Part 1
I was at Calgary (Canada) International Airport to welcome a high Philippine
official. I brought her to the airport hotel restaurant. She was from Surigao.
We dined together and when she knew that I was from Butuan, she asked me how I
felt about the possibility of a separate and free Mindanao. I bounced back the
question and with persuasive deliberation, she strongly advocated for Mindanao
independence.
I was wondering how wide and deep was the quest for free Mindanao. I knew for a
fact that sometime ago a petition was circulated and a thousand from Butuan
signed it.
I spent fifteen years in Manila before crossing the pacific. Though I heard
from time to time about Mindanao separation, no one ever thought seriously
about it. It was deemed as folly and even the tora-tora style incident in
Bancasi years later was carried simply as Don Quixote charging against the
windmill.
It was the Quebec referendum that reminded me again of Mindanao's case to
secede. Quebec separation was also downplayed in the beginning. It was only
when it got popular support when Canadians were serious. The result was a near
break-up of the country. The difference between the yes and no vote was a
hairline fraction of a percent. Had it not for the ten thousand Filipinos in
Montreal who went out and voted no to secession, Canada wouldn't be what it is
today.
Quebec provided a good lesson that the question of Mindanao independence should
not be taken lightly. It is not just a silly obsession of wild dreamers. There
is something valid behind it that when left alone unredressed could surface
into something regrettable. Religion has little to do with it. It is the
discrepancy in treatment from national governance and the ignominy of majestic
Manila towards the southern people.
Quest for independence never dies. The thirst for freedom is neither quenched
by abundance through prosperity nor by handout felicities. Quebec is a favored
child of the confederation and getting most of what it wants, yet the
compulsive desire to separate remains perpetually potent and active.
Separation of Mindanao by way of religion is highly unlikely. This has been off
and on for generations and has not ever posted any danger of succeeding. Surely
did it cost lives and inconveniences, but it has no prospect of winning let
alone converting the whole island into an independent Islam country. This was
the fantasy of Kamlon and the likes of him and it will remain as such.
But Mindanao's grievances in general are legitimate. It is not ideology that
affects it, but on how Manila treats the people of the south as second class
citizens. It is the perception that Mindanao is simply the site of
entrepreneurial operation and home of lower class Filipinos. That it is also
where housemaids and prostitutes come from. Even Tagalog spoken with southern
accent is subject to mockery with inference to mental deficiency. It is also
where Christians are beheaded. This is Manila's street level understanding of
what the land of promise is all about.
Ignorance of this nature though troubling can be overlooked. Mindawenos has
long been maligned by street ignoramus of Manila that they are already used to
it. However, it becomes irritating and utterly provoking when our national
government is prejudicially indifferent towards the well being of Mindanao. It
is irksome and even unforgivable. Mindanao is always ignored, disrespected and
cheated that the natives are getting restless. There is a limit to patience.
They want respect, equality and fairness.
Mindanao too is in the short end when it comes to fair and equitable
representation at the seat of power in Manila. A notable Butuanon put it this
way. "The president and the vice president are from Luzon, the speaker de
Venecia is from Luzon, senate president Villar is from Luzon, the chief PNP is
from Luzon, 83% of the 135 generals are from Luzon, most of cabinet members are
from Luzon and ex-generals too are from Luzon, only 3 are from the Visayas, 19
senators are from Luzon, one from Cebu and one from Mindanao."
There never was a president from Mindanao nor likely of having one. The closest
we had was a vice president and he was shot gravely in Manila.
Numerous Mindanao issues were brought up with imperial Manila without favorable
resolve. There were times when it insulted the cultural and historical
integrity of the region. Mazaua's claim and lately the naming of a bridge were
typical examples of how insensitive our national government. The people of
Butuan desired local pride to beholden in posterity. They even had a "Name the
Bridge" internet voting forum. The president came and officially named the
bridge instead after her father.
Cong Dadong, as he was commonly known was a Capangpangan. He never did sleep a
night in Butuan. He was the 9th president of the republic. He lacked the
ingenuity and wit to corrupt. He was noted an honest man. Maybe, he deserved a
bridge or even sanctification by city hall. But undoubtedly, it was not in
people's mind to carry his name on a bridge or on any structure in Butuan.
Yes, in many occasions Manila reserved judgment which caused disappointment to
the people of Mindanao. But are these reasons enough to pack up and go?
(To be continued on part 2)
Submit comments via the Discussion Board at:
http://www.butuanon.org/yabb/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.cgi?board=Essays
