 In the Parang Municipality of Sulu, where coconut farms were languishing because of depressed coconut prices, and the popular means of 'getting by' because of the absence of livelihood is just by being security personnel of politicians, Mayor Magdar T. Loong, together with Land Bank and Nestle Philippines worked out a coffee intercroping project that planted coffee under the coconut trees. The municipality of Parang used their IRA (internal revenue allotment) as collateral for a Land Bank loan of P38 Million, released to five cooperatives undertaking the coffee project. Grants from the President(s) and international agencies also allowed purchase of numerous farm equipments and establishment of a 5 hectare nursery complete with facilities and buildin! gs. Planting began on a couple of hundred hectares, subsequently to be expanded to 1,000 hectares, and further on until the ultimate target of 5,000 hectares. This project covers the whole process -- what we call "from seed to shelf" -- because it encompasses seed development to planting and production, and the farmers have a guaranteed market since Nestle has committed to buy their coffee on a contract-growing basis and at a premium over the market price.
At present, around 500 hectares are planted with coffee in Parang, Sulu. Each hectare would earn for the farmer an extra ten thousand pesos per hectare per month. Per feasibility study by agricultural experts from Nestle, a thousand hectares would generate enough income that would ensure that most of the families in Parang would get employed, eat three times a day, build good sturdy homes and send their children to school. Mayor Magdar Loong’s vision was not only to create jobs for the poor people but to lay proof of the possibility of economic development in a land fertiled by four centuries of bloodshed.
For these achievements, Mayor Magdar Loong had been the considered the most outstanding municipal mayor in rural development by PGMA and PA Lorenzo of the“One Million Jobs.” He was considered the ‘model’ and ‘most active’ mayor by the president of World Bank - Philippines, Japan international cooperation agency and the Canadian International Development Authority among others. In International Forums, Parang, Sulu had been the model LGU presented to inspire hope for poverty alleviation in the poorest of the poorest municipalities laden with so called “rebels.” In the past months, Channel 23 had been airing half an hour documentaries that showed the success and hope in the eyes of the Coffee Farmers in Parang amongst hundreds of hectares of fully grown coffee. In a! few more years, the Parang experience would be able to prove to the whole world that peace and development is possible. After all, the motto of Mayor Magdar Loong was…”establish concrete development and livelihood first, then peace will follow.” And indeed, Parang is the only place where you would see hundreds of former active rebel commando’s turning their back on their “much loved” guns to “embrace” the bolo, the more than 20 tractors the Mayor had provided, the water trucks and the deep wells that solved the perennial water problem. They no longer counted the ammunition of their armalite rifles, but instead, they counted the number of coffee trees that mushroomed in the land they had owned for generations that laid barren. Development and peace was almost truly within reach somewhere in Sulu.
Seven days ago, I took the 5 a.m. flight to Zamboanga City. From the Zamboanga City Airport, I proceeded to the pier to take the 3 hour Fast Craft ferry to Jolo at 8:00 a.m. Around three hundred passengers on the ferry were relatives bringing Mayor Magdar Loong. At the Jolo pier, more than a hundred vehicles fetched us. We proceeded on an hour journey to Baranggay Alu Layag Layag, Parang on a convoy that seemed to have stretched kilometers. On that same day, amongst more than a thousand mourners, we laid to rest Mayor Magdar Loong in the middle of the coffee plantation, beside family members who went before him.
Now, the coffee is bearing fruit and would soon be harvested. But the visionary is gone. As what Sulu Gov. Jikiri had said during the burial rites, “Mayor Magdar Loong was a visionary. He started a development revolution in this Municipality. If we lose sight of his vision, then Mayor Loong is truly dead. Yet, if we pursue his vision, then he remains with us all.”
He was an upright, down to earth yet visionary man who lead by example. He was struck with liver cancer and died, 5 months after his operation, in Zamboanga City, last September 5, 2002 at the young age of 52 years. Mysteriously, his first cousin, former Tawi-Tawi Governor Gerry Matba died last September 5, 2001. (I really don’t like the number 5 anymore because my beloved Mother died last August 5, 2001 also. )
Unfortunately, Sulu had lost a great leader of the poorest of the poor and former rebels-turned farmers. Many people of Sulu expressed profound grief and sorrow at the sudden demise of one of the most dynamic leaders of Sulu. He was a very simple man. For the people of Parang, he was an icon. His relations with his opponents were very cordial. He was a Mayor that needed no bodyguards because he was loved and respected even by his political rivals. Apart from the charismatic sway Mayor Magdar had over the people of Parang, his strength was his adaptive flexibility. He was childlike when it came to interactions with children. Yet, was very dignified amo! ngst peers and towered amongst towers. He was very candid. He was very dear to all for all these qualities. Amongst family, he never failed to be there for them. Mayor Loong was a fearless leader. Just a month after a major operation on his liver, he led a group to rescue a cousin and Gov. Jikiri when they were ambushed by the Abu Sayyaf in the nearby by town of Indanan, Sulu.
He was the strongest pillar of the Loong Family. Not even his brothers, the former Sulu Gov. Tupay Loong, former Congressman Hussin Loong or former ARMM Vice Governor Ben Loong could match his charisma and legacy of being loved by his constituents and even his rivals. For me, I write this because I don’t want Mayor Magdar Loong to pass away silently like the wind because he deserves more than that. I write this, because I think he would really have set a good example of a leader, who may not have been riddled by academic achievements, but simply had the heart to give everything to his people. Even his life.
I can testify to his goodness, to his honesty and integrity, to his lack of concern for the material things in life, to his rich sense of humor, to his patience and fortitude. He was someone who was always in a good mood. He was always open to his constituents who pour their problems and concerns to him 24 hours each day. Those who have stood by him faithfully all these trying years, working for development in his home province, know his wishes, his dreams, his plans. All of us will carry the torch he lit in the small municipality of Parang. A torch that would have shown to Sulu, ARMM, the Philippines and even to the whole world, that there is indeed light, a chance for “development-then-peace” at the! end of the labyrinth of tunnels that never had peace.
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The author is a nephew of former Mayor Magdar T. Loong. He says that we should always emulate from success stories that would be the 'model' for our life in whatever field we are. And of course, the late Mayor is one such model.
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