The Mindanao I believed In..

The dark clouds.. The ravishing sound of cars.. The smoke coming from the factories.. The city.. Hell or Heaven?

Most parts of the Philippines are now converted into well- developed, well- furnished cities with high buildings, enormous malls, polluted air, and vexing traffic jam. The people in this area are like ants in colony that never run out of something to do. Every block and section is covered with air-conditioners and carpeted lobbies. Indeed, life here seem so easy, everything is just a button away. But to the contrary, inhabitants of such area fail to experience what's it like to walk in mud bare-footed, reach the peak of Philippine's highest mountain, dance and sing in the rain. When you desire to live in urban areas, there are a lot of things you have to know, skills to posses, and sometimes, be insensitive to the needs of others just to be where you think you belong. Cities are like puzzles you need to master. Two of Philippines biggest puzzles are Cebu and Metro Manila.

I am a Boholana, a native of Bohol Island in the Visayas. But I grew up in Mindanao, and have a heart of a Mindanao child. I hate what's happening now- the discrimination our brothers and sisters from Mindanao experience every time they go into big cities and urban areas. It hurts when people think that all of us are war-freak, ignorant, and uncivilized. In short term, taga- Bundok. For them, all the conveniences they have are so great that Mindanao can't afford to have; all Mindanao possesses is its gun fires and rain bullets.

Luckily, I belonged to a Christ-centered organization and was miraculously allowed to attend its 8th International Leaders' Conference in Cebu City last May 2000 (i think). Truly, Cebu is a magnificent city. During our one week stay there, I keenly observed the milieu. While walking at the mall one afternoon, a lady from nowhere asked us where we came from, and when we told her we're from Mindanao, her friendliness vanished and seemed like fear took over.

One of my cousins visited Manila the same month that year. She had friends from some known universities and introduced her to more Manilano teens. When they found out that she's from Davao, one girl asked, "Is your road cemented? Do you have malls? Eh how about your electricity?"

Funny at some point how people from big cities have mistakenly looked at Mindanao. All their access to the biggest cities of U.S. and Europe blinded them so much that they fail to see what Mindanao really is. They knew so little about Mindanao, therefore, they have no right to step on it and the people in it.

The false belief on Mindanao must be stopped- NOW! The eyes of the "civilized" must be open and let them be aware that Mindanao is not a rebel- oriented area, not the home of semi- idiotic louts lost in the world of supreme maturity and elegance but of God- fearing people who knows how to respect differences. That Muslims don't kill Christians, and Christians don't kill Muslims as well. They have peaceful coexistence here and they share what they have. They are not blinded with the truth... they say what they see and believed in what truly existed. Yes, this is the right time to prove to everyone that Mindanaoans are all worthy. Not as wanna- be but as somebody. That Mindanaoans know how to join hands and and stand together, firm in decisions, firm on choices, and firm as a nation.