US envoy adopted ‘darling’ of South Cotabato

COTABATO CITY – Local officials led by Mayor Muslimin Sema and his wife Bai Sandra conferred on US Ambassador Kristie Kenney the traditional title babay-a – pinadtaya sa Kutawato (adored and respected darling of Cotabato City) during a luncheon dialogue last Monday at the 9,000-square-meter People’s Palace, the operations center of the city government.

Sema said Kenney’s adoption as “daughter” of the city’s Moro nobility was one way of acknowledging her role in helping propagate the so-called “culture of peace” among the local communities.

“I’m honored with such recognition. Cotabato is a great place. Let’s work together for peace to reign here. The minute we have peace, we can tell others to come and invest here,” Kenney said.

She also assured of her government’s continuing support to peace-building activities in Central Mindanao, a known hotbed of Islamic militancy and secessionist activities.

Kenney made the assurance twice, first as keynote speaker in a women’s forum on poverty reduction, and subsequently, in an on-air dialogue with journalists involved in “peace reporting” as an advocacy for inter-faith solidarity in troubled areas.

– John Unson