Sta. Maria Range
FFrom afar Sta. Maria range is such a
beautiful mountain. Totally uncorrupted, vast verdant, thick green forest,
pristine crystal clear glistening waterfalls, home of wild life and endangered
species; fauna and exotic wildflowers like orchids and sea urchins are all
there. Silhouetted by cloudy skies, its panoramic grandeur evoking awe and enchantment is seen at its very best early morn. What a magic its creator’s hand
weaved placing such wonder this part of archipelago. A promising poet in fact
accounts its beauty in one poetic piece.. No hunger, no fighting, no disease.
Mindanao
Never
mind treated in vernacular, you can sense how he capture it all: (English
translation in the Notes . . . .)
Ode to Mt. Sungcal
Ang sikat ng araw ngayong umaga
Sa puso’y naghatid ng pag-asa.
Napatititg ako at namangha
Kay ganda pala ng liwanag nya.
Mayamaya’y bundok binalot ng mga ulap
At napakaganda ang pagkagayak.
Sa tuktok nito’y may liwanang
Paranga kumakaway tumatawag . . . .
And in Visayan, relating the importance of
people empowerment:
Ang tingog sa katawhan paminawa
Walay mapaingnan apan naghuyaka
Daghang dalan, lay kasiguruan
Kawang na lang unya tanang lakang.
Duyog na, duyog na
S’ya kanimo naghulat.
Duyog na, duyog
Ang kalingkawasan mao S’ya.
No
pollution. All you hear are sweet chirping of birds, gentle rush of cascading
waterfalls and cold breeze of wind lovingly caressing your face tossing your
strand of hair up in the air. People are one, no division and sharing its
bounty and natural resource ad infinitum.
But that was long ago before Martial Law
specifically even before the Apo held the
reign of power. That time its rich forest range and watersheds were under
constant control and protection giving life to the people from its perimeters
down to Higaonon tribes thriving along the river and the Dumagats of the low
lands. Its waters flowing steadily all the way down to Macajalar Bay in Cagayan
de Oro and Iligan has been devoid of impurities allowing people along the river
banks wash their clothes and swim merrily just like any living fish frolicking
in its fresh water. Promenaders and gawking tourists passing Carmen bridge
could not help sometimes but admire and thank God that they are not living in
far away Manila where river could hardly move because of filth, toxic materials
and garbage dumped by manufacturing firms and industrial establishments at will
showing the ineptitude of the government in instituting desired mechanisms of
preserving fresh air in its surroundings.
The status of Sta. Maria however now is
completely different. How it has been exploited to the tilt corresponds to what
is the state of Mindanao in general. Recipient
of various investments from Davao
to Iligan especially Misamis Oriental has been emitting toxic wastes despite
serious efforts exerted by respective companies in filtering out poisonous elements
contained in their garbage. And the irony of it all, while foreign investors
sprout out like mushroom in this backdoor of economic development of the
country, the government through PHIVIDEC for instance, an acronym for
Philippine Veterans Industrial Development Incorporated, offer package of
services that could hardly make Juan de la Cruz happy. Just think of the low
cost industrial site, deep blue sea for their boats and tanker other than
possible dumping ground of their wastes, and machination displacing manual
labor to name a few. Worst, many farmers have to give way their lands under
pressure to a price not even acceptable in a market. Thus, the Magna Carta and
the Department of Agrarian Reform mandate of preserving prime agricultural
lands were put to waste. Prime agricultural lands are those lands that are
economically viable for agricultural development irrigable and or near source
of water. But no agricultural enclave, it would destroy the vision of the
government in developing the country, so they said. Such partial outlook of
development has prompted one researcher studying the issue to ask?
Industrialization or Agricultural development- For Whom? Why not allow
agricultural enclave to be developed in the Industrial Estate in the first
place when there are many prime agricultural lands within. Why Taipei, Taichung
all the way down to Kaoshiung, the Industrial City of Taiwan have rice fields
in between big buildings sprawling all throughout the cities making a perfect
blending of agriculture and industry. Why even rice fields are developed under
their bridges. But they are Chinese of different culture, breed and work
ethics. That Taiwan is
practically even smaller than Mindanao in
area. Right. But they too, like Filipinos, are also eating rice. Don’t they?
Such
unexplained partial school of thought on economic development has led to
serious problem hovering like Damocles blade over the head of the people in Mindanao from restlessness, impending division to
secession. Reuben Canoy of the Mindanao Independence Movement writing several
books and maintaining well-received radio broadcast “Perspective” has been
anticipating that time would soon come when Mindanao would be independent, a
moment of truth when people of the island would finally enjoy the fruits of
their hard labor running their own affair most likely better the way Central
government of Manila is doing.
“It’s just most unfair you know allowing
the government continue exploiting the island’s natural resources siphoning the
lion share leaving merely the crumbs to Mindanao,” many secessionists and MIM
members griped.
Nur Misuari of the Moro National Liberation
Front has also been waging war against the government and when even out from
the country has managed to maintain the momentum pressing Lakay Apo and Meldy
to implement Tripoli Agreement they forged in Middle East .
Among others it calls for recognition of several provinces notably those Muslim
held territories from Cotabato to Maguindanao, Zamboanga to as far as Palawan , Marawi of Lanao to Jolo and all that. But
whether their efforts would be vindicated is yet to be seen. Filipinos in
general are not for division of their sacred held territories. They’ve been
through years and ages protecting their country against foreign invaders from Spanish
conquistadores, Americans and Japanese giving birth to heroes like Lapulapu,
Raja Sulaiman, Andres Bonifacio, Jose Rizal, Gabriela Silang and many others.
Whatever happens that we are squeezing each others’ throat when the beloved
country Philippines
is the only remaining treasure we’ve got? Where’s our sense of history as Uncle
Sam might castigate us how fast we easily forget it. Containing internal
restlessness in Mindanao undoubtedly seems a
far reality. What were once just few resistance thriving has led to other
equally if not more dangerous group like an Abu Sayyaf fanatics engaging in
kidnap and ransom employing high tech hardware and weaponry threatening the
government of beheading their victims, a bad example of barbarity that would
most likely invite resurgence of Christian-Moro hostilities. Probably, leaving
the problem of Filipino Muslims at home would help solve their problems. But
there seems to be strong leverage up specially the oil-rich Middle East
supporting the secessionist movement in Mindanao .
In the words of Peter Gowing, a specialist in Muslim-Christian conflict author
of several books like Island Under the Cross.
“The problem of Mindanao is just a picture
of two cocks wanting to slash each other’s neck to death under the protection
of two equally powerful group,” he said in lecture in San Andrew’s Theological
Seminary in Manila .
“Indeed why could not a Muslim live side by
side with a Christian when they’re both Filipino of the same race sharing the
same space, breathing the same air. Indeed, why not? It’s a question of history
specifically understanding of history’” a Muslim scholar would say.
Muslim has been there in Mindanao
you know ever since before a Christian set his foot in the island. Their
forefathers had successfully protected it against the foreign invaders notably
Spanish and Americans.
“In fact, you would recall that Shariff
Makdum had propagated Islam many centuries before Magellan planted Christianity
in Cebu in 1521,” history books would tell us.
“Therefore, had Magellan came late to the Philippines say two hundred years later than
when he actually did in 1521, Philippines
would have been an entirely Islamic country,”
said Peter Gowing.
“Why in the world then that we have to
project Philippines as the
only Christian nation in Asia discrediting
such historical reality,” Muslim scholars would complain.
“They’re right,” Episcopalian Missionary
historian William Henry Scott would concede.
Even student of church history would say
that actually even St. Francis Xavier, the Spanish co-founder of Society of
Jesus and an apostle of Indies having done missionary journeys in Goa, Ceylon,
East Indies, Japan and China journeys way was late than Muslim scholars did for
the country. Assuming even that ours is
a Catholic country and that we shun divorce yet but look how querida system is
almost institutionalized in the country worst actually than divorce. For while
divorce allows the divorcee to enter another legal marriage, a philanderer in
querida could have as many mistresses his libido safely tucked under his belt
allowing him to. And anecdote was told about a tourist liner ship arriving the port of Manila .
A captain was caught to have said “Welcome
to the Philippines!”, Pearl of the Orient Sea but as soon as the boat docks the
port, he blared back in the megaphone advising the passengers to hold safely
their bags, there are too many robbers around loitering.
Even
big buses, you would read holy words like “God bless our trip, God is my
co-pilot, the Lord is my Driver and all that.” But on the other side is an
alarm, “Watch for pickpocket!” Another equally amusing story was told of a
priest giving homily inviting concerned churchgoers who have been living a
common-law couples to avail on-going Pre-Cana seminar for a mass wedding later.
“What God put together, let no man put
asunder. Than once a man and a woman agreed to avail sacred matrimony, they’re
no longer two, but one,” the good priest said. Wanting that all living together
would be included he calls for a count-off. The response was generous elating
the priest until no one suddenly raised their hands. Then out of blue with
reservation, the lady stood up and direct her question to the priest still on
the rostrum asking: “How about us father. When would we get married.” to the
delight naturally of the mammoth church-goers. Good grief.
If there is one serious damage inflicted on
Mindanao gradually bleeding her to death is no
other than the protracted war, civilian war, silent war and all that referring
to internal strife between the communists and the military. For many years,
many of its villages were ravaged and pillaged displacing thousands of
civilians in the process depriving them of peaceful and descent living. Even
cities in the streets are not spared. Bombs find their way exploding in
jeepneys, movie houses, apartments and surprisingly even churches giving untold
suffering to the families.
One such grenade exploded during an Easter
Sunday dawn procession at Iligan city killing a number of Catholics. San Pedro
Cathedral of Davao
too suffered the same predicament. Ambuscades seem to be also fad of Martial
Law even later after it was lifted. Too many casualties featured in broad
daylight ambush yet turning upside down the practice before staging ambush in
the cover of darkness during night time. National highways of Misamis
Oriental-Agusan Norte route to Agusan de Sur-Davao City were once sites were
repeated carnage occur. Bachelor Buses were sometimes stopped and military
passengers were forced to go out and there in the eyes of helpless civilians
were liquidated. Such incidents occurred in dangerous
Lagonglong-Subongcogon-Balingasag-Salay routes. In Agusan Sur, the favorite
site of ambush is in San Andres Bukid near Bunawan where the rebels under cover
of pineapple plantation and tall grasses
along the road had killed many military at will burning even their armor cars
like hammer and tanks. Fairies and anitos were not spared. The caves, hills,
and mountains, trees and rivers give way to the destruction as an offshoot of
sporadic skirmishes between the military and the rebels. Fr. Driarco one time
sunk in his sofa thinking the wanton destruction of the surrounding as an
effect of war. He even sulked hearing from a friend who invited him to a
birthday celebration that the celebrant is yet to come to grace the occasion
tended to him yearly by Lito, the eldest son of Nong Tomas who after entering
San Miguel, Surigao del Sur as faith healer doing missionary work has not returned
back home since 1981. Birthday celebration is even observed until today by Lito
whose family thrives on furniture industry. A song “Mindanao” capture the
lamentation of a Filipino sincerely waiting for peace in Mindanao ,
Fr. Driarco wrote:
Why Oh Mindanao
you’re bleeding to death?
From people of the same race, nation and creed
When all this senseless bloodshed end?
Tell me brothers aren’t we’re supposed to be friends?
2
Why suffering reaching this far
Over the decades of fighting going on
unabated staging this wrong war?
When would real peace and justice truly reign?
While there’s still tomorrow or everybody else
gone into their graves
leaving nothing
except grief and hatred, emptiness, division, confusion and
greed.
3
Look what we’ve got all through these years?
Deafening silence
after all been gone back to the
bosom of mother earth
Look how its hallowed grounds morphed into fertile soil soaked in bloodshed
graveyards of your beloved sons and daughters.
4
Laid down all arms, she just needs break
That if we allow her to live forever in peace
unmolested
Learn living serenely nurturing with respect her environment
Happiness all to gain
nothing to lose but your fears and pain.
5
How many more bloodshed there would be?
Death on your hallowed ground buried
How many more innocent
children would grieve
From the love and care of parents gone too soon.
6
Why outrage lord over love that fast instead
Where bullets
fly high as an alternative
When true peace truly reigns
Look Mindanao,
despite Mother Nature too long suffering
Has been caring, securing us from harm nurturing till the end.
. . . . . . . . . . . .
Sta. Maria range’ travails in closer
perspective is what Mindanao
predicament in macro. Today the threat is still alarming. Scrupulous illegal
loggers have their day full engaging in callous and wanton destruction of
forest products pirating their loot out of the country of course under the
protection of powerful personalities in the bureaucracy. To think that there
has been log ban brazenly sabotaged by these crocodiles and vultures of
development is not just an outright insult but also big slap of Juan de la
Cruz’ face.
Meanwhile, a national daily carries a
report that Fr. Rutas killer, one of few secular priest deputized by the
Department of Natural Resources is living like any freeman roaming around in this
mountain unmolested. It’s quiet an ironic indeed that while Sta. Maria range is
declared as National Park, people of dubious identity find themselves
completely at peace with her generosity. Words have it that the government hired
services of the Americans to secure everything there is left of the mountain range.
How so? Why where is the community, the first and last vanguard of natural
resources? Presently, this beautiful mountain is on its own way recovering from
destruction though piecemeal forest cover beginning to prosper save on the base
where kaingineros’ slash and burn farming practice, like cancer, have
their day full or they would die starving.
“Thanks at least Multi-sectoral Task Force
were doing their job protecting the environment,” Fr. Driarco sighed with bated
brief.
Taken in its entirely, this mysterious
mountain is definitely a perfect place to live even just for a while. It’s tall
rain forest provides privacy and protection. Farther in the heart of the mountain
is a bunker and maintaining well-received radio broadcast ‘Mindanao’ has been anticipating the time would soon come when the island would be independent, a moment of
truth when people of the island would finally enjoy the fruits of their labor
running its own affair most likely better if not best from those the way
Central government is doing.
“It’s just most unfair you know allowing
the government continue exploiting the island’s natural resources siphoning the
lion share leaving the crumbs to Mindanao,” many secessionist and MIM members
griped.
But whether their efforts would be
vindicated is yet to be seen. Filipinos in general are not for division of
their territories. They’ve been through
years and ages protecting their country against foreign invaders. Whatever
happen now that we are squeezing each others’ throat when the beloved country
Philippines is the only remaining treasure we’ve got. Where’s your sense of
history as Uncle Sam would say.
Surprisingly too, a small plane could be
seen passing over its mountainous ranges in many several occasion during night
time.
Father in the heart of the mountain is a
cave where a trail of forty degrees leads there. To any group wanting to hold
very confidential and special sessions, it’s the most practical place to stay. The
higher hierarchy of the NPA just didn’t pass any other opportunity than deciding
it as venue of their 13th Plenum.
It’s
been Ka Lino’s hideout and the rest of other cadre offering them desired
accommodation for recuperation. In short, the cave is a mini hospital,
conference venue and camp rolled into one. All the big guns in the movement and
from Manila would be coming over for the occasion. They would be clandestinely
moving the afternoon and in the evening under cover of darkness. Each
participant is required to wear his security pass and catchword to be
accommodated. For an outsider reaching the area is like passing through the
proverbial eye of the needle. Snipers, landmines, water; fruits laced with
poison above all, serenity of the area is gripping making each footstep an
ordeal along the trails specially. How they were secured by the NPAs is no
accident. The effort was deliberate. It’s a place where they could have
temporary freedom away from the noise and destruction of city life.
. . . . . . . . . . .
No comments:
Post a Comment