‘Balikatan brings wave of change in Sulu’

MAIMBUNG, Sulu — This southern province, known as a hotbed of al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf extremists, is now relishing a "wave of hope and change" brought forth by the Balikatan military exercise of Filipino and US troops, a US military official said.

US Marine Brig. Gen. Mastin Robeson, US Balikatan 2006 director, said the Balikatan exercise, which focused mainly on economic and humanitarian missions, "is just a beginning" for this impoverished province whacked by terrorism.

Robeson likened the changes Sulu is experiencing to the tsunami that struck East Asia in December 2004.

But unlike the tsunami that wreaked destruction, he said, "The giant wave that is hitting Sulu brings a bright future."

"The first giant wave that hit parts of Asia brought sadness and destruction, but this second giant wave is a wave of change, a wave of hope of economic prosperity and stability that you people of Jolo deserve the opportunity," Robeson told officials and residents of the remote town of Maimbung during a simple ceremony last Wednesday.

Robeson led a humanitarian mission that benefited about 2,000 local folk and the turnover of a three-classroom building for the Maimbung National High School.

The Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM), through its Computer Literacy and Internet Connection (CLIC) program, donated nine Internet-connected computers to the school.

Happy Ballesteros-Raagas, CLIC manager, said philanthropist Armando de Rossi, president of the Foundation for Peace and Prosperity in the Philippines, donated an additional three computers.

Raagas said teachers of the Maimbung National High School will also be trained in computer literacy.

The computer facilities surprised the school’s 410 students, most of whom said that it was the first time they had seen and touched a computer.

High school senior Fernalyn Kairan, 17, said she had not seen a computer in her entire life and even wondered how the computer mouse is used.

Another student, Bakkal Alkabir, 14, said he had just heard about computers. Now, he hopes they would connect him to the other side of the world.

The Maimbung teachers expressed hope that the new facilities would draw more young people to go to school and keep them away from terrorist groups, a problem they admitted is prevalent in Maimbung due to illiteracy.

Maimbung used to be one of the areas in Sulu where the Abu Sayyaf wielded control until Mujib Susukan, who figured in the Sipadan kidnapping in 2000, was neutralized.

"This is the only way to rescue our youth from ignorance and terrorism," said Abijari Bara, academic coordinator of the Maimbung National High School.