Last weekend, I was in Jolo, Sulu to participate in a conflict management workshop with our officers of the Philippine Marines. The officers, being immersed in a situation of internal conflict (the marines constitute the bulk of our armed forces in the western islands) and with the government in the middle of peace talks with the MILF and the MNLF (and upon the initiative of Maj. Gen. Ben Dolorfino, the Marine Commandant), the Institute of Autonomy and Governance, a political and security think tank based in Cotabato City and the Balay Mindanao Foundation Inc., an NGO based in Cagayan de Oro, facilitated a 3 day conference on various issues impinging on the conflict and the management thereof. I will discuss the substantive issues of that conference in another post. But this post is about Jolo dreams and that is what I will share here.
After my part of the program and since it was my first time in Jolo, I grabbed my camera and took a leisurely walk (without any fixed itinerary) around the campus. My casual walk led me to the middle of a field in the campus where 4 students were sitting and enjoying their ice teas and chips while seated on the grass. Since I am a shy person by nature (believe it!), I tried to be unobtrusive and continued to take pictures. When I was near them and perhaps sensing that I was not of the place, they greeted me and offered some of their chips. I may be shy but I will grab at opportunity to make friends anytime. I slowly made my way to the group to make kwento. I learned that they were all 2nd year nursing students and were enjoying the last days of summer. They were friendly and upon knowing that I was a “visitor”, even offered to bring me around Jolo (an offer which was immediately denied by our security escorts. I was informed that a journalist was shot dead recently and they surmised because he was bringing a camera. And since I was bringing a camera ergo I am fair game.) I asked them my standard question “what do you want to be when you grow up?”. They all answered almost in unison: finish nursing and go to London. Now, that really intrigued me. Why London? Why not the US or Saudi Arabia? I did not asked why and perhaps that was the better judgment. But I guess it has something to do with the environment London is known for: a place where one’s right to practice Islamic faith is respected and protected and at the same time, a place where a better life may be found. Life in Jolo is harsh. It is a place where the rule of force reigns over the rule of law. Life is always hanging on a balance. Sulu (including Tawi-Tawi and Basilan) and its people are so poor and so marginalized. They do not even figure in the national discourse. They are the invisible people in an invisible island in this country of Christians.
It was already about lunchtime when I left them. I was happy for those kids. They had big dreams for themselves, for their families and for their people. It is just sad that mainstream Philippines does not care. Perhaps its time for them to chart their own destiny as a people separate from us. Perhaps.
