study the situation here, you
will agree with the opinion of no less than Congressman
Simeon Datumanong of
Maguindanao province when he said, “the way we
look at the situation even these ARMM
and SPCPD are not being treated as part of the
Republic of the Philippines. And therefore in the same
manner dahil sa wala tayong representation diyan, we have
no active participation not only that there is no
democracy in the Philipppines particularly with respect to
the Indigenous people, Muslims and non-Muslims alike, but
that we are not being treated as part of the Republic.”
Because if we are being treated as part of the Republic,
how come that they don’t allow us to assume our
responsibilities as citizens of this state, as citizens of
the Republic. According to the estimate of our brothers,
there are more than 6 million Indigenous people,
Highlander communities, 6.2 million starting with the
Subanen, they are about 1.1 million according to their
estimate. And there are about 40 major tribal communities
here. And according to the Muslims, they said they are
about 9 million strong. If you put 9 and 6 million
together you will come up something like 15 million. Of
course many of us, our identity have been overshadowed by
our lifestyle in the cities. Marami sa atin, they are not
even proud to be considered as Highlanders. Mayroon sa
kanila, if you ask them, they will deny there origin, when
we should be proud of that. We must be proud of having
come from our own tribal origins because at least we know
that we have our own roots to reckon with. Unlike other
people, they don’t even where they came from but tayo
lahat we know where we came from, each one of us. That’s
why we must exult our people, our young people to remember
their cultural and tribal identities and always be proud
of that. I mention this fact because I believe that you
will agree with me that because of our lack of
participation in the national affairs not to say in the
local affairs. Ngayon according to the NEDA Statistics the
biggest number of incedents of poverty in the whole
country not only in Mindanao and the islands but also in
Visayas and Luzon. The biggest number of people who live
below poverty line ay galing sa atin mga indigenous
people. Huwag ninyo
kalimutan yan, tayo ang mga indigenous people because of
our lack of participation compounded by discrimination and
neglect and abondonment on the part of the national
government dahil dito we are suffering, we are victimized
by all sorts of discrimination and so on and so forth.
That’s
why I was very happy to note that the honorable
ex-congressman Benjamin Bautista was telling us about the
success in putting up so many institutions of learning
here. I remember him recalling about 24 high schools, that’s
big number. I think that’s very rare. It’s difficult
to get an example like him in other areas in Mindanao. One
single congressman being able to produce 24 high schools,
magandang record yan. So you must thank the honorable
congressman for his achievement. And as your brother and
also your leader of this tribe, I would like to personally
convey on your behalf our abiding sense of gratitude to
ex-congressman Benjamin Bautista. I believe that without
the sense of commitment of our society, without that sense
of commitment to the humanity especially to the oppressed
it could have been impossible for him to have done that.
But that is a testimony to the fact that he loves you, he
loves us all. And we hope and pray that he will become a
young man again, so he can serve us again and again, Mr.
Congressman.
Now
allow me to seize the opportunity to inform you about what
we have done in the ARMM and the SPCPD. First the SPCPD,
my brothers and sisters, I would like to tell you first
and foremost that the SPCPD can not be expected to produce
much in order to address your problem. Why? Because the
government has issued an Executive Order literally
depriving SPCPD of any power. Itong SPCPD na yan ay walang
karapatan, it has no right, it has no responsibilities
except to oversee some humanitarian projects coming from
the United Nations, coming from certain contries like
________________________. Kaya nga ang kanilang budget
have been limited. In 1997, it was only P100
million, just enough for their adminstrative requirements
and also for the salaries of about 200 people. Wala ng iba.
They can not undertake any infrastructure activities
because that is forbidden because sabi nila this is just
an administrative apparatus so only P100 million minus pa
ng ___________.
In
1998, they were given P96 million only minus again
_________. In 1999, they got something like P81 million
and this year, I don’t know how much. Everytime they
reduced and reduced. And this erratic value of the money
has reduced the buying power of that money when in 1997
they got P110 million ____________________. But this time
it is hovering to 40 and 41 to a dollar. So the purchasing
value of peso has been reduced. However, despite that, we
thank the Almighty God and we thank those countries and
organizations that have extended humanitarian assistance
through the SPCPD. Dahil dito, we were able to spend
millions and millions of
dollars for small projects. And these projects have
been distributed to all parts of Mindanao not only in the
four provinces, not only in the 14 provinces and 10 cities
but everywhere in Mindanao. Because I gave instructions to
the UNDP group and all those donor countries and
organizations that all assistance they share will be
shared by all the people here including in particular the
indigenous people in the mounatins. So lahat ng mga
projects na yan are now being made available to you. So
therefore you must take advantage of that.
And
there is another project which is known as the SZOPAD
fund. The origin of the money came after our visitation to
Paris. I was invited by the World Bank and during their
pledging session, they pledged 532 million dollars. But
that money did not materialized, only the one that was
sent by the UNDP then another 10 million now being spent
by the SZOPAD was materialized by them. More than 500
million dollars equivalent to more than 20 billion pesos
intended for our development in Mindanao was diverted to other projects
including projects between Lanao del Norte and Leyte. They
are putting up what they called a some kind of a grid
between Lanao del Norte and Leyte so that they can
transmit electricity or power through and through. That
will require 230 million out of the 520 from the World
Bank. I tried to verify about this money but
the UN representative in Manila told me that, that
was the decision after they gave it to us. So now we have
lost interest in that money.
But
we have this P10 million, part of this money has already
been spent and I heard that some projects has been
extended to you. Our brother, the honorable Vice-mayor
Eddie _______ has told me awhile ago that indeed there is
that ___________. Now I would like to ask you, I would
like to advise you to ask for more but don’t concertrate
in one place, scatter in different places so that we could
assure as many people as possible to partake in this
humanitarian assistance.
I
would like to inform you, that SZOPAD still has P150
million for the purpose. And I have talked to Pres.
Estrada, now the President has assured me, he’s ready to
activate 10 million dollars that is 400 million pesos.
This money came from the OPEC. I got this money together
with former Sec. De Ocampo from Austria. We went to visit
the Sec. General of OPEC. You know OPEC
the Oil Petroleum Industry in the world , 13
countries most of them are Muslim countries. So when I
visited them, it so happen that the Sec. General was a
Muslim and he was very very friendly to us, so we got 10
million dollars.
Now
in the coming days, once we finish this another 400
million, I
intend to visit them again and to ask for more. I would
also like to inform you that the Islamic Development Bank
(IDB), after our visitation to West Africa to attend the
meeting of the Board of Governors, the Ministers of
Finance of more than 50 countries. During their meeting
they extended to us U$16 million. This money according to
the structure should be used for medical and educational
purpose and not to be confined to the four provinces
alone, because that was the decision of the Board of
Governors. Now there is another donation coming from Saudi
Arabia. Saudi Arabia is donating huge quantity of
heavy equipments and also medical and educational
facilities. _______________ of equipments will be coming
very soon from Saudi Arabia, a donation of His Majesty
King Fahd bin Abdulaziz and also the crowned Prince in
__________. We
got this donation after we ________ on the crowned prince.
At one time when I was in Saudi Arabia, when he learned
that I was around, he called for me and he decided to ask
me what kind of assistance that we need. So I said we only
need this kind of assistance, considering that Saudi
Arabia has just gone through that costly war against Iraq.
They spent more than 300 billion dollars for a war against
Iraq alone. So we are expecting and there are much more
assistance coming, the Australian Ambassador came to see
me a few days ago telling me that they are going to extend
additional funding. So the American also,
the political Secretary came with another person
and telling me that they are going to add another 4,000
benefeciaries to the ELAP projects. Belgium, Norway and so
many other countries are coming to our help. But this
help, I’m afraid will not knock at your door. Don’t
forget this. They will not come to you, you will come to
them. You must understand, you must know where they are,
where these people are holding their offices. As to SPCPD,
Exec. Dir. Uttosalem Cutan holds office in Cotabato City
and also in General Santos City. As to SZOPAD funds, you
go to Mr. Edward Lim, he holds office in Zamboanga City. I
myself, for your information, although I was the one who
put them there in that office, I have to beg. So I am just
as far or as close to this as you are. And ________ you
are closer because while I have been asking for so many
times for
some of these assistance in my area, until now hindi pa
ako nabigyan. But I don’t mind.
Now
I would to ask you to go, huwag kayong mahiya, because
that money was given by these donor countries and other
organizations in the world for you. It’s not for Mr.
Lim, it’s not for Mr. Uttosalem, it’s not for those
who are in that offices but it is for all of you, kasama
na ang mga kapatid natin na mga indigenous people coming
from all places who are present here, coming from Bukidnon,
coming from Saranggani, South Cotabato, from Davao Norte
and Davao Oriental, from Agusan, Surigao and perhaps from
as far as Zamboanga peninsula and Palawan.
I
would like to ask you to convey to our brothers and
sisters, please try to take advantage of this bounty made
available by the donor countries and of course from that.
So yon lang ang masasabi ko sa inyo. Apart from that,
allow me also to tell you something about the ARMM. The
ARMM is composed of 4 provinces only. The original
intention was to make it 13 but somehow along the line
they manage to maneuver, they manage to outmaneuver us, so
ang nakuha natin ay only 4 provinces. Now this 4 provinces
composed of Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, ito na ang pinamamaliit na
probinsiya along with Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur.
Now
here, however, we have a very strong charter, we have an
Organic Act. It is almost a state within a state.
Therefore, itong mga otoridad, all the powers vested in
the ARMM could be considered as a bonus to the local
government tulad ng sinabi ng ating kapatid na si Atty.
Bong Parcasio, inyong anak, anak ng Malita, sinabi niya
ang mga pangyayari doon sa ARMM tulad ng budget, tulad ng
mga otoridad, the law making authority and so on and so
forth. These are all in addition to the local government
unit. I remember him saying “wala naman yong mga powers
vested in the local code to all local government officials
ay nadiminish. There was no diminution of power or
authority to the local government in Tawi-Tawi, Sulu,
Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur, wala. Itong ARMM is an
addition and a very big addition. To show to you that it
is a big addition, because of the ARMM, we are able to get
annually first in 1997, P3.1 billion, addition yon sa
budget ng ating mga brothers. You can ask all the
governors and the mayors and the barangays, they will tell
you that ang IRA nila, not one cent naputulan namin,
nothing. All of this, addition ito. In 1997, P3.1 billion,
sahod ng 19,000 employee including more than 15,000
teachers. So this is a big source of employment
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