WAO LANAO DEL SUR (MINDANAO)

IN 2012, I PAID A VISIT TO THE PLACE WHERE I WAS BORN, WAO LANAO DEL SUR.  MINDANAO WAS ALSO KNOW AS THE PROMISE LAND OF THE PHILIPPINES. AND WHY NOT MINDANAO IS A PARADISE TO MANY. PEACEFUL AND SERENE AS IT MAY LOOK BUT DEEP INSIDE THE HEART OF ITS PEOPLE LIES A CENTURY OLD GRUDGE AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT FOR BEING MUTE AND BLIND TO HEAR AND SEE THEIR CONCERNS.

I NEVER IMAGINE THAT I CAN VISIT THIS TINY BUT LOVELY MUNICIPALITY OF WAO LANAO DEL SUR, A PLACE WHERE I WAS BORN. I LIKE TO STAY THERE LONGER BUT I CAN NOT DO SO BECAUSE I DO NOT KNOW WHERE TO STAY AND IF IT SAFE FOR ME TO STAY THERE BECAUSE THOUGH I WAS BORN THERE BUT I WAS RAISED IN RIZAL PROVINCE.

MY PARENTS WERE AMONG THE EARLIEST SETTLERS IN THIS MUNICIPALITY, TRYING TO BE A PART OF THIS WONDERFUL COMMUNITY BUT DURING THAT TIME ACCORDING TO MY PARENTS ACCOUNT IT IS A NO MAN’S LAND. THE MUSLIMS NATIVE OF WAO RESISTED THE ARRIVAL OF THE CHRISTIANS AND REJECTED THEM TO BE A PART OF THEIR COMMUNITY.

A CONSTANT WAR BETWEEN MUSLIMS AND CHRISTIANS ERUPTED THAT RESULTED TO MORE KILLINGS OF INNOCENT LIVES ONE CLAIMED THAT THE LAND BELONGS TO THEM, THE OTHER WANTED A PIECE OF IT AND WANTED TO BE A PART OF THIS SOULFUL PARADISE.

MY FAMILY DECIDED TO LEAVE WAO LANAO DEL SUR WITH MUCH REGRET WHEN I WAS ONLY A YEAR OLD AND MIGRATED TO RIZAL PROVINCE WHERE I SPENT MY ADOLESCENT AND ADULTHOOD LIFE.

AFTER MORE THAN 40 YEARS OF MY LIFE, I WENT BACK TO WAO LANAO DEL SUR TO MADE A VERIFICATION OF MY BIRTH CERTIFICATE BUT THE CIVIL REGISTRY OF WAO LANAO DEL SUR ONLY CAN DO IS TO ISSUE A CERTIFICATION OF NO RECORD. ACCORDING TO THEM, RECORDS OF BIRTH FROM 1956 TO JUNE 2, 1992 WERE TOTALLY BURNED THUS THEY CANNOT ISSUE A TRUE TRANSCRIPTION OF MY LIVE BIRTH.

I WAS NOT ALSO ABLE TO PROCESS THE DELAYED REGISTRATION OF MY BIRTH BECAUSE THEY NEEDED TWO DOCUMENTS STATED THEREIN THE PLACE WHERE I WAS BORN.  I WAS DISMAY BUT STILL LUCKY ENOUGH TO VISIT THE PLACE I WAS ALLEGEDLY BORN.

WAO LANAO DEL SUR SEEMS TO BE PEACEFUL NOW. I HOPE IT WILL REMAIN PEACEFUL. PUBLIC SAFETY IS THE FOUNDATION OF ECONOMIC, POLITICAL, RELIGIOUS AND SOCIAL PROGRESS. IF I HAVE STILL TIME AND HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE, I WILL VISIT AGAIN THIS LOVELY PLACE TO APPRECIATE ITS BEAUTY AND TO KNOW MORE ITS PEOPLE.

A CHANGE OF FORTUNE TO MINDANAO HAPPENED WHEN THE PRESIDENT DECLARED MARTIAL LAW TO THE WHOLE REGION OF MINDANAO.







IT IS AN IRONY, BECAUSE PRESIDENT DUTERTE IS THE ONLY PRESIDENT THAT CAME FROM THIS REGION AND THEREFORE IT IS UNLIKELY FOR HIM TO DECLARE MARTIAL LAW IN HIS OWN BACKYARDS. BESIDE, THE PEOPLE OF MINDANAO HAVE HIGH HOPES ON HIM THAT HE CAN TRANSFORM THE REGION AND SOLVE THE CENTURY OLD STRUGGLES OF OUR MUSLIM BROTHERS.

I WATCHED THIS VIDEO OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND I WAS DEEPLY SADDENED THAT THINGS LIKE THIS HAPPENED TO MARAWI CITY. I HOPE AND PRAY THAT THIS WILL BE THE FIRST AND THE LAST ARMED STRUGGLES IN OUR NATION. 

WE CAN NOT WIN AGAINST WAR. WE ARE ALWAYS ON THE LOSING END. SEE THIS ADDITIONAL VIDEO FOR YOURSELF AND THEN DECIDE WHAT COURSE OF ACTION YOU WILL TAKE.