Moro History

            Why it would take  legislation to incorporate Moro History in our school curriculum still surprises me. I don’t know what kind of materials proponents are up to bringing about the proposal in Congress for its  inclusion in CHED’s curriculum when books on the subject by Teodoro Agoncillo and Renato Constantino and many others have their struggle, aspiration, politics  and culture already captured and written as general reference for general reading public. There’s too an Islamic Studies offered in various State Colleges and Universities for those who want extra dose and refresher course on Muslim History for better understanding at the point of saturation. 

 Maybe they are already thing of the past that should  be relegated to the dustbin of history as they don’t serve the best interest of the people today what with all those implacable strife and hostility taking its heavy toll in Muslim dominated areas in  Mindanao. Well taken Cong. Juan Edgardo Angara. Our educational system is just too secularized at the expense of the Muslims, the proponents claimed.  Our scholars and historians to be formed into Commission  could better handle and do that job for us, Muslims representatives further  intoned.

 Okey,  good whatever they mean. For as student of history, any development that would foster better understanding and peace among its  people specially of different persuasion, culture and religion is always a  welcome development. But take this as reality check. Do we have to ask for more  than what has already been written in history as repository of knowledge handed down through the ages defining us a nation that despite of our heterogeneity could live side by side in peace and harmony in perpetuity? Actually we could write as many references we could have for the subject. But if we don’t clear up and disabuse  the message we’re driving across then what a waste of time and resources pouring on such project that does not earned any dividends instead wasting away resources what otherwise would have been beneficial to other concern. Whatever happened then if not division, hostility and apathy would reigned supreme instead of unity, understanding and peace? Such seem to be the overriding aim for such concern. Do we have full grasp of such issue or addressing it with the wrong solution, wrong place at the wrong time?

 Methinks the  problem lies somewhere. And sorry, but it is still in the reader!  For sure it could not be attributed to  the books as whatever entries in the past could be literally and liberally rectified  before an ‘imprimatur’  clause of approval by authorities will be affixed and sealed on the books indicating its relevance and worth. Example was the use of term ‘Moro’ considered a slur among Muslims in history books. (Will the proponents please clear the issue of using the term in your new advocacy! Must be joking.) Then there’s the lack of emphasis of the early settlement of Islam preachers  and  Muslim scholars the likes of Raja Baguinda and Shariff Makdum who had Magellan came 200 years later than he actually did in March 1561, Philippines would have been an Islamic country. Of course, it’s a fact that Muslim leaders in Mindanao never surrendered to the Spaniards and Americans validating the claim of novelist Edilberto Tiempo in his fiction To Be Free that there was no consensus among Filipinos when Spain ceded the country to the Americans to the tune of $20 Million in the Treaty of Paris. These were obviously some loose ends but did not go unnoticed to discriminating readers.

 Similarly, it would be good in the end if  the new generation   Muslims should re-write their history rectifying their perverted rido system, a carry-over of  malevolent tradition from the past that has pervaded and morphed into far destructive and deadly extra-legal settlement of issues today from personal vendetta, career jealousy to politics. It’s such an evil antidote that amazingly mark even an unborn as possible victim and sacrifice when he grows up. And what about the resurgence of still-feudal culture where lion share of the IRA goes into the pockets of the select few, the crumbs partitioned among the majority of residents. What about the sunshine industry and no clear-cut definition of leadership calling the shots on important issues and problems that  saw no end on commission of  violence? You could add your own observation.

How then such issue would be addressed? Definitely not by culling  on from  what has been written about Moro history  in the books because it’s not there. But by reading the signs of the times relating how far  its compliance to the call of peace and understanding history is beckoning us.  What has been done to all  excesses committed? Never mind late than none at all rectifying it. If we have done that, what a legacy we would be leaving to the incoming generation cutting the strain of Cain’s malevolent strife.   Or never mind na lang as the issue seems to exists in the figment of imagination among select stakeholders   who would  stand  benefiting the most of the plan. It seems even that there is digression from the main issue here.  What is urgent I think is to go and sit down among different stakeholders in table and identify these misconceptions as  what different forums have been doing going around the island  addressing peace problem in Mindanao. Never mind the variables. What is important is going into the bottom line  to foster real and lasting peace and understanding among Muslims the proponents seek to address.