Re: SONA overlooked the ARMM WATCH

THE UNSUNG IN THE SONA, WITH SOMETHING OF EVERYTHING

Civilians no longer sultans are taking on a "royal" role in reforming their communities. They may not be holding positions but their platforms are cyberspace and fora where they even engage the United Nations affiliates.

I received text messages that the SONA didn't get to speak much about the peace process and note this was Ramadhan month. But the few lines about Muslim Mindanao were to be proud of with a citation of the ARMM OIC Governor Mujiv Hataman as a "certified" ghost-buster. Shouldn't one prepare for a future Bangsamoro better autonomy by training us better in self-government? With his usual stinging quotes, PNOY talked of the multo (ghosts) ng elections who will no longer appear (the multiple registrants) . I took pride that our Committee's issue on Education was the major focus and priority in the SONA with a goal to provide every student with a chair and textbook. Madaris is something I feel strongly about so I hope Islamic studies will also finally see funding with more budget infusion given to Dep-Ed Central. The SONA last year extolled much of ARMM's depressing state in "ghost" schools. ARMM Watchers by the thousands have come out in the open to no longer fence-sit about a lost cause such as the ARMM . The cause could actually be won. One year later, President Aquino's SONA should note the ARMM "civilian uprising" in wanting good things to happen to their homeland.
Reform has been reverberating across the Muslim world most recently in the Arab Spring where authoritarian leaders in the Middle East fell in a domino phenomenon. People protested in a dramatic show of unity to denounce corruption and dictatorships.
Seeing the strong civilian push to clean up the registration process, we were asked by media about the Bangsamoro "spring" which pushed many of us to appreciate the necessity of getting in government months back. There may be no mobs, there may be no daily rallies. But the throbbing Moro collective just waiting to swell outside each one's cocoon is a sleeping giant.
Moro activism has transformed from the hard-line independence stand to the parliament of negotiations. One such example was the advocacy to push the August 2011 ARMM elections to May 2013.
Republic Act 10153 was signed into law June 30, 2011. RAN, the key player, in pushing such a historic law should commemorate such pivotal moment as a reform point in history. This is timely as two pillars in the Reform ARMM Now (RAN) movement, political analyst Raffy Nabre and Garci whistleblower Abdullah LACS Dalidig, passed away. Theirs is symbolic passing because one passed away from being killed, a signal that this fight to clean up the ARMM, has its dangers. The other passed from disease, an elderly who defied physical weakness to be strong and annul the Book of Voters which paved the way for reregistration in ARMM. Their torch must continue.

And so I thank PNOY for reminding of us of November 2009 when the Philippines saw a most grizzly show of corruption in the Southern Philippines where a local leader amassed wealth and power. This clan’s speedy rise to power in Maguindanao and ARMM did not show good governance. Instead it ended with the unresolved Ampatuan town massacre where more than 40 journalists and women were killed at gunpoint.
This brazen display of misgovernance aggravated by 21 years of a non-functional autonomy in ARMM inspired a movement called Reform ARMM Now (RAN), in calling for reform in all aspects of the autonomy and synchronizing of ARMM elections to 2013 in a law called Republic Act 10153.
RAN formed in late 2010 is a network and coalition of non-government, people’s and civil society organizations and individuals brought together under the banner of reforming ARMM.
Cyberspace was a major tool in getting the attention of national, regional and local stakeholders. ARMM Synchro law oppositor Senator Bong Marcos was even challenged to reply to twits by RAN writer Khal Mambuay. Senator Migz Zubiri resigned after a strong argument on electoral sabotage in Maguindanao was to surface with him benefiting in the infamous senatorial win of 12-0.
RAN developed a Roadmap for Reform which highlighted major agenda on fiscal , economic and socio-political reforms in ARMM (text is on reformarmmnow.org).
The success of the movement was seen in the passage of the Senate bill on the ARMM regional and national election Synchronization law and eventual signing of the law by President Benigno Aquino III who earlier gave a resounding SONA re "ghost" bridges and schools in ARMM.
RAN’s member organizations also pushed for the Supreme Court (SC) to declare the constitutionality of RA 10153 with Muslim lawyer Algamar Latiph arguing their case before the Supreme Court (SC). Vigils last December in the SC prodding the SC to decide in declaring the law constitutional exposed the weakness of the Chief Justice who in the next month faced an impeachment trial
President Aquino appointed officers in charge, Governor Mujiv Hataman and Vice-Governor Bainon Karon in December 19. And the Regional Legislative Assembly in April.
The executive officials through the Governor rendered their 100 day Report. The predominantly civil-society led RLA passed two laws creating a Human Rights Commission and the Public Works Act which junked the traditional district impact projects. Yet expectations remain that the reform Roadmap can still be realized.
RAN can play a pro-active role in advancing the reform agenda throughout the transition government and beyond. It has acquired ascendancy in its popularization with a facebook page read by reporters of the major newspapers - Inquirer, GMA, Business World and Mindanao papers.
The mid-term SONA may not have mentioned civil society though it was entitled REPORT KO SA BOSS. It was long and inspiring, getting me worried if I could survive my deathly high heels. But hearing the good news of being able to export rice soon made a youth leader feel that we could really contribute to the PATAS na LABAN in Government. No more palakasan, no more baluktot as echoed in several speeches in the ARMM by our Governor.
But without the community, aspiration and marching orders cannot trickle and go grassroot.
This Sunday, those who have worked on supporting the electoral reform track, hope to reconvene and invite, the SONA uncited from PPCRV, ALERT, its mother org Lanao del Sur People's Council and other ARMM Watchers. This is to give testimonial to the unsung heroes of a peacetalks they are "walking."




From: Samira Gutoc