Peace and business

After the successful launch of the Mothers for Peace Campaign, in which mothers held rallies in different parts of Luzon to convince military officers to stop the war in Mindanao, peacemakers launched yet another campaign, whose objective is to attract investments in Mindanao.

At the Mandarin hotel last week, Irene Santiago and Margie Moran Floirendo talked about the sad plight of mothers and children in the war-torn island, during the peace caravans held in the town plazas of Lipa, Batangas (with the cooperation of Lipa Mayor Vilma Santos), and Pangasinan (led by Marietta Primicias-Goco).

A touching moment was recalled, and this was when a Christian woman in Pangasinan embraced a Muslim member of the travelling caravan and told her, "I didn’t know what we have been doing to your people in Mindanao. Please forgive us."

Two more activities have been formed, said Irene. These are the Citizens‚ Peace-Monitoring System to check on fulfilled and violated peace initiatives, and a road show for kids for peace in Mindanao.

Australian Ambassador Ruth Pearce gave a short, encouraging spiel. Her government’s aid program in Mindanao is quite impressive.

And businessman Antonio Samson, chairman of the board of Ad Foundation, spoke of investments, saying that "Peace is an effort that requires everybody’s involvement". Mely Nicolas talked of her company (LTC Beatrice) putting up endeavors in Mindanao.

Snazzy posters depicting the adverse effects of the war on children were shown. One carried the words, "ratatatatata" repeatedly: These are the sounds of gunfire that have been heard over and over in conflicted areas in Mindanao. Children like to play with toy guns in Mindanao – but most children everywhere with parents who don’t care about the toys they give their offspring like to play guns too. The ads that came out in The Philippine STAR and on television and radio had been produced by Jimmy Santiago and Tong Puno of TBWA.

There was a short video presentation using the text of Bien Lumbera and the music of Ryan Cayabyab, which is a take-off from his classic "Ramahari".

Margie spoke of the challenges of promoting peace. She said, "Peace is a dull topic." Happily, though some people "have made the topic exciting". It is important to have peace in Mindanao, she said. "If all the men there die, we will be left behind – as widows."

The role of p.r. girl Mila Allora in conceptualizing the campaigns was cited. Mila, a Sigma Deltan, has gotten her sorority sisters involved in the peace movement, including Ces Drilon, Linda Gamboa, Vee Sese, Jing Gecolea, and Maripaz Tagle Chua.

ERRATA: Two errors committed in two previous columns: 1) The current position of Undersecretary Amado Valdez is executive director of the Visiting Forces Agreement Commission (VFACOM), and 2) the last name of former Sen. Juan Ponce-Enrile was omitted. Mea culpa.

AT A RECEPTION on board the Indian Coast Guard ship Sangram, Indian Ambassador to the Philippines Navrekha Sharma recalled the rescue of two Filipino fishermen on its trip to Manila two years ago. According to the ambassador, the fishermen’s boat had capsized in the sea off the coast of Cabra Island, Occ. Mindoro. Sangram personnel immediately rescued the two, who turned out to have been perching on the capsized boat in rough seas for over five days. The ship doctor gave them medical attention and their boat was lifted on board the ship with the help of cranes fitted on the foreign vessel.

The rescue was relayed to the Philippine Coast Guard who in turn informed the fishermen’s families that they were all right. On arrival at the Manila port, the commanding officer of Sangram handed the two over to Commodore Doria of the Philippine Coast Guard, and Vice Admiral Reuben S. Lista presented the ship’s commanding officer with a plaque of appreciation. The fishermen, said Ambassador Sharma, were welcomed by the local folk like "heroes".

Sangram is a 103-meter long Indian-built vessel with a multi-mission capability, and is well equipped for carrying out various coast guard tasks at sea, such as search and rescue, anti-piracy missions, marine pollution prevention, anti-smuggling and anti-poaching missions. It carries an Indian-built Chetak light helicopter for enhancing her operational reach and punch at sea.

The ship’s commanding officer is Deputy Inspector General Rajendra Singh TM. At the simple evening reception at Pier 7, the ship’s band played martial music, and colorfully garbed officers sang and performed dances of different regions of India.

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