Federalism to look forward to?

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Written by Samira Ali Gutoc

Friday, 19 December 2003

As the 2004 elections draws near and the GRP-MILF peace talks renews next month, the “unheard” sector of Muslim women passed a resolution in Zamboanga City’s Orchard Hotel auditorium last December 12 batting for “pro-active” participation in peace-building and peace processes. In a 3-page resolution entitled, Declaration of Muslim Women Waging Peace submitted to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, 50 women from the major Muslim tribes and pro-women advocates from the national government affirmed, among others, the resolve to:

ensure the actualization of enhanced and increased access of Muslim women to economic opportunities
build capacities to advocate, mentor and train women leaders, especially Muslims at the grassroots level, to develop livelihood skills for empowerment;
launch voter’s education
appoint more women in the peace negotiations
advocate for the positive portrayal of Muslims in media
appropriate and utilize an identified percentage of the local government unit Gender advocacy development (GAD) budget for peace-building activities

The declaration was read by ARMM Social Fund Director Norhata Alonto and Soroptomists International-Sulu chapter president Norma Abdullah before an audience of 200, mostly from NGOs, government administrators, academe and students. The guests included Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Deles represented by Tanya Hamada, ARMM regional legislative assembly speaker Abubakar, Konrad Adenuar-Stiftung Foundation country representative Klaus Preschle and National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women Commissioner and Phil. Women’s University President Amelou Reyes.

Arroyo , who was then at a special ASEAN summit abroad was represented by his daughter, Evangeline Luli Arroyo, who received the declaration and resolutions passed in the three-day conference, which started December 10. Luli cited her presence to mean how the conference was important for the President, hold Mindanao as her "childhood home "to be represented by a a blood relative."

Luli, who read the President’s speech, cited Muslim women to be the “voice of reason , bearer of good faith.” The Muslim question she pointed out was because of poverty, which is at the “root of national security problems in Mindanao.” “There is a sense of powerlessness, or Moro unrest, thus the pursuit of peace process through (anti-) poverty programs.” She outlined her administration’s projects in Mindanao which included the start of building of airports in Tawi-Tawi, Butuan and Dipolog; the Malmar Riceland project; the Mindanao International Container deck in Misamis Oriental and putting the BIMP-EAGA on track such as enforcing travel tax exemption.

In subtle reference to Moro rebel’s demands of secession, she acknowledged the need to have “institutionalized accommodation of ethnic cultures” but also affirmed that “national unity was non-negotiable, no matter how impossible.” “A meaningful peace process should have women in Cabinet and partners in civil society and private sector.”

The women delegates, led by former senator Santanina Rasul also handed Arroyo resolutions on the issues of Madaris and Education, Poverty Alleviation, Shariah and Participation. One resolution endorsed a Muslim shariah lawyer Radzma Jamiri as Shariah Circuit Trial Court Judge of Bongao, Tawi-Tawi.

Conference co-chair Amina Rasul of the convening group, Muslim Women Peace Advocates in a scenario building of the ARMM presented regional statistics on human development index. She noted high poverty incidence, low average income, high infant and mortality rates in the region. “Although government’s allocation for Mindanao had increased from 1995-2002, the annual budget of ARMM visavis the national government (NG) is low,” citing the ARMM share to be less than 1 percent of NG budget.

The question Rasul posed was: Is it (budget) able to give the poorest of the poor what it needs? Her budget assessment since 1997 points to a decrease, coupled with the fact that " ¾ of the ARMM budget goes to salaries." She however cited positive indicators in the ARMM to include:

civil society expanding
recognition of Muslim rights
rich and abundant natural resources
investment including those from private sector
strong corporate responsibility; international support

Negative indicators included:

prejudices
continuing poverty, a vicious cycle
economic disparity at a national level
history books misinterpretation

Rasul concluded with a vision in 5 years to foresee the possibility of federalism as a “system to look at in the future, where Moro women are involved.”

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