Under President Arroyo, major bills that will have long lasting impact have been passed. But she is in danger of leaving a legacy that will be no different from her predecessors in one area – a troubled Mindanao. After the signing of the 1996 Peace Agreement, it is worth remembering that both President Fidel V. Ramos and the MNLF Chairman Prof Nur P. Misuari, when asked what they would like to be remembered for both replied, “As a Peace Maker”. And it is certain that President Arroyo will want the same. Will the country let her?

There is no question that even an ordinary citizen often aspires to a higher calling. Many politicians as well as career military men and women want to be known for some noble deed towards their fellowmen judging by how glad they feel by their humanitaran deeds. Many from opposite sides have not found killing to be the best cure for illness, poverty or illiteracy. And no one wants to live among terrorists and their surprise attacks, not even terrorists themselves.

But can a President wish peace or demand peace, or even legislate  peace on her own? Even the cessation of conflict does not guarantee peace if all the other factors are left simmering in the pot unattended. The President can do a lot as the Commander in Chief of the AFP and as the COO of the bicameral legislature. Her voice and her signature is very powerful. Her influence cannot be underestimated. The future of the country rests on her government’s shoulders.  But has the Philippines made it difficult for any president to solve the Mindanao Factor, hence, the recurrence? Who has stakes in a Mindanao Conflict? Is the country clear on the President’s goals? Can the people of Mindanao hear what Manila is saying and vice versa?

ARMM is limited to only 9 Regions and leaves out the Lumads and presumes as outsiders the Christians within those territories. That is a source of conflict. ARRM does not enjoy full autonomy in the real definition of the word because it does not enjoy  fiscal autonomy. That is a source of conflict. The problem of the Moslems is not that they need independence, but that they need legitimacy. They want the government to recognize that Islam is their religion and that for them  it is a way of life, inseparable as day and night, and that they are one with God 24/7 and not just on Sundays. The problem of the Moslems is not that they want to invade and capture territories and kill people or drive them out,  it is that their territories were taken from them and that an estimated close to 200,000 illegal aliens are in their midst.  The problem of the Moslems is not that they need more, it is that the welfare of their people have been ignored, neglected, and buried in the past. The problem of the Moslem is not that they are massing and shouting out in protest, it is that they have lost their voice, their songs, their hope for self determination. And the problem of the Moslem bureaucrats is not that they are incompetent, It is that their Moslem communities have lost faith and trust in them because they represent government  and not their own autonomous authority and traditions. The problem of the madrasas, is not that they have been preaching violence, it is that until last year, they have not been given accreditation and so therefore could only teach the oral Koran. It  is in this hapless confusion that the men, the youth,  turn to armed rebellion to fill the gap left by joblessness, hopelessness, and discrimination.

What will we have the President do?

A Bangsamoro Autonomous Region rather than ARMM will be better for the long term.  The territory can establish diplomatic and economic ties with OIC member states. To the extent that the traditions of the territory can be utilized, educational and cultural exchanges should be encouraged within the same network. Domestic tourism should be promoted to the full extent possible, to promote better intra-cultural understanding . Autonomy will help make them masters of their fate not incongruent with their culture, traditions and mores.

A bill for the Sibutu Straits now in the Lower House,  should be declared a priority bill by the President. It will give the Coast Guard as well as the Philippine Navy the right to flag down and board any of the 58 tankers that ply the straits daily. A small environmental tax should be levied on all tankers proceeding through the passage. Twenty percent of the revenue  should be utilized  to keep that coastal environment a no dump zone and to give the Philippine Navy and Coast Guard better tools with which  to guard the coastal borders from illegal dumping, illegal poachers, illegal immigrants, and smugglers.

There is an ARSSA (Autonomous Region of  Sulu Sultanate Act ) bill also pending in Congress.  The President can declare this a priority bill or come up with a similar arrangement to put TawiTawi, Sulu and Basilan under a separate Chief Operating Officer or governor. The current arrangement under ARMM is not working. Teachers and other employees in these territories are too far from Cotabato, the administrative office. Imagine the poor teacher from the outskirts of Jolo who has to catch a bus, and then go by ferry to Zamboanga, then a catch plane to Cotabato.  For some it takes an even more twisted path.  In the unfortunate case of the teachers who had not been paid, none of them could afford to make the trip rf pay for accommodations once there.  The Sulu Region can be a subdivision of  the  Bangsamoro Autonomous Region,  accessible to the many islands that dot the Sulu Archipelago.

The Sultans of Maguindanao and Sulu,  each vying for a legitimate place under the sun, should work together to strengthen their historic positions and be the spiritual and cultural pillars of their communities. They should take the responsibility for leading the lost youth back into their folds and rekindle in them the pride of their forefathers. The problem with the Moslem youth is not that they are lazy, it is that they are alienated from their elders and disillusioned by their fate, and they have come to reject a life with no light at the end of the tunnel. Most of them can rap but have no knowledge of their own lullabies. Most of them know break-dance but are not seduced by the beauty of pangalay. They are lost in their own middle- earth, strangers to the Koran. The Sultanates should organize weekend theatres and bring back the rituals of music and dance to return the disaffected youth to their prideful places.
The Sultanate of Sulu should forge a free trade agreement with Sabah and Brunei, and strengthen their historic cultural foundations to spur the exchange of trade goods and supplies to the islands. A Trading Post can be established in Tawi-Tawi, Jolo and Basilan for this purpose and a Coast Gaurd station be put in place for documents checks on the cargo vessels.

The Philippine Government should enter exploratory talks with the various representatives of the Sulu Archipelago about the US presence in their islands. The problem with the US military is not that they are hated there, it is that the Moslems of Sulu  are suspicious of their presence and view them as the legitimate partners in a historical war to wipe them out. The people of Sulu can be convinced that a US base on one of the islands is a better alternative to the unexplained dug-ins along their coastlines. They want transparency,  then they will work towards rooting their communities of unwanted violence. It is still a small fact that the old  Sulu would prefer a democracy under American Rule to that of imperial Manila and if a vote were taken today, the outcome may surprise even the people themselves.

There will be resistance at first. There always is the first time. But town hall meetings to explain the change can clear suspicions and rumors. Gov. Ampatuan will understand the wisdom of letting the Tausug manage the Sulu Archipelago. Prof. Nur Misuari, and the MNLF, proponent s of a united and autonomous  Bangsamoro that recognizes the existence of the Lumads and Christians, can be convinced of the wisdom of having ARSSA or something similar. The leadership of the MILF will be satisfied with the gift of the right  to self determination. The Lumads will have the freedom of choice and their identity. The Christians will see the folly in taking up arms against their Moslem neighbors. Peace and Economic empowerment in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region  will benefit all of Mindanao and undoubtedly  the entire Philippines.  The AFP can do the noble  job of keeping the Filipino safe within his own nation and his child tucked safely in bed at night.

Finally, the government cannot encourage or take part in rank treason within organizations or it will become an acceptable weapon of choice for a few disgruntled critics who have their own personal agendas for succession. The chain of command in a government as well as in any organized institution must be respected  in order to preserve order. The burden of peace and the burden of war need not be forced to the fork on the road and need no innocent lives put out to the pawnshop.

President Arroyo still has time,  and a chance at greatness. She can demand what is right for her country and for peace in Mindanao without the influence of false prophets or a shot fired in anger. She can dismantle what is not working and move forward towards  One Peace with the implementation of the 1996 Peace Agreement with the MNLF, One Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, One Country for all Filipinos with Lumads, Moslems and Christians . But until she leads the move forward, Mindanao will have  the MNLF and the MILF to guard the front and the back. The right to self determination cannot survive without supporting policy or fiscal autonomy.

This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it