Marlet Badeo

Sunday, June 22, 2008

News for a price

The latest kidnapping drama that has happened in Indanan, Sulu has unleashed some realities in both political and economic life in this part of the country – that of an extreme economic deprivation of peoples on the island and the unwillingness of our public officials to resolve with dispatch this armed conflict and disarm kidnap-for-ransom groups in some parts of Mindanao.

Foremost, we have to distinguish what is a legitimate demand from an illegal extortion. The movement to establish an Islamic State is a legitimate demand while asking money for the freedom of kidnapped victims is an illegal extortion activity. When kidnap-for-ransom is the activity, that is plain banditry which should be banished on the face of the earth. But when the demand is a legitimate one, to establish an Islamic State, we should listen seriously and find solutions. I suggest federalism.

But we have to uphold the Constitution and both Christians and Muslims have the duty protect our territorial integrity and sovereignty. There is only one Republic and that is the Republic of the Philippines and no other. Armed groups seeking for independence are hoping that someday they will have their homeland.

Of course, they have it now! They are autonomous in terms of running their own government in the Autonomous Government of Muslims in Mindanao commonly known as ARMM region. In fact, they are so special unlike their counterparts in other regions of the country.

One problem is that some of their elected leaders do not know how to run properly their government or improve good governance in their respective LGU. From the Public Administration point of view, some local government officials are incapable of running their government because if they do, then they are as much as prosperous as any other LGUs elsewhere in the country. There is correlation between good governance, peace and order, investment, economic development and progress. In the absence of these factors, poverty will become the resultant effect and that is a vicious cycle.

We have been told stories about massive poverty in Mindanao based on some media accounts. During presscon upon arrival at the airport, from the very mouth of the victim Ces Drilon, we can see that lack of economic opportunities such as jobs, livelihood or capital are some reasons why these people resort to kidnapping to earn a living. The other reason we can discern from her statement is surely lack of education. But what is our National Government or Regional Government is doing as far as economic opportunities and education is concerned? We see very little.

The National Government has never given much attention to these areas because it is more focused on some “exclusive areas” such as economic zones, freeport zones, export processing zones, and etcetera for its development programme. There is much bias when it comes to Mindanao especially in the Muslim dominated areas. We have no concrete nationally initiated development program for let’s say, Basilan-Sulu-Tawi-tawi area.

For me, these areas have the potential to become an economic powerhouse considering its proximity to the Borneo island which is a big export market for products and services. This is not to mention tourism potential of these islands which can actually produce thousands of jobs for its people. But first, they have to be peaceful and kidnapping-free to earn the confidence and trust of local and foreign tourists. I for one, is much fascinated about visiting these islands in the Sulu Archipelago but I cannot compromise my safety versus my itchiness to travel or engage in political campaign works.

Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-tawi can be converted into a Islamic financial center of the Philippines and Southeast Asia with Sulu playing as the hub to even the spill over effect of development. Being majority Muslim, the region can take advantage of investments or capital from the Middle East and other Arab countries to pour into the region and use it for development. Tawi-tawi should be made to become an industrial center for consumer products that will be exported to Brunei Darussalam, Sabah and Sarawak states of Malaysia, and East, South, West and North Kalimantan provinces of Indonesia.

Until this is done, because words are easier than done, people in Basilan, Sulu or Tawi-tawi will have to endure the crippling poverty and joblessness – and maybe at some point resort to kidnapping (Allah forbids!) But if there is political will on the part of our leaders from the government both at the national and local level, this idea is not a hard-to-sell proposition and far fetch.

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