Think Peace, Think Mindanao

I was in sixth grade when we came here in Mindanao, Dad worked as a medical representative in a big pharmaceutical company and was assigned in Cagayan de Oro, he has relatives in Koronadal City, that's why we soon followed him, and finally lived the rest of our lives in Mindanao.

War, chaos and bombings are usually the first impressions you may think of Mindanao, as the island is known for this. Even I myself, thought that Mindanao is a land of those who can only understand Islam, but surely I was dead wrong. And even wrong that I thought of Mindanao as a place of complexities.

Just this morning, we passed along a large banner that said: Think Mindanao, Mind Mindanao, Feel Mindanao.

We here in General Santos City, are lucky because we do not experience very harsh cruelty among our people, we have lived with the Muslims, lumads and foreigners without heavy hearts towards each other. In fact, only a few places in Mindanao are issues of concern because of peace, or the lack of it. In our city, although there are some disturbances caused by our misunderstood brothers and sisters, yet, they have respected us and gave us the chance to live well among ourselves.

There may have been bombings here and there, but thankfully, our police officers give their best efforts in order to keep us safe.

What you may think about Mindanao is probably because of the issues and news you hear from the media, but those who have been terribly disturbed are those remote areas in the island.

However, I say, wherever in Mindanao we may be then, must be respected by our brothers and sisters. We must remember that we are human and as children of our fathers, and will be parents of our children, we must take care of each other. It does not matter where we are located, the point is, we must give peace a chance in Mindanao.

A week ago, Fr. Sinnot, an Irish priest was abducted in Pagadian City, a clear act of savagery which is opposed by Islam and Christians alike. What I don' t understand is why these evildoers need to make a life suffer in order for their demands to be heard, and why there be a need to harm people when they can freely talk and agree, or disagree and compromise.

Mindanao Week Of Peace will be celebrated this November, but I am posting this call in advance, let us listen to the hearts of every individual, let us be sensitive to the needs of the people, and let us be considerate to each others' cry. Think of our children, and our children's children. We all must experience PEACE!

Think Mindanao, Mind Mindanao
Bring Peace to Mindanao!