Budget for Muslim Filipinos - up in the air?

In the ongoing investigations of bus operators and drivers, it will be well for the authorities to verify the practice of drivers being instructed by operators to back up after checking if pedestrians they’ve bumped are still alive, then run them over to make sure they’re dead. Drivers do this as paying for burial costs of dead victims will cost the operators less than when they have to pay for hospital and medical bills and the rehabilitation of living victims.

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Few will probably remember that more than four centuries ago, Rajah Soliman (Raja Mura or young rajah as the Spanish called him) ruled over a Muslim settlement of 4,000 people until Martin de Goiti, Juan de Salcedo and Miguel Lopez de Legaspi anchored off Kawit in 1570. Using superior weapons, including their ships’ cannons for which the native version, the lantaka was no match, the conquistadores overcame the strength in numbers of the followers of Islam. The following year, they signed a peace pact in which native Muslim rulers handed over Manila to the Spaniards. The place was eventually transformed into Intramuros and our Muslim predecessors were conceptually and geographically moved to the South; to become the new home of colorful malongs, the wavy kris and resplendent vintas.

In 1976, many Muslims returned to Manila preceded by the erection of the Golden Mosque, so named because its dome was supposed to be in shining gold. That started our exposure to their unique culture and we began to mingle with our Muslim brothers and sisters who were mostly in the retail trade, haggling with them about the prices of trinkets, pearls, clothing items and lately, of DVDs and CDs. It is sad that the allure of their Muslim otherness has slowly been replaced by stereotypes, the most overpowering of which is the specter of terrorism, especially after the infamous 9-11 incident that shocked the entire world.

Yet, as they are part of what is hoped to be a unified Philippines, one wonders what the government has been doing in their behalf.

For one, since March 7, 2010, the then Office of Muslim Affairs (OMA), has been replaced by the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF), with Bai Omera D. Dianalan-Lucman as chief executive officer with cabinet rank. Secretary Lucman has buckled down to work, identifying four priority programs that include Philippine halal development promotion for both food and nonfood that are acceptable to Muslims; advanced payment for Mutawiff or accommodation to the Hajj and Umrah, major and minor pilgrimages to Mecca, Saudi Arabia; operationalization of the Bureau of Peace and Conflict Resolution, and development of government-declared Muslim settlements and land titling.

Other issues such as accreditation of Shari-ah or Islamic Law courts and lawyers, a paralegal system to assist legal detainees and the Muslim communities and even policies for Madaris or religious schools are also in the offing. By its scope, the NCMF is responsible nationally for the Muslim communities and the attendant pressures and conflicts it deals with, to harmonize Islam with modern life.

But here’s the rub: after almost a year in operation, the NCMF has received only a portion of its supplemental budget despite its submission of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). With a miniscule amount of cash — only P8 M out of an approved P100 M — one wonders how the Commission can pursue its goals with efficiency and put into operation the many projects it has lined up.

Consider that Muslim Filipinos make up five percent of the population which translates to about 4.7 million, a rather significant number which the government should not disregard.

Then, with Islamic countries holding center stage because of the conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan and the recent taking out of Osama bin Laden, tension among Muslim Filipinos has led to a rash of arrests, several of which are attributed to hasty, knee-jerk moves by local authorities. Lucman points out that this is one matter that the NCMF wants to address — the bias against Muslim individuals (suspects and detainees) which can be minimized or altogether removed through a Muslim Community Youth Paralegal Program. Here, legal experts will brief Muslim communities about their responsibilities AND their rights and how to deal with legal and illegal arrests.

There is also the halal industry, a thriving business, given the growing global Muslim population. It is unfortunate that some of our halal-certified products for exports have not passed the stringent standards of other countries’ standards. NCMF is now the authorized leading agency in accrediting halal certificators to ensure marketability of locally produced products for foreign Muslim markets. However, this is yet to be implemented, as the budget for this remains on paper and stymied at the DBM. And so it is with the other projects. 

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Bantayog ng mga Bayani Foundation marks its 25th year this August. It has memorialized and honored martyrs and heroes who gave their lives to fight the Marcos dictatorship. Bantayog executive director Nievelena V. Rosete is inviting thousands of Filipinos to put in their “I was part of the anti-dictatorship struggle” stories that will go into a book of memories. To raise funds for the publication of the book and other projects, Bantayog is sponsoring a simple “sacrificial” dinner on May 27, 7 p.m., at the Bantayog memorial grounds at the corner of EDSA and Quezon Ave. A donation of P1,000 for each ticket is asked. Interested parties may call Dionie at 4348343/0921-3834988.

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Belated congratulations to my youngest nephew, Osias Torrevillas Antonio, who received his certificate in hotel and restaurant services during the 18th commencement exercises of Metro Business College. I least expected JR to be interested in the culinary arts, but he enrolled in the H&R course in Makati. And easily earned a certificate. I’ve known him to be a tennis instructor, his students including doctors and nurses and businessmen. When he was studying at Mindanao State University in Inawan, Mis. Or., he was three-time tennis champion.     

JR, as he is popularly called, is the son of my younger sister, Milagros “Tenten” Torrevillas Antonio, and Osias Antonio, who reside in Gingoog City. Tenten is the city’s health education and promotion officer, and Tony is a kagawad at Barangay 22.

Congratulations, JR, Tony and Tenten. I hope to enjoy a feast prepared by my good-looking nephew — soon.

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