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.
martial law proclamation

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.

STATUE OF DIVINE MERCY

THIS GIGANTIC STATUE OF THE DIVINE MERCY MEASURED 50 FEET HIGH PERHAPS THE MOST REMARKABLE MONUMENT IN MINDANAO. IT IS SITUATED IN EL SALVADOR CITY, AND IT WAS NAMED AFTER THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD, JESUS CHRIST. THE STAIRWAY IS MUCH HIGHER THAN THAT OF MRT. THOSE WHO HAVE HEALTH CONDITION ARE ADVISED TO STAY ON THE GROUND. TOURISTS AND OTHER VISITORS ARE ADVISED TO OBSERVED PROPER DECORUM SINCE THE ENTIRE PLACE IS SACRED. THOUGH I AM A REFORMED CATHOLIC, VISITING THE PLACE IS A RARE EXPERIENCE AND I WAS AMAZED TO SEE HOW PEOPLE STRIVE TO CREATE ENORMOUS STATUE LIKE THIS. PILGRIMS FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF ARCHIPELAGO FLOCKED TOGETHER TO SEE THIS WONDERFUL PLACE. I AM A STRONG BELIEVER THAT PEOPLE'S FAITH CREATED THIS PLACE. THEIR FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST WORKS WONDER FOR THEM RECEIVING POSITIVE ANSWERS TO WHAT THEY WISH FOR.

SAVE YOUR SPEECHES FOR THE BEST

THE POLITICAL ARENA IS VERY COLORFUL. WHETHER YOU ARE PARTY MATES OR YOU BELONG TO THE OPPOSING PARTIES, AT THE END OF THE DAY YOU WILL DO YOUR BEST TO OUT-DO AND OUT-WIT ONE ANOTHER FOR ONLY ONE REASON, TO ENSURE VICTORY AND REMAIN ON TOP. LOOK AT THEIR SLOGANS OR WHAT THEY ARE CLAIMING DURING POLITICAL RALLIES AND CAUCUSES. SOME CLAIM THAT THEIR ONLY VICE IS SERVICE (ANG TANGING BISYO NILA AY SERBISYO). SOME SAYS, "BAYAN ANG NO.1, KAMPEON NG PALUPA, TAGAPAGTANGGOL NG KABABAIHAN, KAMPEON NG EDUKASYON, GUSTO KO HAPPY KA, TAPANG AT MALASAKIT, LAYLAYAN NG LIPUNAN, ITULOY ANG DAANG MATUWID AND A LOT MORE. THEIR SPEECHES ARE WELL ORGANIZED AND CRAFTED. THEY WERE EVEN SUPERB IN THE DELIVERY OF THEIR MASTER PIECE. TO BE HONEST AND FAIR, THERE ARE CERTAIN TRUTH TO WHAT THEY ARE SAYING AND CLAIMING BUT MOST OF IT LACED WITH FLOWERY AND SOMETIMES EVEN POISONOUS. SELLING YOURSELF TO THE PEOPLE IS NOT AN EASY JOB. THE PEOPLE WILL KNOW HOW SINCERE YOU ARE AS PUBLIC SE...

Urban Reforestation

FOR QUIET SOMETIME, THE WANDERING BLOGGER SEEMS INACTIVE IN WRITING FOR ONE REASON, NOT BECAUSE HE RUNS OUT OF IDEAS BUT MAINLY BECAUSE OF THIS STRANGE FEELING THAT I DO NOT WANT TO WRITE AT ALL. I NEED TO MOTIVATE MYSELF TO FIGHT THIS STRANGE FEELING WITHIN ME AND CONVINCE MYSELF THAT I NEED TO WRITE AGAIN. I BELIEVE MY READERS ARE VERY EAGER ANTICIPATING MY NEXT ARTICLE.. CLIMATE CHANGE IS A BY-WORD NOW AND ECO-WARRIORS WAS BORN TO RESTORE THE FAST DETERIORATING PLANET EARTH. DURING MY CHILDHOOD, MY FATHER AND I AS WELL AS THE OTHER SIBLINGS ARE ARMED WITH BOLOS CUTTING SMALL TREES, CLEARING THE WEEDS AND LATER ON BURNED THE SITE IN PREPARATION FOR PLANTING SEASON WERE CROPS LIKE PALAY AND CORN WERE PLANTED. THIS SYSTEM IS CALLED THE "KAINGIN SYSTEM" AND WERE CALLED THE "KAINGENEROS". WE WERE NEVER INFORMED DURING THAT TIME THIS SYSTEM OR PRACTICE IS ILLEGAL AND HARMFUL TO ECOLOGICAL BALANCE. NOT ONLY DESTROYING THE NATURAL HABITAT OF SMALL AN...

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