QUALITY EDUCATION AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL

30TH NATIONAL QUR’AN READING COMPETITION at the Davao Convention Center, 29 August 2004

MAPIYA MAPITA SA LAKANO LANGON! (MAGANDANG UMAGA SA LAHAT!)

DEPUTY SPEAKER FOR MINDANAO GERRY SALAPUDDIN, HONORABLE MAYOR RODRIGO R. DUTERTE, CONGRESSMAN SIMEON DATUMANONG, PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER ON THE PEACE PROCESS TERESITA QUINTOS-DELES, MEDCO CHAIRMAN JESUS G. DUREZA, MEMBERS OF THE MUSLIM DIPLOMATIC CORPS, HER EXCELLENCY AMBASSADOR HAJAH MAIMUNAH DATO PADUKA HAJI ELIAS OF THE EMBASSY OF BRUNEI DARUSSALAM, HIS EXCELLENCY AMBASSADOR MOHAMMED AMEEN MOHAMMED WALI OF THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA, CHARGE D’ AFFAIRES MR. ALEXANDER LATURIUW OF THE EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA, OFFICE ON MUSLIM AFFAIRS UNDERSECRETARY DATU ZAMZAMIN L. AMPATUAN, INDONESIAN CONSUL GENERAL MR. H. IKON MOCHAMAD ENTJENG, MALAYSIAN CONSUL GENERAL MR. MOKTHAR MOHAMMAD, MEMBERS OF THE MUSLIM RELIGIOUS SECTOR, FELLOW GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, GUESTS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

SPEAKING ON THE CULTURAL AND SOCIAL CONCERNS OF THE MUSLIM FILIPINOS IS NOT NEW FOR I AM A MUSLIM BY MARRIAGE. I SHARE YOUR DREAMS, TRIUMPHS, GOALS AND VISION OF THE FUTURE FOR THE INTEREST AND WELFARE OF OUR PEOPLE.

DURING MY SHORT STINT AS A SENATOR AND TO SHOW MY WHOLE HEART CONCERN FOR OUR BROTHER MUSLIMS I FILED SENATE BILL 2061 “STRENGTHENING THE BUREAU OF PILGRIMAGE AND ENDOWMENT UNDER THE OFFICE OF MUSLIM AFFAIRS” TO FURTHER IMPROVE ITS MANDATE TO PRESERVE AND DEVELOP THE CULTURE, TRADITIONS, INSTITUTIONS AND WELL-BEING OF MUSLIM FILIPINOS.

AS I PONDER ON THE CONDITIONS CONFRONTING OUR COUNTRY TODAY, AN ARTICLE ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP OF SOCIETY AND RELIGION WRITTEN BY A YOUNG STUDENT FROM ANNIE WRIGHT SCHOOL, WHICH I HAVE READ FEW MONTHS AGO, CAME ACROSS MY MIND. THE WRITER IS RIGHT WHEN SHE SAID THAT RELIGION AND SOCIETY ARE INTRICATELY INTERCONNECTED AND CODEPENDENT, THOUGH THEY ARE COMMONLY VIEWED BY MANY AS COMPLETELY SEPARATE ENTITIES. IN REALITY, RELIGION AFFECTS MANY AREAS SUCH AS POLITICS, ECONOMICS, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL VALUES AND BELIEFS.

IT IS IN THIS LIGHT THAT OUR GOVERNMENT CONTINUOUSLY STRENGTHENS THE OFFICE ON MUSLIM AFFAIRS (OMA) TO ADDRESS THE SOCIO-CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC CONCERNS OF THE MUSLIM FILIPINOS AND ATTAIN A STABLE AND PROSPEROUS MUSLIM COMMUNITIES. FOR THE MUSLIM COMMUNITIES ARE INTEGRAL PART OF DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRESS.

OUR GOVERNMENT’S CONCERN ON THE WELFARE OF MUSLIM BROTHERS IS EVIDENT IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE OFFICE OF MUSLIM AFFAIRS (OMA) THROUGH EXECUTIVE ORDER 122-A IN 1987 BUT EVEN PRIOR TO THAT DATE SEVERAL OFFICES ON MUSLIM AFFAIRS HAVE ALREADY EXISTED – THE COMMISSION ON NATIONAL INTEGRATION, THE PHILIPPINE OFFICE OF PILGRIMAGE AUTHORITY (PHILPA), THE COMMISSION ON MUSLIM AFFAIRS, AND THE OFFICE OF MUSLIM AFFAIRS AND CULTURAL COMMUNITIES (OMACC).

EXECUTIVE ORDER 122-A, AS AMENDED, PROVIDES AN INSTRUMENTALITY WHOSE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE IS NOT LIMITED BUT NATIONAL IN SCOPE, WHOSE FUNCTION IS NOT NARROW BUT WIDER AND WHOSE MANDATE AND RESPONSIBILITY IS MORE THAN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SOCIO-CULTURAL RELATED UNDERTAKINGS, DEVELOPMENT AND ENHANCEMENT OF MUSLIM CULTURAL HERITAGE. THE OMA ALSO ADVOCATES THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A LASTING PEACE, ORDER AND STABILITY THROUGHOUT THIS COUNTRY. IN FACT, THE REHABILITATION OF REBEL RETURNEES WHICH IS ONE OF THIS OFFICE’S MAJOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS IS AN ESSENTIAL RESPONSE TO OUR GOVERNMENT’S SINCERE EFFORT TO RESTORE PEACE AND SECURITY BY HEALING THE PREVAILING CONFLICT IN MINDANAO.

I THINK, THIS IS THE OPPORTUNE TIME FOR ME TO TALK ABOUT THE ISLAMIST EXTREMISM WHICH HAS UNDERMINED THE COUNTRY’S POLICIES AND PROJECTS BOTH IN THE LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL LEVEL. BECAUSE, TODAY’S EVENT, THE QUR’AN READING, IS IMPORTANT IN RE-EXAMINING OUR INNER SELVES. THIS COMPETITION WILL SERVE AS A MEDIUM THROUGH WHICH OUR PEOPLE REFRESH THEMSELVES WITH THE WORDS OF ALLAH AS WRITTEN.

THE QUR’AN SERVES AS A MANUAL OF PRAYER, CODE OF RELIGIOUS ETHICAL WELL-BEING AND A GUIDE TO SOCIAL BEHAVIOR AND DAILY LIVING. QURANIC PRESCRIPTIONS PROVIDE THE BASIS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF ISLAMIC LAW AND ISLAM IS A BLUEPRINT FOR MUSLIM CULTURE. I BELIEVE THAT MUSLIMS BY DEED ARE GOOD, BY WILL ARE RIGHTEOUS AND BY BLOOD ARE UNCONQUERED AND INCOMPARABLE. THE MESSAGE OF QUR’AN IS TO REFORM NOT TO REVOLT. IF JUST ALL OF OUR MUSLIM FILIPINO BROTHERS WOULD ADHERE TO THE TRUEST ESSENCE OF THE TEACHINGS OF QURAN, THEN IT IS POSSIBLE TO PUT AN END TO ISLAMIC EXTREMISM AND INSTILL WITHIN OURSELVES THE “SAKINAH”, THE INNER CALM AND TRANQUILITY.

ON THIS ISSUE, I TAKE MY STANCE ON STRENGTHENING OUR DEMOCRATIC PROCESS AS AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT IN ADDRESSING THE CAUSES OF REBELLION AND CONFLICT ESPECIALLY IN THE COUNTRYSIDE. IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO INSTITUTE GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS CONSISTENT WITH ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY.

BECAUSE OF OUR GOVERNMENT’S CONFIDENCE THAT OMA, AS PART OF THE PHILIPPINE BUREAUCRACY IS OUR VITAL PARTNER TO ATTAIN REFORMS, WE GIVE AN INCREASING SUPPORT TO ITS THRUSTS.

THE PRESIDENT’S CONCERN ON THE WELFARE OF THE MUSLIM FILIPINOS IS MANIFESTED ON THE CORE OF HER PROGRAM, THE “MINDANAO NATIN” PROGRAM. IN FACT, PRESIDENT ARROYO HAS ALLOCATED MORE THAN P10 MILLION PESOS FOR THIS YEAR’S PILGRIMAGE. MOREOVER, HER CONFIDENCE ON THE COMPETENCE AND PROFESSIONALISM OF MUSLIMS PAVES THE WAY FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF A MUSLIM CABINET MEMBER, SIMEON DATUMANONG, THE PRESENT CONGRESSMAN OF THE 2ND DISTRICT OF MAGUINDANAO. THIS PROVIDES AN EQUAL REPRESENTATION OF THE MUSLIM FILIPINOS IN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH.

ON THE OTHER HAND, THE OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT TOGETHER WITH OMA ARE PUSHING FOR THE PROPOSAL TO HAVE A SHARI’AH DISTRICT IN METRO MANILA. THROUGH THIS, THE PROBLEM OF OUR MUSLIM FILIPINO BROTHERS WHO RESIDE WITHIN THE NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION WILL BE EASED. IT WILL NO LONGER REQUIRE THEM TO GO TO FAR PLACES LIKE TAWI-TAWI, SULU AND BASILAN TO SECURE DOCUMENTS NEEDING THE SANCTION OF SHARI’AH COURTS.

HOWEVER, OUR GOVERNMENT’S BEST EFFORT TO STREGHTEN OMA IS NOT ENOUGH. I STILL PLEAD FOR THE SUPPORT OF OUR MUSLIM LEGISLATORS, LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND OTHER CONCERNED PERSONALITIES IN THE MUSLIM SECTOR, TO EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS THE PLIGHT OF OUR PEOPLE.

FOR THE COMING 2005 PILGRIMAGE PROGRAM, WE ARE PRAYING OF ITS SUCCESS, GIVEN THE UNCONDITIONAL SUPPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND OTHER CONCERNED GOVERNMENT OFFICES AND THE ROYAL SAUDI EMBASSY.

IN TODAY’S OCCASSION, WE COMMEND THE LAUDABLE EFFORT OF THE OMA LEADERSHIP HEADED BY DATU ZAMZAMIN L. AMPATUAN TO COME-OUT WITH THE BEST OF THE BEST QUR’AN READER COMPETITORS. THIS ENDEAVOR HAS MADE IMPRESSIVE RECORDS AND HAS EARNED LAURELS FOR OUR COUNTRY. WE HOPE THAT OUR WINNERS IN THIS YEAR WILL BE ABLE TO KEEP HOLDING THE THRONE OF SUCCESS IN THIS LINE OF COMPETITION.

ALLOW ME TO END MY SPEECH WITH A VERSE FROM QUR’AN WHICH SAYS: “ CONVEY (UNTO OTHERS) WHATEVER OF THIS BOOK HAS BEEN REVEALED TO YOU AND BE CONSISTENT AND CONSTANT IN PRAYERS: FOR, BEHOLD, PRAYER RESTRAINS FROM INDECENT DEEDS AND PROHIBITED ACTIONS; REMEMBRANCE OF ALLAH IS INDEED THE GREATEST VIRTUE. AND ALLAH KNOWS WELL ALL THAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO.”- QUR’AN, 29:45.

IN THIS COMPETITION, OUR TASK DOES NOT MERELY END IN READING THE QUR’AN BUT CONVEYING TO OTHERS WHAT HAS BEEN WRITTEN AND LIVING IN THE LIGHT OF ITS MESSAGE.

MARAMING SALAMAT AT ASSALAMU ALAIKUM WARAHMATTULLAHI WABARAKATUH! ( THANK YOU AND MAY PEACE AND BLESSINGS OF ALLAH BE UPON YOU ALL! )

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