PGMA's Speech during the Closing Ceremonies of the First Muslim Summit

Grand Ballroom, Manila Midtown Hotel, Ermita, Manila  (24 April 2003)

Thank you very much, Deputy Speaker Gerry Salapuddin. As Deputy Speaker, you are the highest ranking elective Muslim official in our country. And I remember, the first Muslim Deputy Speaker was Salipada Pendatun, who was the Deputy Speaker in the Administration of President Diosdado Macapagal.

ARMM Governor Parouk Hussin; Justice Secretary Simeon Datumanong. and again, I am very proud to have seem served in two of the most sensitive positions in the national government. Both positions requiring the utmost integrity and reputation -- DPWH and justice. And again, I remember, the first Muslim cabinet member was also one who occupied a great position requiring the utmost integrity, secretary of general services, who took care of all the procurement of the Philippine government then. That was also under the administration of President Diosdado Macapagal.

Atty. Macapanton Abbas; Datu Jamil Dianalan; ARMM Vice Governor and Secretary of Education Mahid Mutilan, President also of the Ulama League; Speaker Ibrahim Ibay; Speaker Pro-Tempore Tago; Assemblyman Habimil Hassan. I started with the regional congressmen first, if you don't mind.

Now, I go to the National Members of Congress: Faysah Dumarpa; Ben Macarambon; Digs Dilangalen -- they crossed your name, Digs, ha? maybe they don't see you in Malacaņang often enough. Please come to Malacaņang more often so my protocol officer will know you by face; Jimmy Matalam and Governor Pax Mangudadatu; also Governor Mike Adiong -- I see his name here but I don't see him around, is he here? Ah, no, no si Wahab Akbar. Ah, baka akala ng aking protocol officer siguro si Digs Dilangalen; Mayor Mus Sema, are you here? Ano ba naman ito. He was with me yesterday, not today. Ah but Mayor Omar Ali is here; and the head of our Oma, Sam Ampatuan; Dimas Pundato and his boss, Secretary Ermita -- inuna ko 'yung ating mga undersecretaries because, you know, we're very proud of the Muslims serving in our government.

Now, that we've gone to the boss, Ed Erminta. Let me mention also our other Cabinet members who are here: Mai Jimenez, Ging Deles, Bert Gonzalez, Jess Dureza -- oh, Imee Marcos, I was admiring your beauty and I forgot to mention you today, yeah; from the BOI, Tony Leviste; and of course, our host here in the city, Mayor Lito Atienza; our very supportive members of the diplomatic corps; other muslim leaders; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen:

Assala amu alaikum pagariah. That's how I used to say it in my childhood in Lanao Del Norte because I couldn't say the latter part which is very long.

And I'm glad to join you today.

I believe that unless we as a people come to terms with Mindanao, we will never attain our full promise as a nation. Thus, I thank you for this meeting, because we must arrive at a national consensus on the principles to guide our search for peace. I will read your recommendations and in return I would like to reiterate my own principles that I follow in my administration regarding my Mindanao vision.

One principle is that our ultimate objective should be both peace and development.

A second principle -- thank you. A second principle is that our framework should be based on constitutionality, national sovereignty and territorial integrity. And I thank you for incorporating that in your oath of office as members of your organization.

A third principle is that our society is a multi-ethnic one which should be founded on social justice for all and the institutionalized accommodation of ethnic traditions. Gerry Salapuddin talked about my childhood in Lanao Del Norte. That was a multi-ethnic society with Christians and Muslims, with Chinese and Spanish, with Tagalog and Cebuano. And I learned from that childhood, from my own childhood experience which I have brought with me up to the presidency, all these are but a few of the names to which the Filipino responds, in a wondrous testimony to our rich and varied heritage as a nation.

To these three broad principles, I would add a fourth. In our search for peace, there is no role for terrorism or inhuman brutality. Such acts must be universally condemned, whichever side of a war perpetrates them. And whether they happen in the south or right here in Luzon. I express my condolences to the families of the activists slain in Mindoro, and I condemn this heinous act. The long arm of the law will go after the perpetrators, no matter who they are, and bring them before the bar of justice.

Peace is hard to come by today; every continent seems to be wracked with pockets of conflict.

When I decided to throw the political and moral support of our government behind the coalition of the willing in Iraq, I was misunderstood by many of our countrymen, including many of our well- meaning Muslim brethren. But today, we share a more positive outlook over the unfolding developments. We welcome any support or constructive involvement of Congress in our peacekeeping and humanitarian project. And I hope that our Muslim brethren will participate in these efforts in Iraq. Our goals will best be served by a collaborative effort, but I appeal for a stop to grandstanding on an issue of vital importance to our foreign relations.

As the Iraqi people welcome the dawn of freedom, we share their deep yearnings for democracy under a government of laws, and not of men.

These are after all the same yearnings that continue to drive the future of Muslim Mindanao, as we strengthen the ramparts of autonomy and economic development.

Mindanao has always been touted as a Land of Promise, rightfully said, because of the island's abundant resources, ideal weather conditions and vast land area.

However, Muslim Mindanao has remained the poorest area in the country with a very low literacy rate. Its economic exclusion has resulted in conflicts and wars.

Our journey to meaningful autonomy in Muslim Mindanao has run a course nearing three decades, ever since the Tripoli agreement was signed in 1976.

Yet the problem remains.

Thus, I hereby unveil a program to seek to usher in once again the rehabilitation of Muslim Mindanao. We call this the Mindanao national initiative or "Mindanao Natin."

I hope "Mindanao Natin" will be embraced by everyone in this country -- not just the Mindanaoans and the Muslims, but everyone, even those in Luzon -- as an important step towards the fulfillment of the promise of Mindanao.

I have earmarked -- now, that I've gotten the national budget, and we've studied it -- I have earmarked from there an initial 5.5 billion pesos of the national budget resources for the implementation of "Mindanao Natin" within the next 14 months, in addition to official development assistance funds of 1.3 billion dollars prioritized for Muslim Mindanao.

The program will begin implementation on the 1st of May, implemented in over 5,000 barangays in ARMM, in regions 9 and 12, in Lanao Del Norte, and Damulog in Bukidnon.

"Mindanao Natin" will be implemented through a ten-point program, which I would like to share with you today:

First is to ensure the substantial implementation of the Tripoli agreement. Towards this end, my administration has appointed almost 300 Muslims, including two Cabinet members -- we talked about Secretary of Justice and former Secretary of DPWH Sim Datumanong; my other Cabinet member was Presidential Adviser on Muslim Affairs Parouk Hhussin until he was elected as ARMM Governor. And he's been replaced in that position as Secretary by Secretary Nur Jafar of Tawi-Ttawi -- two Cabinet members, one justice, seven senior military officers, four police generals among 169 senior police officers. Last March, we completed the integration of almost 6,000 members of the MNLFf into the AFP and 1,500 into the PNP. I have approved the operationalization of the regional security force for ARMM, to be headed by a Muslim general. Fifty-six Shariah Courts have been established. There are eight Muslim legislators -- most of whom were my candidates. And I have established the ARMM social fund for basic social services, economic programs and infrastructure.

I believe with these, the Philippines has earned the right to apply for observer status in the OIC.

Second point of our ten-point program is the rehabilitation of the barangays of the Pikit- Pagalungan- Pagagawan cluster and the Carmen- President Roxas-Damulog cluster. The areas of most recent conflict. The areas where our evacuees are coming from.

Upon the request of the people on the ground themselves, I have approved Pikit as a Zone of Peace. Other zones -- particularly, the barangay of Bagoinged, where I came from -- other zones within that town and within other towns may be created as conditions stabilize. Troops will be redeployed from inhabited areas while the AFP maintains active defense at the perimeter. Community-based local monitoring units will be formed and empowered.

We've started construction for the physical rehabilitation of Pikit. That was what I showed the evacuees and the media when we were there with Ging Deles the other day, and jess dureza. Livelihood assistance will also be given to the evacuees returning to their villages.

Third component of this ten-point program, I have formed a new breed of soldiers -- the sala'am soldiers -- half of them are Muslims. Their objective is not only to protect the Muslim communities in the areas where they are fielded but also assist these communities in needed socio-economic services.

Their priority destinations are 16 barangays in Sulu, 23 in Basilan, four in Lanao Del Sur, and three in Lanao Del Norte, 10 in Cotabato province, and six in Maguindanao.

These sala'am soldiers will prioritize the provision of minimum basic needs and livelihood opportunities through the kalahi framework of secretary Ging Deles. The sala'am soldiers will be back-staffed by the Department of Health and the Department of Social Welfare who will provide psycho-social services to help the affected Muslim communities cope with the vagaries of war and the toll of chronic poverty.

The fourth point of the program is financing and skills training to open livelihood opportunities and alternative income sources in agriculture, trade, industry and services.

Government-owned and controlled corporations will infuse capital for those who would like to undertake micro, small and medium businesses.

The Department of Trade and Industry will assist our local governments absorb livelihood funding in the area.

The Departments of Trade and Agriculture will pursue product cluster develoment to maximize economies of scale for businesses with high forward and backward linkages.

The fifth point of the program is the rebel returnees program to be implemented by the Department of Social Welfare in behalf of the Presidential Adviser for the Peace Process Ed Ermita.

The sixth point which I hope will address a nagging concern of our Muslim communities is the establishment of one-stop action center for land documentation and titling programs. This will be implemented by the Office of Muslim Affairs and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

To sustain this development, the seventh point is education. A distance learning program through mobile vans of the Technology and Livelihood Resources Corporation or TLRC will provide both basic education such as the three R's and specialty training courses.

So far, such vans have already been fielded in Zamboanga Del Norte, Lanao Del Norte, Cotabato City and South Cotabato.

The TLRC will package pilot programs that will include funding for the Immediate implementation of what is learned from the training programs.

We will also provide affirmative action scholarships for lawyers, doctors and teachers. My Presidential Assistant on Education will put in place necessary adjustments in qualifications and preparatory courses so that Muslims will be able to avail of scholarship grants.

Under the eighth point, we will undertake youth and culture- sensitive programs on sports and arts. Through this, I hope that the young Muslims will grow up realizing that life under threat of terrorism is not a life for them.

We will pursue specific projects to develop a well-rounded personality for the youth.

Ninth, we will implement community-scale quick-gestation infrastructure projects, including 281 million worth for ARMM, 71 million worth for region ix, 73 million worth for region 12.

Tenth and finally, I am prioritizing and fast-tracking the implementation of major ODA funded and local funded infrastructure projects. One-point three (1.3) billion dollars of priority ODA will go to fund major bridges, roads and maritime safety; irrigation and water resources development; agriculture, land reform, natural resources and energy projects, while Philippine budget resources will fund various integrated area development programs.

This, my dear friends, after studying the budget, seeing what is doable; after studying ODA, seeing what is doable; working overtime overnight, this is "Mindanao Natin." This is our Mindanao. This is Mindanao of the Philippines.

United as a people under one flag, we shall prevail and fulfill the promise of Mindanao, and thereby move closer to achieving our full promise as a nation and a Strong Philippine Republic.

Thank you.

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