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7/27/2019 Our Mindanao 5
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OUR Mindanao8 AUGUST 2013
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2 I OUR Mindanao 8 AUGUST
IN FOCUS
Last year, Mindanao earned atleast $3 billion from agriculturalexports, accounting for 60percent of the countrys totalagricultural exports, data fromthe Mindanao DevelopmentAuthority (MinDA) showed.
The total exports of the island,including non-agriculture basedcommodities grew by 16.7percent with a value of $4.187billion in 2012 from $3.588 billion
in 2011.The 16.7 export growth inMindanao is more than doublethe countrys 7.6 percent increasein exports last year.
Mindanaos top 10 exportmarkets are the United Statesof America, Japan, China,Netherlands, South Korea,Singapore, Switzerland, UnitedKingdom, Germany andMalaysia.
We should be proud to beMindanawons because wererich. The potentials of Mindanaoare far larger than any place
in the entire Philippines, saidbusinessman John Gaisano Jr.,referring to the vast fertile lands,bountiful seas and massivemineral wealth lying in theisland.
Gaisano says he rmly believesthat Mindanao can grow big timesooner with proper directions setinto motion by both the publicand the private sectors.
This year, Gaisano isoverseeing a major event to
Ready for the ASEANEconomic Community in 2015BONG SARMIENTO
in Davao City
Take away Mindanao from the
Philippine equation and the countrys
agricultural production will drastically
plummet.
address what has not been doneand what could be done forMindanao.
Charting
Mindanaos direction
Now on its 22nd year, theMindanao Business Conference(MinBizCon), the largest annualgathering of government andbusiness leaders and membersof chambers of commerce in
the island, takes centerstageon August 8 to 10 at the SMXConvention Center here with thetheme Moving Towards ASEANBusiness Integration.
The MinBizCon is an initiativeof the Philippine Chamber ofCommerce and Industry (PCCI).
As MinBizCon 2013 conferencedirector, Gaisano has beenpulling the strings to make thebest out of the conference thatwas rst held in this city in 1992.
MinBizCon 2013 was supposedto have been hosted by OzamizCity but it backed out and the
hosting was eventually acceptedby the Davao City Chamber ofCommerce and Industry, Inc.(DCCCII), on short notice.
This conference will pavethe way for a better Mindanao.It will be very different fromthe past conferences because wemade sure that its the output ofMindanawons, by Mindanawonsand for Mindanawons, Gaisano,also a DCCCII trustee, toldMindaNews on July 29.
With just a few monthspreparation, Gaisano said theywere able to build a powerhousecast of speakers never beforeassembled in the history of theMinBizCons.
Aside from President BenignoSimeon Aquino III, the majorspeaker for MinBizCon 2013, 14Cabinet secretaries and seniorgovernment ofcials, as of the
July 30 program, were slated toaddress the most pressing issuesaffecting the business sector inMindanao.
The issues they will addressare based on the ve regionalconsultations MinBizCon 2013organizers conducted a fewmonths ago, Gaisano said.
Mindanao, the second largestisland in the Philippines,comprises 26 provinces, 33 cities,422 towns and six regions: 9(Zamboanga Peninsula), 10(Northern Mindanao), 11(Davao), 12 (SouthwesternMindanao, also known as
Soccsksargen), Region 13(Caraga) and the AutonomousRegion in Muslim Mindanao.
Based on the regionalconsultations attended by atleast 250 local business andindustry leaders, organizers ofthe MinBizCon 2013 crafted aneight-point policy agenda forsubmission to the President.
These issues are Agriculture,Power, Tourism, Transport andlogistics, Skills development,Small and MediumEnterprises, Information and
Communications Technology,and Mining.
It is imperative for thenational government to addressthose concerns because ifprovided the support, it will notonly help the poor but propel theeconomy of Mindanao to greaterheights, Gaisano said.
Not a war zone
Surprisingly, the eight-pointpolicy agenda of the MinBizCon
2013 did not include theprocess between the goveand the Moro Islamic LibFront (MILF), which is gpositive strides such asigning of the FramAgreement on the Bangs(FAB), two of the four reannexes, and a ceasere tbeen holding in the last ve
Signed on October 15 lathe FAB serves as the framfor the comprehensive agreement between government and the
the largest Moro armed ghting for self-determinathe last few decades.
Under the FAB, both agreed to work for the cof a new autonomous pentity that would replaAutonomous Region in MMindanao (ARMM) by 32016.
Mindanao also hostbiggest concentration oNew Peoples Army (N
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OUR Mindanao8 AUGUST 2013
the country, in the Caraga andDavao regions.
Gaisano explained that whilepeace continues to be a concernfor the business sector, it is notthe only problem of Mindanaoand the conict is just containedin certain pockets of the island---away from the big economicand industrial hubs such as thecities of Davao, Cagayan deOro, General Santos and otherbooming localities.
Mindanao is not a war zone.It is generally safe to live in mostparts of the island and park yourinvestments here, he stressed.
He appealed to the media
to be more circumspect whenreporting on conict and not tomake it appear that the wholeisland is on re.
Organizers are expectingat least 1,000 local and foreignparticipants to the conferencehere. Gaisano said that throughMinBizCon 2013, participantsand the larger public will begiven a good perspective ofwhats happening in Mindanao.
Ricardo Juliano, MinBizCon2013 conference chair, stressedthat the event is so importantthat instead of resolutionspassed on to the President andCabinet secretaries at the end ofthe conference, they will nowpresent an eight-point Mindanaobusiness policy agenda.
He said they will track down ifgovernment acts on them, throughthe Mindanao DevelopmentAuthority (MinDA), a stateagency created to integrate peaceand development initiatives inthe island.
Wider opportunities
Juliano, also PCCI vice
president for Mindanao, said theconference will help Mindanaoprepare for a bigger market andopportunities that will arise as aresult of the looming integrationof ASEAN economies.
According to the ASEANwebsite, the ASEAN EconomicCommunity (AEC) that willintegrate the economies ofthe 10-member states willtransform ASEAN into aregion with free movement of
goods, services, investment,skilled labor, and freer flow ofcapital.
The member-countries ofthe Association of SoutheastAsian Nations (ASEAN) areBrunei Darussalam, Cambodia,Indonesia, Lao PeoplesDemocratic Republic, Malaysia,Myanmar, Philippines,Singapore, Thailand and VietNam.
In anticipation of theASEAN economic integration,conference organizers adoptedthe theme Moving TowardsASEAN Business Integration.
In simple terms, the ASEAN
will become one big singlemarket and productionbase,Juliano explained.
The integration also seeksto make the ASEAN a highlycompetitive economic region,a region of equitable economicdevelopment and a regionfully integrated into the globaleconomy.
The AEC areas ofcooperation include humanresources developmentand capacity building;recognition of professionalqualifications; closerconsultation on macroeconomicand financial policies;trade financing measures;enhanced infrastructure andcommunications connectivity;development of electronictransactions through e-ASEAN;integrating industries acrossthe region to promote regionalsourcing; and enhancing privatesector involvement for thebuilding of the AEC.
The AEC will transformASEAN into a region with freemovement of goods, services,
investment, skilled labor, andfreer flow of capital, accordingto the groups website.
The ASEAN economicintegration is an opportunityto be a lot better and forMindanao particularly, it is anopportunity to shine, Julianotold MindaNews in GeneralSantos City on July 30.
He recalled that in oldentimes, Mindanao was the frontdoor of the country in terms of
But business leaders like JohnGaisano and Ricardo Julianoadmit theres a lot of hard workto do before Mindanao can takeadvantage of the opportunitiesthat the AEC is expected tobring.
Among these are better farmto-market roads, stabilizingthe islands power situation,easier access to nancing forMSMEs, skills improvement ofworkers, and improving otherinfrastructure necessary toattract investments to the island.
But what about the threatsthat accompany promises ofopportunities?
The other sectors. particularlylabor, sherfolk and farmers, areobviously still studying whatthe AECs impact will be.
Joel Virador, former BayanMuna Representative, nowBayan Muna Executive VicePresident, acknowledges the
need to study the implications ofthe integration which is barelytwo years away.
According to the ASEANwebsite, the ASEAN EconomicCommunity or AEC shall bethe goal of regional economicintegration by 2015 whichenvisions a single marketand production base, a highlycompetitive economic region,a region of equitable economicdevelopment, and a regionfully integrated into the global
Whos afraid of thASEAN EconomiCommunity?Mindanaos business sector is sayin
it is advantageous to Mindanao,
citing the 600 million population of
the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) as a potential
market when the ASEAN Economic
Community begins in 2015.
economy.The AEC areas of coope
include human resdevelopment and cabuilding; recognition professional qualiccloser consultation macroeconomic nancial policies; nancing meaenhanced infrastructurecommunications connecdevelopment of electransactions through e-ASintegrating industries the region to promote resourcing; and enhaprivate sector involvemethe building of the AEshort, the AEC will tranASEAN into a region witmovement of goods, seinvestment, skilled laboufreer ow of capital.
The ASEAN Leaders adthe ASEAN Economic Blu
at the 13th ASEAN SummiNovember 2007 in Singapserve as a coherent masteguiding the establishmentASEAN Economic Commu
For a copy of thefulof the ASEAN EcoCommunity Blueprint,www.thailandaec.com/imstories/document/ASEAN/blueprint.pdfc Community(MindaNews)
trading because of the islandsproximity with neighboringMuslim-dominated countries,particularly citing the RoyalSultanates in mainlandMindanao back then as effectivepolitical and economic powerhouses.
The Philippines is a memberof the nearly two-decade BIMP-EAGA (East ASEAN GrowthArea) comprising Brunei, EastIndonesia, East Malaysia andthe Philippines Mindanao andPalawan.
For the 2015 integration ofASEAN economies, Juliano saidthat Mindanao has competitive
edge with its still vast fertilelands, tourism spots andgeographically closer locationsto some countries in the ASEANregion like the predominantlyMuslim Indonesia, Malaysiaand Brunei.
600-M ASEAN
population as market
It is also a good opportunity forMindanaos food manufacturingsector to capture a biggermarket by focusing on halalproduction, Juliano noted.
With at least 600 millionASEAN population, half of thatMuslims, our manufacturersshould consider the halalindustry, which also includesnon-food products, as aconsiderable moneymakingmill, Juliano said.
Both Juliano and Gaisanoagree that theres a lot of hardwork to do for Mindanao tofully take advantage of the vastopportunities that the ASEANeconomic integration offers.
Among these are better farmto-market roads, stabilizing the
islands power situation (seepages 4 to 7), easier access tofinancing for MSMEs, skillsimprovement of workers, andimproving other infrastructuresnecessary to attract investmentsto the island.
Lets finally get our acttogether now to bring Mindanaoto further greater heights,Gaisano said.
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4 I OUR Mindanao 8 AUGUST
By 2020, Mindanaospower mix will be 56 % coalBONG SARMIENTO
in Davao City
The government is expecting stable power supply in Mindanao in 2015,
coming mostly from coal power plants although efforts are underway to also
fast-track renewable energy projects to balance the energy mix in the island
in the long-term, officials said.
IN FOCUS
POWER GENERATION MIX 2013-2020
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According to the MindanaoPower Situation and MPMC(Mindanao Power MonitoringCommittee) Updates June 2013of the Mindanao DevelopmentAuthority (MinDA), betweennow and 2020 or within sevenyears -- the power generationmix in Mindanao is expectedto change drastically from thepresent 52%.
Romeo Montenegro, MindanaoDevelopment Authority (MinDA)director for investment promotionand public affairs, said coal powerplants would be the immediatex to solve the recurring powerproblem in the island.
By 2015 to 2016, we expect
relief from brownouts as coalplants now under constructionwill address the base loadcapacity of Mindanao, he toldMindaNews.
Montenegro cited the coalpower projects of Therma SouthInc. in the boundary of DavaoCity and Sta. Cruz, Davao delSur and that of Sarangani EnergyCorp. in Maasim, Sarangani.
Therma South is constructing a300-megawatt (MW) coal powerplant, with the rst phase of 150MW targeted to go on stream inthe third quarter of 2014. On theother hand, Sarangani Energy isbuilding a 200 MW power plant,with the rst phase of 100 MWexpected to run in early 2015.
Coal plants are widely opposedby multisectoral groups due toconcerns over the environmentand human health.
Between late 2014 and 2016, 500MW are expected to come fromcoal-red plants, while another 80MW will be coming from dieseland geothermal power plants,MinDA data showed.
As of 2013, hydro powerplants run by the governmentsupply 52% of Mindanaos
power requirement, followed byoil-based at 31 %, coal at 10 %,geothermal at 5 % and biomass atone percent, it added.
By 2016, the power scenarioin Mindanao, including thecommitted projects, is expectedto be 40% hydro, 28 % coal, 25 %oil-based, six percent geothermaland one percent biomass, MinDAdata said.
But by 2019-2020, the energymix in Mindanao, includingcommitted and indicative power
projects, would be 56 % coal, 24% hydro, 14 % oil-based, fourpercent geothermal and onepercent each for biomass andsolar, according to the same data.
Montenegro said thegovernment is also pushing forthe development of renewableenergy projects to balance theenergy mix in Mindanao in thelong-term.
To encourage investments inrenewable energy projects, a one-stop shop will be established inthe island to facilitate and fast-track the application process,said Bryan Diosma of the MPMCtechnical staff.
The MPMC, where MinDAserves as the secretariat, wascreated by Executive Order81 signed on July 30, 2012, tospearhead and coordinate theefforts of the national, regionaland local governments and powerindustry stakeholders to improve
the power situation in Mindanao.Diosma said that it usually
takes 612 days to processrenewable energy applicationbut with the one-stop shop, weexpect to shorten the process byhalf, he told MindaNews.
Diosma said they are preparingthe draft EO for the establishmentof the one-stop shop that will besubjected for review by otherconcerned government agencies.
If everything goes smoothly,in three months time the one-
stop shop could start operation,he said.
Diosma said the Departmentof Energy (DOE) has approvedhydropower projects in Mindanaothat could produce 364 MW, butconstruction has yet to start.
Pending applications forhydropower projects have thepotential to generate another 363MW, he added.
Aside from MinDa and theDOE, the other governmentagencies that will be involved inthe proposed one-stop shop forrenewable energy projects are theDepartment of Environment andNatural Resources and its bureaus,Department of Agriculture,Department of Agrarian Reform,Department of Public Works and
Highways, National Commissionfor Indigenous People, NationalWater Resources Board, Housingand Land Use Regulatory Board,and local government units.
Supply shortage anew
Brownouts are expected to beback in parts of Mindanao thismonth until the end of the yearwith the scheduled preventivemaintenance of power plantsoperating in the island.
The 200-MW Steag State
Power Corp. shut down its Unit1 (100 MW) last July 27 untilAugust 14, Agus 4 from August15 to October 19 (250 MW), andSteags Unit 2 from September21 to October 27 (100 MW),according to MinDA data.
But Diosma said the deficitwill not be as worse as thesituation early this year, citingthe start of operation of theInterim Mindanao ElectricityMarket (IMEM) in September
and the Interruptible Program of the DOE.
The IMEM is a venuthe transparent and efutilization of all avcapacities in the Mindanato meet the supply deficwhile ILP provides incefor large companies withown power generation cato sell their excess power grid.
The rst solar photovoltaic power plant in Barangay Indahag, Cagayan de Oro City was inauguron September 26, 2004. Government support for solar energy projects remains lukewarm that by 2020, Mindanaos power generation mix will have only one per cent share for solar but 56% for cFROILAN GALLARDO / MindaNews
To encourage investmentsin renewable energyprojects, a one-stop shopwill be established in theisland to facilitate andfast-track the applicationprocess, said Bryan Diosmaof the MPMC technicalstaff.
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IN FOCUS
PNoy on renewable energy:
Blaming the Arroyo administration for Mindanaos energy proble
President Benigno Aquino III said the government is now exertin
efforts to stabilize the islands power situation.
more expensivecant provide baseload
President Benigno S. Aquino III delivering his 4th State of the Nation Address at Batasang Pambansa in QuezonCity on July 22.Photo b Re Baniqet / Malacanang Photo Brea
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In his nearly two-hour fourthState of the Nation Address on
July 22, the President stressedthat the recurring blackouts inMindanao made up the long listof problems that he inheritedfrom the past administration.
From the very beginning, wehave been working on a solutionfor this but we are also awarethat a problem that has beenignored for an entire decadecannot be solved overnight,Aquino said in the Englishtranslation of his SONA releasedby Malacaang.
Right now, we continue totake steps to address the shortagesas well as provide for immediate
needs. We have helped electriccooperatives bring in generatorsets (gensets) that will reducebrownouts; and this will continueuntil the plants that will supplythe region with more electricityare completed, he added.
Aquino, however, admittedthat the plan of the governmentto introduce gensets is facingresistance.
But the critics will never fullydisappear. Some are complainingthat the price of electricitywill increase with the usage ofdiesel-fueled generator sets.
Hydropower is abundant nowbecause of the rainy season, so wehear objections to the generatorsets. But come summer, manywill once again complain abouteight-hour brownouts, he said.
Government wants morepower plants built not just inMindanao but also in other partsof the country, the President said,because as the economy grows,so will our consumption ofelectricity, which means we mustlikewise increase supply.
Challenge to critics
Do we really want to wait untilour plants are at full capacitybefore more plants are built?Power plants do not sprout likemushrooms a power plant takestwo to three years to construct,Aquino said.
Aquino challenged his criticsto present solutions.
If anyone has a goodsuggestion, we are ready tolisten. But I also hope that thekibitzers put the situation inthe proper context. The plant in
Redondo, Zambales, is a goodexample. A TRO was issuedagainst the plant because of theargument that renewable energyis better. Did they happen tomention that renewable energyis also more expensivefromthe cost of building the plantsto the eventual price of energy?Did they mention that it cannotprovide the baseloadthecapacity required to make surebrownouts do not occur? thePresident asked.
If you put up a wind-poweredplant, what do you do when thereis no wind? If you put up a solarplant, what do you when thesky is cloudy? Let me be clear: I
believe in renewable energy andwe support its use, but thereshould also be baseload plantsthat can ensure a steady supplyof electricity for our homes andindustries. I wonder if those whoare critical of the plants we wantput up will be as noisy whenthey are busy fanning themselvesduring brownouts. All I am reallysaying is this: Let us help eachother nd a solution, he said.
Not funnyDr. Jean Lindo, convenor of Noto Coal (Network Opposed to
Coal) Davao, and a member ofthe nationwide broad coalition,antiCOALition, told MindaNewsit was disappointing to hear aPresident make fun of RenewableEnergy solution during hisSONA which betrays his lack ofknowledge on the science of cleanand green energy.
While she does not expect thePresident to know everythingsince he is not a man of sciencebut a wise, conscientious leaderwould have consulted crediblescientists rather than toe the lineof corporate reductionism.
Lindo said the Presidentand his advisers do not knowthat even if there is no wind inMalacanang he can still enjoyelectricity because the Philippineshas a total wind capacity that canproduce 70,000 MW of potentialinstalled capacity, accordingto a 1999 US-NREL (NationalRenewable Energy Laboratory)study and this estimate isconservative.
Even on a cloudy day overMalacanang, the solar panels can
still capture the light and energycan be stored and they can enjoyenergy still, she said, addingthat if the President and hisadvisers do careful, independentresearch on Renewable Energy,they would surely bump intovery good models of long-term,people-friendly, sustainableenergy, she said.
It is not funny that they havevoluntarily turned themselvesinto political green jokes in favorof corporate reductionists,Lindo added.
Prospects dimBut prospects for renewableenergy in the Philippines,
particularly Mindanao, do notappear bright even as governmentsays renewable energy is beingencouraged. By 2020, the powergeneration mix in Mindanao,an island heavily dependent onrenewable energy, particularlyhydro, will have completelychanged from the 2013 mix of52% hydro and only 10% coal to56% coal and only 24% hydroin 2019 to 2020, according tothe Mindanao Power Situationand MPMC (Mindanao PowerMonitoring Committee) Updates
June 2013 of the Mindanao
Development Authority.(seerelated story on pages 4-5)
No movement in terms ofpercentage share (1%) is expectedbetween 2013 and 2020, forbiomass and solar energy, whichwill remain at 1% each by 2020.
But in seven years, coalsdominance in the powergeneration mix of Mindanao at56% by 2020 will have been twiceits percentage share of 28% by2016 and almost six times thepresent 10% share. Geothermalpower, another renewable source,is at 5% as of 2013 to 6% by 2016
and down to 4% by 2020.
Rotating brownoutsPrior to the May 2013 elections,parts of Mindanao sufferedrotating brownouts lastingup to eight hours daily duethe generation deciency ofgovernment-run hydroelectricpower plants, which was partlyblamed on low water levelsin Lake Lanao, aside from thedeterioration of the aging plants.
As of June 2013, the committed
power projects in Mindanaountil 2016 could produce 588megawatts, data from MindanaoDevelopment Authority (MinDA)showed.
Already under constructionare the 300-MW ThermaSouth,Inc. coal-red plant in theboundary of Davao City andSta. Cruz in Davao del Sur andthe 200-MW coal power plantof Sarangani Energy Corp. inMaasim, Sarangani.
Santiago Tudio, manager ofthe South Cotabato I ElectricCooperative, stressed that swiftgovernment action is badlyneeded on the immediate andlong-term solutions to the power
problems facing the island.
Dr. Jean Lindo, convenorof No to Coal (NetworkOpposed to Coal) Davao, anda member of the nationwidebroad coalition, antiCOALitiotold MindaNews it was
disappointing to heara President make fun ofRenewable Energy solutionduring his SONA whichbetrays his lack of knowledgon the science of clean andgreen energy.
To address the power shortageproblem, permits for gensetsand ERC (Energy RegulatoryCommission) approval should befast-tracked, he said.
EO 137Romeo Montenegro, MinDAdirector for investmentpromotion and public affairs, saidPresident Aquino has alreadyissued Executive Order 137.
The MinDA expects EO
137, which mandatesimplementation of the Minmodular gensets program tup and fast track the procassisting electric cooperin Mindanao throughAssociation of MinRural Electric Cooper(AMRECO), to generate needed capacities eitherental or acquisition opMontenegro said.
The Mindanao Monitoring Committee (Mco-chaired by MinDA anDepartment of Energy, earyear concurred with the prfor the tapping of mgenerator sets as an imm
measure for electric cooper
in bridging supply gap fnext two years, he added.
This latest directive mathe strong commitmenPresident Aquino to rthe Mindanao power situparticularly in addressincurrent supply shortfall unpower plants are on stre2015, Montenegro said.S. Sarmiento and CarolArguillas/ MindaNews)
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IN FOCUS
Cotabato City blastMayor says bombersand mastermind identifed
Abdulmaguid Andong, chief of the Cotabato City Traffic Enforcers, looked up to the
electric posts thinking that a transformer exploded until he saw people screaming andscampering away from the fire and thick black smoke, two motorcycle riders down on
the road, more bodies, some of them apparently lifeless, others still moving.
FERDINANDH B. CABRERA
in Cotabato City
It was nearly 5 p.m. on Monday,August 5, along Sinsuat Avenuewhen a bomb apparently riggedto a parked vehicle, exploded
just as the convoy of CityAdministrator Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi, the mayors sister, passed,Senior Supt. RolenBalquin, citypolice chief.said
Heavy trafc sa other sideso nung sumabog na yun sonagtakbohan na yung mga tao ako nalang yung naiwan sa gitna humihingi
po ako ng tulong dahil marami akongnakikita na nakabulagta. May hindina gumagalaw, merong gumagalaw
pa, so kahit anong tawag kong mgasasakyan, wala mang mga sasakyanna tumatakbo dahil nga sa takotso ang unang una ko pong ginawasinigawan ko yung mga tao nitong
gilid ng grocery para pumasokkasi alam po natin sa bomba bakamerong secondary explosion(It was heavy trafc on theother side so when the bomb
exploded, people were runningaway, I was left in the middleof the road shouting for help forpeople who were slumped onthe ground, some lifeless, othersstill moving. I called out for helpfor these people but no vehiclewas moving so I shouted to thepeople on the side of the groceryto go inside because there mightbe a secondary explosion), saidAndong, who was stationedabout a hundred meters away.
There was no second blast as
SCENES FROM A TRAGEDY. Blast aftermath along Sinsuat Avenue in Cotabato City. Four persons died on the spot in lastMondays explosion. On page 9, top photo shows the bulletproof vehicle of City Administrator Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi, believed to the target.FERDINANDH B. CABRERA / MindaNews
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OUR Mindanao8 AUGUST 2013
Andong feared. But residents ofCotabato City, including policeand military personnel agree itwas the most powerful bomb tohave exploded thus far.
As of Tuesday morning, atleast eight persons were reporteddead: four on the spot, the rest inthe hospitals they were rushed to,all of them Moro. Thirty otherswere injured but only 13 hadnot been discharged, also as ofTuesday morning .
The explosion also set on refour vehicles, ve motorcyles andseven business establishmentsnearby.
A day after the blast, MayorJapalGuiani, Jr. said the bombers
and even the mastermind havebeen identied.
What Im holding here aredocuments. Im going to givethese documents to the rightfulauthorities to solve this problem,he said, adding the perpetratorsare big people.
He dened big people aspoliticians but did not namethem.
Guiani has been mayor since2010. He claims there have beenno more kidnappings in the citysince. I think this is one of thereasons that this group hates me,he said.
The mayor said he has beenreceiving threats since, fromgroups involved in kidnappingand illegal drugs.
He said the attackers hadapparently already plotted theirusual route from City Hall andpositioned the bomb-laden car atthe right spot.
Sayadi, who served as Solicitor-General of the AutonomousRegion in Muslim Mindanao(ARMM) under the Ampatuanadministration, said it wasobvious she was the target.
Her bulletproof vehicle
apparently saved her. But twoof her motorcycle-riding escortsahead of her (referred to assweepers in a convoy), werekilled.
Chief Supt. Charles Calima,regional police director for Region12, noted that the attackers wereapparently aware of Sayadisbulletproof car so they used avery powerful bomb.
Why was the explosion sobig? Because the vehicle of theirtarget was bulletproof, he said.
Balquin said the bomb, placedin a car, exploded just as Sayadisconvoy from City Hall, passed.
He said Sayadi may have beensaved by a Strada vehicle thatovertook hers and was directly hitby the bomb. Sayadis ChevroletSuburban bulletproof Level 6vehicle suffered at tires.
Before becoming CityAdministrator Sayadi hadserved as Solicitor General of theAutonomous Region in MuslimMindanao (ARMM) under theAmpatuanadministration.
Police identied those killedas Jeddin Menak, 9; NasrudinGuialel, 14; Suyoph Jali; AhariSamsudin; Sungakala Satol; Haris
Unto, 35; Salahudin Sindatoand SPO4 Mama Manabuay, asecurity escort of Chief. Supt.Abubakar Mangelen, intelligencechief of the Maguindanao police,who was among those wounded.
The Cotabato City explosioncame ten days after an improvisedbomb exploded in RosarioArcade, Limketkai Center inCagayan de Oro, killing eight andinjuring around 40.
In a statement, ARMMGovernor MujivHatamandenounced the bomb attack asruthless and cowardly, addingthey are deeply saddened thatthis atrocious act happenedduring this month of Ramadan.
Muslims are about to celebrateEidlFitr, the end of the month-long fasting, late this week,
Hataman urged authorities toconduct a swift and thoroughinvestigation and bring to the barof justice the criminals behindthis.
Our thoughts and prayers arewith the families and victims ofthe bomb blast. The leadership ofthe ARMM stands with the goodpeople of Cotabato City, he said.
Cotabato City is not part of
the ARMM but has been itsprovisional seat since 1990.The ARMM compound is abouta kilometer away from the blast.
In Davao City, the Al QalamInstitute of the Ateneo de DavaoUniversity issued a statementcondemning the vicious andcowardly acts of terrorism againstinnocent civilians in CotabatoCity.
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10 I OUR Mindanao 8 AUGUST
Mayor Oscar Moreno offereda P2 million reward for anyinformation that would lead tothe arrest of the lone bomber whoplanted the improvised explosivedevice at Kylas Bistro at RosarioArcade, LimketkaiCenter.
Ledesma made his appealduring the Mass for Peaceattended by residents at theblast site on August 2, exactly aweek after the explosion rippedthrough the row of upscalerestaurants here.
Among those killed was
Misamis Oriental provincialboard member Roldan Lagbasand two doctors from Manila whoattended the national midyearconvention of the PhilippineCollege of Chest Physicians.
I caution everyone not torush judgment against any groupnow that our city is confrontedwith terrorism, Ledesma said,adding, we must instead forgeties of solidarity with the tri-people that live in Mindanao.
Moreno also reiterated theappeal of Ledesma, cautioningthe police not to resort to fall guysor wrongly accuse any ethnic
groups.This reward money is only
for the right suspect who plantedthe bomb. Please avoid wronglyaccusing anyone, he said.
Residents banded together andorganized the Walk for Peace,marching from Rosario Arcadeto the Divisoria Freedom Kiosk inCagayan de Oro also on August 2.
They were joined byMoreno and contingents fromthe Philippine Army and thePhilippine National Police.
Calls mount for police to solveCDO blast; P2-M reward upFROILAN GALLARDO
in Cagayan de Oro City
Cagayan de Oro Archbishop Antonio Ledesma called for caution and sobriety onFriday, August 2 as calls intensified for the local police to solve the July 26 Lim ketkaibombing that killed eight persons and wounded 48 others.
Carrying placards that say Wewant justice, the residentscomposed mostly of doctors,medical representatives, teachersand students-- urged the police toarrest the lone suspect and bringhim to justice.
We want to know the motiveof the bombing so we can moveon, said Dr. Tricia Marie Obrero,president of the PhilippineCollege of Physicians in MisamisOriental (PCPM).
In a statement, the PCPM
said: Let us work with everyonein the city in the efforts ofrebuilding and moving forwardto a better Cagayan de Oro. Thisis the only way we can go beyondour anger, sadness, hurt andshame of what had happened last
July 26.But the healing for the survivors
will be longer because many ofthose who survived the blast aresuffering from post-traumaticstress disorder (PTSD), accordingto Stella Ferrariz, a psychologist
from the Cagayan de Oro SocialWelfare and Development Ofce.
Ferrariz said three survivorsall medical representativeshadsought help from the CapitolUniversity Medical Center on
July 28, despite surviving theblast without injuries.
They have difculty sleepingand (are feeling) nervous. Becausethey are medical representatives,they know they are sufferingfrom post stress disorder andsought medical help, she said.
Ferrariz said the thregiven medical attention unleft for Manila to attend theof one of their colleagues.
She said they are hopthree will come back to cotheir psychological treatm
Ferrariz said the PhiMental Health Assohas offered its expertievery survivor who they are suffering fromstress disorder because incident.
POLICE PRESENCE. Police ofcers watch as marchers participating in the Walk for Peace pass by in Cagayan de Oro Ci
on Friday, August 2. Hundreds participate in the march demanding for the speedy investigation to the July 26 Limketkai Arcad
bombing incident that killed 8 persons and wounded 48 others. FROILAN GALLARDO / MindaNews
IN FOCUS
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OUR Mindanao8 AUGUST 2013
Supt. Michael John Deloso of the
city police said the suspect, of
medium build, estimated to be
between 36 and 40 years old and
54 to 55 in height, did not stay
long.
Less than ve minutes after
the suspect left Kylas Bistro,
the bomb exploded killing three
persons on the spot and injuring
over 40 others. The ve other
fatalities died in the hospital.
Our witnesses described him
as very cool. The suspect never
spoke in a complete sentence.
Sige, San Mig Light were the
only words the suspect spoke,
the police ofcial said.
Three days after the blast,
police in Cagayan de Oro released
two computer-generated facial
composite of the suspect and in
Manila, the police released three
computer generated image of thesuspect based on the testimonies
of witnesses and the images of
the suspect caught in ve CCTV
cameras at the Rosario Arcade.
Police also did a reenactment
and a reconstruction of the crime
scene after Interior and Local
Government Secretary Mar Roxas
who proceeded to Cagayan de
Oro the day after the bombing,
scolded them for allowing the
restaurant owners to clean the
The bomber wascalm and cool,spoke few wordsThe man suspected to have acted
alone in the blast that claimed eight
lives appeared calm and cool when
he walked into Kylas Bistro at the
LimKetKaiRosario Arcade, picked
a table and ordered a bottle of San
Miguel Light from a waiter late
evening of July 26, police said.
blast site less than 24 hours after
the incident.
Deloso said that based on the
witnesses accounts and CCTV
images, the suspected lone
bomber who was wearing a grey
t-shirt and dark-coloredshort
pants, arrived at Kylas Bistro
before 11 p.m.
He said the suspect, who was
wearing a bull cap, picked a spot
at Kylas and ordered beer from a
waiter
At the time, the street party
along the row of upscale
restaurants at the LimKetKai
Rosario Arcade was in full
swing. Most of the partygoers
were doctors and medical
representatives who were in the
city to attend the national midyear
convention of the Philippine
College of Chest Physicians.
During the reenactment onJuly 28, witnesses told police
probers that the suspect placed
a black bag on the table when a
waiter came to ask for his order.
Deloso said that as soon as the
waiter left to get his order or beer,
the suspect stood up and went to
the comfort room inside Kylas.
When the suspect came back,
witnesses saw him transfer the
black bag from the table to a chair
and left, he said.
The suspect did not even wait
for his beer. He left abruptly. Less
than ve minutes later the bomb
exploded, Deloso said, adding
the suspects departure from
Kylas was recorded by a CCTV
camera in oneof the restaurants.
The police ofcial said a total of
ve CCTV cameras were working
at the time of incident.
The number of computer-
generated sketches of the suspects
presented by the police (three in
Manila and two in Cagayan de
Oro) created confusion as to the
number of suspects in the blast.
But Deloso said there is really
one suspect only. There are many
sketches because these a
general descriptions of wit
who were able to see the su
with or without the bu
and pair of eyeglasses. (F
Gallardo/MindaNews)
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12 I OUR Mindanao 8 AUGUST
OPINION
The choir wore ethnic-inspired
costume that to my untrained eye
looked Teduray. Why it didntseem to be a portent of things
to be mentioned in the SONA, I
have no idea.
Throughout the applause-
interrupted 104-minute speech,
I waited for issues regarding
indigenous peoples to be
mentioned. Nothing. Oh sorry,
there was the choir. Then a wee
bit about katutubo getting
health insurance. And then
images of indigenous people
ready to give baskets to tourists.
Then nothing.
I must have expected toomuch. The SONA should have
been titled State of Metro Manila
Address. What would a P200
million prot from water services
mean to a Mindanawon, anyway?
Or a fantastic railway system that
would run the rat race faster?
Instead of decongesting a sinkingmetro by dispersing resources,
it seemed like an invitation for
people in the provinces to congest
it further. That then gives more
justication for passing the
Reproductive Health Law,
maybe.
Surely theres a connection
between oodwaters and illegal
logging; between rice and cartels;
between full coverage and the
spike in hospitalizations; between
cash transfers and NGOs;
between wealth-sharing and
environmental protection. Butin the speech the connections did
not cross over. Di tumawid.
I leave the Alleluias for
the accomplishments to each
government ofce with its own
investors even if they sorely ask
for schools? When they know
how to read and write and becompetitive, cant they then
decide for themselves what
business endeavor to undertake?
When given the chance to manage
their resources by themselves,
cant they not also show
stewardship and prudence like
their forefathers? Government is
only the facilitator, the guide and
not party to the business. Hindi
na dapat makipag-kumpetensya
ang gobyerno sa negosyong
pribadong pamayanan.
Despite its aws, the IPRA
provides legal bases of manyactions the IPs are doing in the
protection of their rights i.e. Right
to Ancestral Domain, Right to
Cultural Integrity, Right to Self-
Governance and Empowerment,
and Social Justice & Human
Rights. Imagine protecting your
ancestral lands with unseen
walls? Imagine decongesting
anglo-saxon inuenced courts
with cases that cannot be decided
speedily if led anyway? Imagine
deciding collectively so that
accountability is not shouldered
only by one person? Imagine not
having had to bow down and be
NothingTheres nothing really in the 4th SONA that we have not
heard about in the last twelve months. At least for those
of us who have access to conventional and social media.
AVEEN ACUNA-GULO
in Cotabato City
press relations budget.
The non-mention of
indigenous peoples issuesis actually a reection of the
outright neglect of the Aquino
administration to fulll its part as
duty holder. Issues like mining,
logging, foreign investors, human
rights. Moreover, it seems to
have forgotten, too, that when the
government passed Republic Act
8371 or the Indigenous Peoples
Rights Act (IPRA) in 1997, it
signed a Peace Agreement with
the indigenous peoples of this
country.
A Peace Agreement? Yes, it is.
And what makes IPRA unique asa Peace Agreement is that it was
largely fought in the legal arena,
not in the war zone. It was won
without a solid armed front. That
makes two Peace Agreements
that the government has become
wanting in fullling its side of the
pact. Do we know what is usually
done to a party that reneges?
Despite its aws, the IPRA
is also a poverty alleviation
program. Why subject IPs to the
indignity of dole-outs and plastic
cards when their indigenous
knowledge, skills, and practices
are still existing?Why give them
Editor in Chief CAROLYN O. ARGUILLAS Associate Editors H. MARCOS C. MORDENO, ROBERT D. TIMONERA Business Editor BONG
SARMIENTO Lifestyle Editor AMALIA BANDIOLA Photo Editor FROILAN GALLARDO Art Director TATA LAO MindaNews Reporters KEIT
BACONGCO, WALTER I. BALANE, FERDINANDH B. CABRERA, LORIE ANN A. CASCARO, ROEL CATOTO, ALLEN V. ESTABILLO, VIOLETA
GLORIA, TOTO LOZANO , MALU MANAR, ERWIN MASCARINAS, RUBY THURSDAY MORE, BJ PATIO Contribut ing Photographers RENE
LUMAWAG, GEONARRI SOLMERANO Chief Executive Ofcer DANILO BALUCOS Finance ELLEN ALINEA Marketing VANESSA L. ALME
Circulation EDWARD EMUY Administrative Staff GG BUENO
Mindanao News and Information Center Service Cooperativealso runs the daily news service, MindaNews and the onlinepublication,www.mindanews.com.
The publication of this issue of OUR Mindanao is with tassistance of the Australian Agency for International DevelopmeThe editorial content, however, was left completely to us.
We invite fellow Mindanawons, wherever you may bebased, to contribute to our next issues. Together, let us tellthe world OUR Mindanao stories.
Published by theMINDANAO NEWS AND INFORMATION CENTER
SERVICE COOPERATIVEwith editorial and business ofces at
154 Mars St., GSIS Heights, Matina, Davao CityTelefax (+6382) 297-4360
perpetually subservient
forms of domination?
Oh, the Pork Barrel. Tit was not mentioned, it
like lard in the gowns an
It was also exciting to n
that behind those glam an
eyelashes are actually no
Ms Gulo is the author
Project Manager of IPDE
EU-funded project for
the ARMM, implemen
the consortium of the In
for Autonomy and Gove
Konrad Adenauer Stiftu
Development Consultant
article is a personal accouthe responsibility of the
and can in no way be ta
reect the view of the Eu
Union and IAG-KAS-DEV
It would have been n
hear the President men
least the new appointme
the National Commissi
Indigenous Peoples (N
she said. Especially i
have plans to strength
She is also the convenor of
Forum, a volunteer-driven
action towards environ
disaster risk reduction w
use of Vetiver Grass Techn
A Peace Agreement? Yes it is.And what makes IPRA uniqueas a Peace Agreement is that itwas largely fought in the legal
arena.
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14 I OUR Mindanao 8 AUGUST
ENVIRONMENT
Worldwide, the place became known for the largest saltwater crocodile trapped and captured in
captivity, a place Lolong once called home: the Agusan Marsh.
Considered one of the most ecologically signicant wetlands in the Philippines, the 14,836
hectare Agusan Marsh is a protected area and wildlife sanctuary for hundreds of species of birds,
fresh water sh, bats, turtles, rare plants and trees, saltwater and freshwater crocodiles.
From the town of Bunawan, you can hire a boat or commute with the locals as boats regularly
carry people and supplies deep into the marshland communities. Travelling deep into the complex
system of creeks, rivers, freshwater marshes connected to ponds and lakes brings you to a differentworld. A place where ooding has become a way of life and water a sustainable link into its fragile
ecosystem.
If youre out for a crocodile sight-seeing, unfortunately you wont see much of them unless you
stay for several weeks but the sight of both endemic and non-endemic bird species will surely be
worth the trip. You will also be mesmerized as you witness not only the amazing birds but the trees,
plants, as well as the large freshwater sh found in the waters of the marsh.
Agusan MarshERWIN MASCARINAS
in Agusandel Sur
For decades, I have been mesmerized by
the stories and photos of Agusan del Sursfamous wetland.
Exploring the placeLolong once called home:
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OUR Mindanao8 AUGUST 2013
You can also visit and experience the oating villages of the Manobo tribe who have been livin
here for decades. The biggest of these oating communities can be found in the town of Loreto
Here, houses, school and even church are leashed to trees, rising and falling depending on the wat
level of the marsh.
The tribe claims that the crocodiles have never been a threat and that they have learned to liv
with them from one generation to the other. The Manobos say that if men would learn to respe
nature, it will learn to co-exist and grow together, for each is part of the elements that form the ver
web of life.The most popular entry point to the Agusan Marsh is through the town of Bunawan, but it ca
also be accessed through the towns of San Luis, Talacogon and Loreto.
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16 I OUR Mindanao 8 AUGUST
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18 I OUR Mindanao 8 AUGUST
CELEBRATIONS
This year, however, is different.A friend of mine who worksas project manager for theMagbassa Kita Foundation, Inc.
(MKFI), asked me if I wantedto write for the organization.I thought, Sure! It could beanother adventure. MKFI is anon-government organizationdedicated to the promotion ofliteracy, poverty alleviation, andpeace, especially in Mindanao.Chaired by former SenatorSantanina Rasul and headedby Madam Amina Rasul-Bernardo, it also dedicates itsefforts to educating the publicabout Islamic beliefs, traditions,culture, and issues that affect thelarge Muslim population in thecountry, especially in Mindanao.It was quite timely that MKFIwas busy preparing for the EidlFitr Festival and they neededa writer to help with the pressreleases. I gladly welcomedthe opportunity to learn aboutEidso that at least next time Igreet my Muslim friends HappyHariraya Buka Puasa or Eid
Mubarak (Blessed Eid), I wouldsincerely mean it.
As soon as I agreed to come
Experiencing EidMIA AUREUS
on board, Madam Amina invitedme to their Iftarat the ofce on
July 29. Iftar literally meansbreaking of the fast. We all
know that during the Ramadan,Muslims fast from dawn tilldusk. I arrived a few minutesbefore 6 p.m. and I saw how theirfood had already been nicelyplaced in silver platters andarranged artfully on a mat on theoor. They were counting downthe minutes to when the moonrises, thus, nally allowing themto break their fast. I was invitedto taste native delicacies fromMindanao. Among those I tastedwere baolo, a sweet-tasting pastry;wadjit, a rice cake made of purplesticky rice neatly wrapped in abanana leaf; pitispatani , anotherrice cake made of purple riceour, with grated coconut llingthat was cooked in brown sugar;and puto, which is basicallycassava cake. There were plentymore that came as guests arrivedlater in the evening. There wasbeef soup, steamed sh, seaweedsalad, grilled chicken, etc. Itwas such a feast! I came homegrateful to Madam Amina andher family and friends who were
very welcoming and gracious.I also came home with a fulltummy. And when I say full, Ifelt like my pants were burstingat the seams.
For the succeeding daysthat I wrote press releases forthe upcoming events, namelythe EidlFitr International ArtExhibit from August 2-8 atthe 2nd Floor of The Podiumand the EidlFitr Festival fromAugust 9-11 at The Atrium, TheBlock, SM North Edsa, I came toknow of wonderful Philippineartists, both Muslim and non-Muslims, who have been rakingaccolades here and abroadand my heart just swelled with
pride. I met them in person lastAugust 2, during the MKFIspress conference and art exhibitopening at The Podium. Sufceit to say that I got starstruck.It was weird actually. You thinka person would only get excitedabout showbiz celebrities. But,having read their histories andthe passion they lived for andpursued all their lives, I stoodamong them in awe of the storiesbehind every creation they made:painting, sculptures, fashiondesigns. I met Dr.AbdulmariImao, a Philippine NationalArtist in sculpture, and his son,Toym, who is also a fast-risingsculptor and painter. I would not
be surprised if he earns thenational artist just like hissomeday. Both are Fuscholars, by the way. I alsotalk to Rameer Tawasil. Ihim what makes art so signin promoting peace andHe said there is an eleminescapable reason in aartist can mold the dethis or her life in the introf his or work and it is wor etched forever. No odeny that the event hapAnd I guess that is trueartworks have been inspia persons, more signiby a nations history, ancontinue to serve as remin
Ive never really known Eid. Ive
heard about it and, oftentimes, days
before the end of Ramadan, I see
banners exuberantly screaming
Happy HarirayaBukaPuasa hung
in footbridges, buildings, malls, and
street lamp posts. When I worked inSingapore, I even sent Eid greetings
to my Muslim friends and colleagues
because I thought it was polite and
rightbut I never truly understood its
meaning.
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OUR Mindanao8 AUGUST 2013
never forget the lessons learned.Kublai Millan was rather
interesting. He seemed very shy.He would pose with his artworksso people could take photos, but,after the camera ashes weregone, I noticed he would try torecede back into an invisibleveil. But for a small man whoseemed to care so little about thelimelight, he has created giantsculptures that are now iconiclandmarks in Mindanao suchas the Kampilan by SultanKudarat in the City of SultanKudarat, Maguindanao, and theRisen Christ in the church ofTagum City. He is also famousfor the durian monument in the
Davao International Airport.My being starstruck
probably also had to do withbeing in the presence of trueroyalty. BaiJamila Tamano isthe crown princess of Dayawan,Lanao del Sur and she wasquite happy to share her visualinterpretations of Maranaoculture. Her subjects are drawnfrom folklore like Lawanen (fromthe epic Bantogen) on the GoldenNiaga (sea serpent).
Christian artists also joinedthe art exhibit. Aljo Pingol,Dominic Rubio, and Jovan Benitodisplayed their paintings thatwere inspired by the Muslimculture.
During the press conferencethat preceded the art exhibitopening, Madam Amina notedthat the Eid Festival is morethan just about a Muslimcelebration. It also highlights thecamaraderie between Muslimsand Christians, as well as withother races and ethnicities thatmake the Philippines so diverse.Former Senator SantaninaRasulrecalled that the nationwidecelebration of the Eid started in1993 at Nayong Pilipino. But thecampaign against terrorism thatstamped Muslim faces in everyier drove a wedge betweenMuslims and non-Muslims.The Moros or the indigenous
Muslims of the country wereunfortunately associated withcriminal acts; and the progressmade in sowing peace andharmony was overwritten byfear and discrimination. So, theformer senator worked to revivethe Eid celebrations and put theIslamic faith and culture back ina positive light.
Ramadan ends upon thesighting of the new moon on theeve of August 7. Eidl Fitr, whichmeans the Feast of Breaking theFast, then begins on August 8.The government has declaredAugust 9 as a holiday to celebratethis joyous occasion with ourMuslim brothers and sisters.
We can further experienspirit of the Eid and learappreciate the Muslim cby joining the EidlFitr Fat The Block, SM Northfrom August 9-11. More class Filipino artists wpresent to showcase their that have given the Philiso much pride and joy. Islamic nations will partas well such as BanglMalaysia, Iran, PakistanNigeria. Together with thethe people I have come tothrough MKFI, I wish eveEid Mubarak! And this ttruly and deeply mean it.
FROM LEFT: Food preparedfor Iftar; National ArtistAbdulmari Imao. He is knownfor his sarimanok images;
Painting by the RameerTawasil.
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20 I OUR Mindanao 8 AUGUST
PEACE PROCESS
Murad told civil society leaders
in Mindanao during a two-hour
dialogue in the MILFs Camp
Darapanan in Sultan Kudarat,
Maguindanao on July 25 that as far
as the MILF Central Committee is
concerned, we are always ready
for whatever is necessary in thepeace process because we are
all fully supportive..we are fully
sold out (to) this peace process
and everybody is supportive. So
we can always do the same and
even more than that if necessary,
as the situation dictates.
Murad said that during the
last two days of the extended
talks on July 12 and 13, while the
panels were negotiating in Kuala
Lumpur, we were here gathered
in this room (conference room
of the MILF Peace Panels ofce
within Camp Darapanan). Whilethey were discussing there, we
were also discussing here.
He said it was the rst time
we did this, that while the panel
is there, we also had the Central
Committee assembled here to
discuss whatever problems are
being met at the negotiating
table.
Murad notedthat some think
the wealth-sharing annex can
serve as guide to the next annexes
Murad: MILFs Central Committeewill help fast-track signing of annexesCAROLYN O. ARGUILLASin Darapanan, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao
The Moro Islamic Liberation Fronts (MILF) CentralCommittee is willing to repeat in the August negotiationson the remaining two annexes on power-sharing andnormalization, what it did in the last round of talks that
helped lead to the signing of the wealth-sharing annex onJuly 13: gather the Central Committee here so there will befast and effective consultation process with its peace panelin Kuala Lumpur, MILF chair Al Haj MuradEbrahim said.
but there are some views that
the next annexes can be more
bloody.
But he is condent that with
the motivation to move forward
and the sincerity and the interest
to move forward, then I think we
can move forward in these twoother annexes.
The Central Committee, he
added, is at this point trying
to discuss all possible difcult
issues in relation to the power-
sharing annex. We are exploring
all other possible means in order
to hasten the process because we
know that further delaying the
process will have a very negative
impact on the timeframe we have
set for the transition mechanism
and once we cannot catch up
with the time frame, then it will
affect the entire mechanism thatwould install the Bangsamoro
government by 2016.
The Central Committee will
be very cooperative in order that
this process will be hastened, he
said.
In constant touch
with principals
MIlF peace panel chair
MohagerIqbal earlier told
MindaNews that they were in
constant touch with the Central
Committee and that on the second
day of the extension, at 3:15 p.m.
of July 13, when both parties were
still in a deadlock, he received a
text message from Murad that the
Central Committee had decided
that if there is no progress in thetalks, the panel should return
home and not agree to another
extension. Iqbal said that when
the parties returned for the
plenary, he read the text message
in Maguindanaon and translated
it into English.
President Aquino and the
Cabinet secretaries involved in
the issues on wealth-sharing,
were also in constant touch with
the GPH peace panel. On July 11,
Presidential Adviser on the Peace
Process TeresitaQuintos-Deles
and Presidential spokespersonEdwin Lacierda went to Kuala
Lumpur, with Deles staying on
until the signing.
The government (GPH) and
MILF peace panels are resuming
talks in Kuala Lumpur next
month after the Ramadhan, to
continue negotiations on the
remaining two annexes to the
Framework Agreement on the
Bangsamoro (FAB) that would
complete the comprehensive
peace pact: power-sharing
and normalization. The Annex
on Transitional Arrangements
and Modalities was signed on
February 27 while the Annex on
Revenue Generation and Wealth
Sharing was signed on July 13.
Under the FAB, the partiesactually committed to nish the
annexes before yearend 2012.
Through their technical
working groups, the panels
started negotiations on wealth-
sharing and power-sharing in
August 2012 and normalization
in November 2012.
More than 90% settled
in power-sharing annex
While acknowledging that he is
not at liberty to divulge the sticky
points in the power-sharing
annex, Muradsaid the GPH andMILF peace panels had actually
settled more than 90% of the
issues.
He likened the status of the
Power-sharing annex to the
Wealth-sharing annex before the
deadlock on contentious issues
was broken on July 13.
Generally the other issues
were all settled already but there
are still some two or three issues
which are very ticklish and that is
where we are focusing on two or
three, maybe four issues that are
very ticklish and sensitive, hesaid of the power-sharing annex.
Even the panels have been
saying that more than 90% have
been settled already as far as
power-sharing (is concerned but
the) remaining less than 10 per
cent is the heart of the issue which
is very, very difcult to resolve so
that is why we have to focus on
these particular issues, Murad
said in his two-hour meeting with
civil society leaders.
Present were som
representativesof Min
based coalitions such
Consortium of Bangamor
Society (CBCS) repre
by Abdulbasit Benito
Bangsamoro Center fo
Peace, Mindanao Coof Development Ne
(Mincode) under
AbansePinay Represe
Pat Sarenas, Min
Peaceweavers(MPW) repre
by Gus Miclat of the Ini
for International Dialogu
Mindanao Peoples Caucus
led by Mary Ann Arnad
present were ofcials of
led by CherianMathews, t
Regional DirectorofOx
AsiaRegion.
Inspirationfor generations
Oxfam, which has been pro
humanitarian assistance
conict-affected areas
Bangsamoro for decades
provided assistance to the s
of Mindanaos civil society
Bangsamoro peace proce
in Davao City early this
and the gathering in Cotab
Thursdays dialogue with M
When we walk
communities who are dis
we can only do so much t
their immediate needs. there is a peace proces
will lead to enduring pea
whole situation will not ch
Mathews said.
To Murad, he said, You
inspiration for the generat
come You will be reme
for the courage you have
in the peace process.
Sarenas and the other
asked Murad how they ca
hasten the process. Mur
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OUR Mindanao8 AUGUST 2013
he hopes they would be more
pro-active in the next steps on
the roadmap to the Bangsamoro,such as letting the public
understand the agreements,
submitting to the Bangsamoro
Transition Commission results of
civil societys consultations and
discussing the peace process with
members of Congress.
Murad said he believes the
reason why the Annex on Wealth-
Sharing was nally signed on July
13, was because of the interest
of both parties to nish off the
wealth-sharing agreement.
He said they were aware that
if the wealth-sharing annex had
not been settled, there can be
some negative impact not only in
the peace process but even on the
ground.
He explained that both parties
were not able to get exactly what
they want but then that is part of
the process. There has to be some
compromise. We are happy on
our side, the Central Committee
of the MILF and our people are
happy that we have this wealth
sharing annex nalized.
The GPH and MILF peace
panels signed the FAB on October
15 last year to pave the way forthe creation of the Bangsamoro,
a new autonomous political
entity that would replace the 23-
year old Autonomous Region in
Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) by
June 30, 2016.
The FAB also provides that
the ARMM would be deemed
abolished once the Bangsamoro
Basic Law is ratied, and will
be replaced by the Bangsamoro
Transition Authority that
would govern the area until
the rst set of ofcials of the
Bangsamorothatwill be electedon May 9, 2016 takes over on June
30 that year.
In his State of the Nation
Address on July 22, President
Benigno Simeon Aquino III
called on Congress to pass before
the end of 2014 the law creating
the Bangsamoro, as he assured
that whatever agreement the
government will sign with the
MILF will be implemented.
Echoing the calls of two political
prisoners on a hunger strike, a
former government negotiator
in peace talks with the National
Democratic Front of the
Philippines (NDFP) urged the
Aquino government to honor the
10 previously signed agreements
in order for the talks to resume.
Bello III, former Justice
Secretary and later member of
the government panel in the
negotiations with the NDF from
1992 to 1998 and chair of the
panel from 2001 to 2005 under the
Arroyo administration, said both
parties should move the talks
forward to its logical conclusion,
which is lasting peace for our
people.
He urged both the government
and the rebel group to resume
the stalled peace negotiations
without any preconditions andto respect previously signed
agreements including the 1992
Hague Joint Declaration and the
Comprehensive Agreement on
Human Rights and International
Humanitarian Law (CAHRIHL).
Bello, now a partylist
representative in Congress,
was among the ICHRPPs
guest in its opening ceremonies
on July 19.
Even President Ramos
followed agreements (made)
during Cory Aquinos
period, Erap (President Estrada)followed the agreements and
processdespite disagreements,
and even GMA (President Gloria
Arroyo) because if we dont do
that, who would ever sign a
contract or agreement with us?
Bello emphasized.
In his keynote address to the
international conference, NDFP
chief political consultant Jose
Maria Sison said the NDFP has
been ready to resume the talks
Bello urges resumptionof GPH-NDF talksbut that as early as the rst formal
meeting of the negotiating panels
in February 2011, the Aquino
government attacked the 1992
Hague Joint Declaration, which
sets the framework for the talks,
as a document of perpetual
division.
He added that the
government misrepresented
as a precondition the NDFPs
demand to release detained
consultants in compliance with
the Joint Agreement on Safety and
Immunity Guarantees (JASIG).
Bello said he doesnt think
Aquino wants to junk all previous
agreements and begin the peace
process again from scratch.
The Aquino government is
aware that it is not correct to
junk the Hague Joint Declaration
which serves as the framework for
the peace talks. Any person whoknows his business should know
that in order to be credible, you
have to honor your agreements,
he stressed.
Bello added that the
Presidential Adviser on the peace
process may have played a role in
the governments awed position
on thetalks. He saidPresident
Aquino should consider getting
the advice of other members of
his cabinet and people who have
a deeper background on peace
negotiations.
Asked if he would be willingto become a member of the GPH
peace panel again if requested,
Bello replied: Only if I dont lose
my congressional seat because I
have a mandate. I could probably
join as an adviser, not as panelist.
Hunger strike for peace
Bellos call for the resumption of
the peace talks with the NDFP
echoes similar calls of detained
NDFP peace consultants Ramon
Patriarca who is detained at
Camp Lapu-Lapu in Cebu City
and Pedro Codaste, who is
detained at the Malaybalay City
Jail. Patriarca began a hunger
strike last July 11 that would
end on July 22 when President
Aquino delivers his State of the
Nation Address (SONA).
The detained NDFP peace
consultants accused President
Aquino of not respecting the
Joint Agreement on Safety and
Immunity Guarantees (JASIG),
and has instead con
abducting, torturing and det
NDFP personnel involved
the peace negotiations.
The search for a just and
peace is one of the importan
discussions in the Intern
Conference on Human
and Peace participated in
least 250 human rights and
advocates from the US, C
Asia-Pacic, Europe an
Middle East. (MindaNews)
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22 I OUR Mindanao 8 AUGUST
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OUR Mindanao8 AUGUST 2013
PROUD TO BE
A Princess of Hope working
for peace in the Philippines and
a staunch womens rights activist
from Afghanistan are among the
brave women who will receive
the 2013 N-Peace Awards,
a prestigious prize which
recognizes the leadership role of
women and peace advocates from
six conict-affected countries
in Asia, the N-Peace Network
announced on July 31.
The Princess of Hope
and youth champion of
peace from the Philippines is
RohanizaUsman, chair of the
Young Moro Professionals, who
won as one of the Emerging
Peace Champions while Irene
Santiago, chair emeritus of
the Mindanao Commission on
Women, won as one of the Role
2 Mindanawons winN-Peace Awards
Models for Peace.
Usman and Santiago are among
eight awardees announced by
N-Peace Network partners, the
United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) and Search
for Common Ground.
The winners include six
women who have made dramatic
changes towards peace and
reconciliation in Afghanistan,
Indonesia, Nepal, Sri Lanka,
Timor-Leste and the Philippines.
In addition, this years awards
honour a youth champion of
peace from the Philippines
and one male recipient who
works to advance peace and
equality in post-conict regions
in Indonesia, the N-Peace
Networks website said.
The winners were chosen for
their leadership and contribution
towards building peace in
their respective countries.
Over 90 nominations were
received across the N-Peace
Awards categories - Role Models
for Peace, the lead category, and
two special categories, Emerging
Peace Champions and Men who
advocate for Equality. A wave ofonline supporters helped to select
the leading women peace activists
with a record breaking 70,000
votes received for the nominated
candidates, N-Peace said.
The N-Peace Networks
website said of Usman:
Witnessing the terrors of the
Gulf war transformed Rohanizas
Philippines
understanding of war into a
determination to see peace
come to Mindanao and the
Philippines. She was born a
Maranao Muslim princess and
currently is the Philippine Country
Director and Coordinator for Asia
America Initiative that aims to
promote peace and development
in Mindanao. At Outreach ofYoung Moro Professionals
Network, which she chairs,
young Muslim professionals
advocate peaceful means to
improve the socio-economic well-
being of the Bangsamoro people.
In 2007, she was recognized as
an Ambassador for Peace by
the Universal Peace Federation
and is also a Princeton
Network Awardee on W
Most Accomplished Indiv
(2009-10).
Santiago was describ
N-Peace Network as thefo
of a non-prot organizat
Davao City which works
women from poor commu
In January 2001, she found
Mindanao Commission on W
(MCW) comprising Ch
Muslim and indigenous w
leaders who waged a cam
to pressure the gover
and Moro Islamic Libe
Front (MILF) to return
negotiating table. In Fe
2001, she joined the goverpanel that negotiated peac
MILF, and was a signatory
ceasere agreement. San
unwavering commitmen
social justice has been reco
in many ways, including:
nominated as part of the
Women for the Nobel
Prize. (MindaNews)
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24 I OUR Mindanao 8 AUGUST
BUSINESS
At least a dozen Cabinet
secretaries and business
tycoons will be the key speakers
during the 22nd MindanaoBusiness Conference
(MinBizCon) that will have
President Benigno Aquino III as
the major guest.
This years theme is Moving
Towards ASEAN Business
Integration. It is slated
on August 8 to 10 at the SMX
Convention Center in Lanang.
Hosted this year by the Davao
City Chamber of Commerce
and Industry, Inc. (DCCCII),
Powerhouse cast for the22nd MinBizCon in Davao City
MinBizCon is the largest annual
gathering of top government and
business leaders and members
of chambers of commerce in theisland.
President Aquino is set to
deliver his message on August
10. Mayor Rodrigo Duterte
will deliver a welcome address
during the event organized
by the Philippine Chamber of
Commerce and Industry (PCCI).
Organizers said the senior
government ofcials invited
were Trade Secretary Gregory
Domingo, Finance Secretary
Cesar Purisima, Science and
Technology Secretary Mario
Montejo, Energy Secretary Carlos
Jericho Petilla, Transportationand Communications Secretary
Joseph Emilio Abaya and Public
Works and Highways Secretary
Rogelio Singson.
Presidential Adviser on
the Peace Process Secretary
TeresitaQuintos-Deles, Climate
Change Commission Secretary
Lucille Sering, Secretary
LuwalhatiAntonino, chair of
the Mindanao Development
Authority, Secretary
Emmanuel Joel Villanueva of
the Technical Education and
Skills Development Authority,
and Customs CommissionerRunoBiazon will also serve as
resource speakers.
Prominent businessmen
will also be speaking during
the event. They include Lance
Gokongwei Jr., JG Summit
Holdings Incorporated president
and chief operating ofcer;
Manny V. Pangilinan, Philippine
Long Distance Telephone
Company chair; Henry Sy Jr.,
SM Investments chief executive
ofcer; Vicente Q
Novellino Wines preside
Manuel Orig, Aboitiz
Corporation rst vice prfor Mindanao affairs.
The event, accordi
the organizers, is a p
for fostering competit
and accelerating grow
Mindanao. It would all
participants to networ
exchange ideas on imp
business climate
competitiveness.
(Florienne Melendrez / Mind
Zambo Peninsula is countrys besteconomic performer in 2012
Mewchun Pamaran, NationalStatistical Coordination Board(NSCB) regional chief, attributedthe impressive economicperformance of ZamboangaPeninsula or Region 9 to theaccelerated growths of theindustry and services sectors.
The services sector accountedfor the largest share of the regionstotal economy at 42.7 percent in2012, followed by the industrysector with 34.8 percentage shareand agriculture, hunting, forestryand shing (AHFF) with 22.5percent, according to Pamaran.
The industry sector climbedto 31.6 percent in 2012 from1.5 percent in 2011 due to theaccelerated growths in all its
subse c tors - -manufac tur ing ,construction, mining and
quarrying, and electricity, gas andwater supply (EGWS), Pamaransaid.
The industry sector was thelargest contributor to the regionsoverall economic growth in2012 with 9.4 percentage pointsfollowed by the services sectorwith 3.7 percentage points, shesaid.
Pamaran said manufacturing,which accounted for 27.4 percentof the regions total economy,grew remarkably by 35.2 percentin 2012 from 5.9 percent in 2011.
She said the double-digitgrowth was attributed to the highincrease in production of cannedsardines.
Zamboanga City, which hosts
at least 10 canneries, is dubbedas the Sardines Capital of the
country.Pamaran said that construction
rebounded from negative 12.3percent in 2011 to 28.5 percent in2012 due to the increase in bothpublic and private constructionworks.
She said that mining andEGWS, likewise, turned aroundfrom negative 14.4 percent in2011 to 0.6 percent in 2012 andnegative 0.3 percent in 2011 to 4.0percent in 2012, respectively.
Pamaran said the servicessector has expanded to 8.3percent in 2012 from 6.0 percentin 2011. The growth was due tothe increase in all its subsectorsexcept the other services, whichdecelerated from 11.0 percent in
2011 to 7.0 percent in 2012.Public Administration and
Defense (PAD) rebounded fromnegative 0.1 percent in 2011 to 5.6percent in 2012 while FinancialIntermediation grew from 4.4percent in 2011 to 11.7 percent in2012, Trade from 3.4 percent to10.5 percent, Real Estate, Rentingand Business Activities (RERBA)from 6.1 percent to 7.0 percent,and Transport Storage andCommunication (TSC) from 8.0percent to 8.2 percent.
Pamaran said the growth inthe AHFF sector improved fromnegative 9.7 percent in 2011 tonegative 2.6 percent in 2012.
Fishing, which accountedfor 7.8 percent of the regions
domestic output, improvenegative 23.5 percent in negative 7.3 in 2012.
Aside from canneriecity is also a home to 15 rms that supply the nethe canning companies, thmarket and other parts country.
Agriculture and Foresthe other hand, deceleratepercent in 2012 from 0.6 in 2011.
The AHFF sector, hopulled down the rgrowth by 0.7 percentage
(MindaNews)
Zamboanga Peninsula registered the fastest growth in
2012 among the countrys 17 regions as the peninsulas
economy grew to 12.4 percent last year from 0.1 percent
in 2011.
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OUR Mindanao8 AUGUST 2013
Greetings from:
From 3.7 percent in 2011, the
Gross Regional Domestic
Product (GRDP) of the Davao
Region increased to 7.4 percent
in 2012, Rosendo Aya-ay, acting
head of the National Statistical
Coordination Board (NSCB) in
Region XI, announced during
the release of the 2012 Report on
the Regional Economy of Davao
Region on July 25.
Maria Lourdes Lim, director
of the National Economic andDevelopment Authority (NEDA)
in Region XI, said the regions
performance last year surpassed
the target GRDP of 6.8 percent.
We are happy that the Davao
region posed a strong and better
than expected economy in 2012,
she added.
The services sector contributed
4.80 percent of the total growth
rate while the Industry and
Agriculture, Hunting, Forestry
and Fishing (AHFF) sectors
pitched in 2.56 percent and 0.08
Davao region posts 7.4% growthFLORIENNE MELENDREZin Davao City
percent, respectively.
The services sectors share
increased from 52.2 percent in
2011 to 53.0 percent in 2012. The
other sectors contributions last
year were: Industry with 29% and
AHFF with 17.9%
Lim said that government
services, transportation, real
estate,business subsectors and the
establishment of more shopping
malls and tourist destinations in
the region were among the factorsthat added to the growth of the
services sector.
The AHFF sectors low
contribution, on the other
hand, was due to the typhoons,
including super typhoon
Pablo, which damaged many
plantations in the region last year.
It decreased the production of
crops such as coconut, cacao and
banana, which were supposed to
be the main agricultural products
of the region.
Records of the NSCB also
Roderico Bioco, KaamulanChamber president, toldthe 4th general membershipmeeting on July 19 thatwith the reactivation of theBukidnon Investment and
Export Promotion Board,they are pushing as priorityproject the construction of anairport because LaguindinganAirport in Misamis Orientaland the Davao InternationalAirport or Francisco BangoyInternational Airport in DavaoCity are both far.
The meeting gathered some200 participants.
Bioco lamented thatBukidnon has no airport whenit has more vibrant economicactivities than the cities ofOzamiz and Pagadian which
have airports.He said the Civil AviationAuthority of the Philippines(CAAP) has conferred withthe chamber regarding thefeasibility study as directed byMalacanang.
He stressed that themost important factor indeveloping a new airportis land acquisition that canaccommodate standardrunway and other necessaryairstrip facilities.
Last April, Raul Glorioso,CAAPs manager foraerodrome engineering
unit, told MindaNews theproposed project was still atthe feasibility study stage butthe study was expected to benished this month.
Thereafter, the agencywill come up withrecommendations, includingpossible sources of funding,he added.
Glorioso identiedBarangay Cabangahan in
Bukidnon chamberpushes for airport,ecozoneWALTER I. BALANE
in Valencia City
Malaybalay City, BarangayDabongdabong in ValenciaCity and Don Carlos townas the potential sites for theairport.
He said they inspected the
three sites during the April3-4 visit of the team. The teamincluded a representativefrom Philjac, Inc. and ScienceVision for Technology.
Science Vision was taskedto conduct the feasibility studyon the Bukidnon AirportDevelopment Project.
The study seeks todetermine the air traveldemand for Bukidnon,identify the most suitablesite for a new airport, andcheck the most effective andefcient way to serve the air
travel requirements not onlyof Bukidnon but neighboringareas as well.
Bioco said the KaamulanChamber is also pushingfor the creation of a specialeconomic zone duly accreditedby the Philippine Export ZoneAuthority (PEZA).
This will lay the ground forthe development of PEZA-accredited BPO (businessprocess outsourcing)investments in the province,he said.
He said the BPO industryplays a critical role in
absorbing new graduates,citing as example BacolodCity, where the BPO industryreportedly absorbs about vepercent of the fresh graduates.
But Bioco acknowledgedthat the province still needsreliable power supply andgood telecommunicationfacilities, among others, tocompete with other provincesin attracting BPO locators.
showed that Davao R
ranked 7th in the eco
performance per region
country.
In Mindanao, the region
fourth in economic perfor
last year. Zamboanga Pen
emerged at the top at 12.4 p
followed by Caraga regio
10.6 percent and Soccsk
region with 8.1 percent.
The Davao region r
second in the Mindanao rwith signicant change in g
rate with 3.7 percent, n
Zamboanga Peninsula w
staggering 12.3 percent incr
Jose Ramon Albert,
secretary general, said the
region remains the b
economy in Mindanao, h
a percentageshare of 26.6 p
The contribution of
region to the countrys GD
increased from 0.1 percent
to 0.3 percent the following
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26 I OUR Mindanao 8 AUGUST
BATANG MINDANAW
Three PoemsALLEN SAMSUYA
Makeshifters (on Gravity)
Gravity is what ruins your ponytail when you make tea
in the early morning. In ancient China, it is said that a
single tealeaf was lifted by the wind. Through the palace
window, the leaf fell and into the emperors rst teacup.
This too was gravity. Now, we know that warmth is
the measurement of water, and that it takes the Earth
all morning to pull our bodies closer into its heart. We
pull back, always in a heartbeat. Elsewhere, a million
tealeaves are ripe for the picking. And you, my dearest,
are far enough from the sun.
Cassette
At twenty-ve I have yet to forgethow to rewind Cutterpillow
with a pencil when the boomboxruins the cassette. After all
these years I have yet to stoplistening to DXOL the soul of the city,
to the angelus of my high school,even to the phone call that rang
hollow of my grandmothers death.Perhaps dissonance rewinds in me
what others accept in silence.Perhaps memory is a succession
of whistles and the winds blowto rattle the trees.
Magnets
Perhaps I was a littletoo buzzedthe night you told meyou were bipolarthat I could onlythink of penguinsand whether or notthey share the sameice with Santa Claus.Perhaps if I had lessbeer and moresense in my body
I would have told youto take it easyand insteadthink of magnets.I bet you toomake a good casefor unbreakablewholeness.
Allen Samsuya, 25, hails from Cotabato City. He was a fellow for poetry at the Silliman University National Writers Workhsop and the Iligan National Writers Worksho
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28 I OUR Mindanao 8 AUGUST
CULTURE
The second printing of Dr.Macario D. Tius
Davao: Reconstructing History from Text
and Memory, National Book Awards
winner for 2005, was launched at the
Museo Dabawenyo along Pichon (formerly
Magallanes) in Davao City at 10 a.m. at
August 2 while Alampat: An Introduction
to Art Appreciation, was launched at 4
p.m. August 5, at the same venue.
The demand for copies of Tius book,
published in 2005 by the Ateneo De
Davao University (ADDU) Research
and Publication Ofce for the Mindanao
Coalition of Development NGOs (Mincode)
has continued but the copies printed in
2005 had all been sold, prompting this
second printing in 2013 by the ADDUs
University Publication Ofce, with theconcurrence of Mincode.
In his Preface in 2005, Prof.Patricio N.
Abinales, PhD, wrote: Mindanawons
have something to be proud of in this work
by Davaos leading scholar and multi-
awarded poet and short-story writer. For it
is a major contribution to a Mindanao-wide
effort of recovering our story as a people of
an island that has, since its incorporation
to the Philippine body politic, consistently
shaped the directions and shifts of its
national narrative.
In his Notes on the Second Printing,
Tiu said the catch phrase in the Mindanao
studies circle is to theorize.I have been trying to do that for some
time. To be sure, I continue to evaluate the
theories I have advanced. Perhaps in the
future I can write about the theories that
appear sensible as well as the theories that
I have throwin into the Davao River. For
that is how we advance in knowledge and
in understanding ourselves as a people
and as a nation.
Chapter 1 of Tius book, titled Davao
only appear in history in the 1500s
when the Spaniards began to colonize
the Philippines. From oral tradition we
learn that around this period the DavaoGulf region was under the rule of the
Magindanaws. It is also from oral tradition
that we learn bits and pieces about pre-
contact Davao. Meanwhile, our knowledge
of Davao prehistory comes from some
exploratory archaeological excavations in
Talikud Island and