MINDANAO GOV. URGES MUNICIPAL MAYORS TO BE RESPONSIBLE AND FAIR THEIR GOVERNANCE TO MUSLIM AND CHRISTIANS

By Tito Natividad Fiel

Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte, Philippines – Governor Khalid Quibranza Dimaporo here has urged the Municipal Mayors throughout the province to be responsible and fair their governance to Muslims and Christians.

In his keynote speech Friday morning at the Gym here on the Culmination of the Mindanao Week of Peace spearheaded by Civil Society Organization Lanao Partnership for Peace and Development in cooperation with the Provincial and Municipal Government, Dimaporo stressed that his governance is a government for all.

Dimaporo said being a Muslim he supported all activities and festivities whether Muslim and Christian celebration, showing that his government in the province is a government for all not just for Muslim but for the Christian, the Indigenous People and other faith as well.

“Every year the province is sending contestant and other representative for “Sinulog” a Roman Catholic Christian festivity to show that my governance is responsive and responsible to different faith and supporting to flourish even those Christian faith”, Governor Dimaporo stressed. 

He said in the celebration of “Ed’l Adha” which a next to ramadhan, the province has distributed a huge amount of beef food to Muslims but included to the Christian communities showing his desire  to make fair and balance all the people regardless of faith, tribes, creed, races and principle in life.

He has challenged all the Mayors of the entire province especially to Mayor Romel C. Arnado here the host of the said celebration to do the same being a Christian to do also for Muslims and Christians to reduce the feeling of neglected from both Christians and Muslims.

Mayor Romel C. Arnado on his welcome remarks for the activity reiterated that discrimination is a source of violence, so his government is doing for development that will address the reduction of poverty and difficulty and minimize the rate of violence and conflict.

He lauded the Pakigdait Incorporated through its director Musa Mohamad Sanguila, the Civil Society Organization Lanao Partnership for Peace and Development together with the provincial government for bringing the culmination of the celebration here in Kauswagan to show that this Municipality is quietly peaceful and moving.

BIKERS CONVERGED AT CROSSING KAUSWAGAN TOWARDS MUNICIPALITY OF MUNAI

Bikers from Iligan and Maigo converged at crossing Kauswagan and Munai, Lanao del Norte while waiting others left behind. They ate banana and refilled waters.

Rev. Fr. Chito Suganob of Interfaith Council with long mustache together with Abel Jose Moya standing left wearing black jacket and sunglasses and Roselyn of Non-Violent Peace Force standing right posed with bikers.

Young Bikers

Young bikers

BIKERS ON THE ROAD

Bikers coming from Iligan on the road towards Kauswagan Lanao del Norte

Bikers coming from Maigo Lanao del Norte on the road towards Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte

Lt. Col. Jambala of 15th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine front left led the bikers from Maigo group on the road

One of the child bikers joined the bike for peace in celebration of the Mindanao Week of Peace

BIKERS FOR PEACE

Bikers coming as far as from Ozamiz City, Aurora Zamboanga del Sur, Maranding Lanao del Norte compose as one group joined the bike for peace December 3 in consonant with the Mindanao Week of Peace. The army and the bikers prepared for the send off, while fixing other things. This group started from Maigo Lanao del Norte going to Barangay Delabayan, Kauswagan this province. Photo by Amir Dapit of Pakigdait Inc. Dec. 3, 2010

Army Major prepared the send off synchronizing with the group from Iligan City where Col. Crescente Ferrer, commander of the 601st Brigade of the Philippine Army led the send off. Photo by Amir Dapit of Pakigdait Inc.

Col. Crescente Ferrer of 601st Brigade talked with Abel Jose Moya, program manager of Pakigdait Inc., for the final send of of the Bikers coming from Iligan synchronize with Maigo Group

The bikers coming from Iligan is on the final star for the Bike for Peace in connection with the celebration of the Mindanao Week of peace, spearheaded by Pakigdait Inc.., Lanao del Norte Partnership for Peace and Development, different municipal government with the provincial government of Lanao del Norte

ADDITIIONAL REFLECTION OF THE TOUR

Rosemarie of Non-Violent Peace Force in Iligan City expressed wonderful of the church masjied educational tour spearheaded by the Interfaith Council headed by Sr. Carmen Hatyrosa of the Sisters of Mercy together with Pakigdait Inc. headed by its chairperson Rev. Fr. Regino Quijano and its director Musa Mohamad Sanguila. She feels and reminded the similarity of Philippine Problems particularly in Lanao del Norte to her country in Kenya. She felt wonderful of the activity which bridging the different faith for better understanding. December 2, 2010 at the Masjied in Camague, Iligan City.

Evangelical Pastor and Lanao del Norte Board Member Grecile Matalinis expressed joy when this Interfaith Activities have continued because she was not so involved this kind of activity before but her husband late Board Member Robert Matalines. But she felt amazed that the work of her husband before had not been became useless because the dreamers for peace doing it as did by her husband before that made her eager of getting involved this kind of activities which aiming for sustainable peace.

Melai Dale from the group of women in Iligan City expressed wonderful even because it was her first time of joining such activity and even entering to the masjied and she understands what the Islamic faith is which is for peace.

Bishop Stephen Villaester of the Anglican Church in Iligan City expressed solidarity to different faith who joined the tour. He felt wonderful which personally listen the explanation from the Islam side regarding their faith.

Tito Natividad Fiel of Pakigdait who holds the microphone facilitated in generating more reflections from the participants of the tour.

Edang from farmers association called PASAKA based in Maigo Lanao del Norte expressed also wonderful, because it was also her first time entering masjied. She expressed nice and hoping this would be continued.

Darling an intern of Pakigdait, she is a student from the Mindanao State University -Iligan Institute of Technology who took her internship with the Pakigdait. She is an Iglesia Ni Cristo. She was having mix feeling, but also felt wonderful of having solidarity with the different faith especially from Islam.

REFLECTION ON THE TOUR

Jashrie Boot appreciates the activity on the church masjied educational tour that relating to different faith that deepening the understanding of different faiths practices and teaching.

Lorry Gabule of the Philippine Information Agency in Lanao del Norte has amazed the activity and felt satisfied and promised to write it to her agency about the very interesting kind of doing peace building.

Jane Bernardo, President of the Civil Society Organization Forum for Peace felt wonderful the activity which first time of attending this kind of undertaking and even entering the masjied.

TOUR AT THE MASJIED IN ILIGAN CITY DECEMER 2, 2010

Belal of Masjied Omar Dianalan @ Camague, Iligan City through Musa Sanguila, Director of Pakigdait Inc., welcomes the delegates of the Church -Masjied Educational Tour in consonant with the celebration of the Mindanao Week of Peace.

Aleem Abdul Karim Ambhor, an Islam Uztandz explains the Islam faith that means peace and loving. Those people claimed as Muslim but doing contrary to the Muslim faith are not truly Muslim because a real Muslim and faithful one will not harm to anyone regardless of faith because the Muslim is for Peace.

Lunch time, all shared the Muslim Food. The delegates were enjoy eating the Muslim food that made all full. 

Belal of Masjied Omar Dianalan @ Camague, Iligan City received the gong  token from the Interfaith Council that symbolizes of sending message for peace. Sr. Carmen Hayrosa, chairperson of the IFC expresses gratitude to the Belal and she was assisted by the Interfaith Council Members.