Go back to the ancient path

Arnold Garbanzos
Conclusion

ILIGAN City–The Lanaos, as a combined province, possess one quality not found in other areas of the country. It is known as the “63/52 percent principle” and is largely due to the hydro-power potential of the province. Sixty-three percent of Mindanao is empowered by Lanao; Mindanao, in return, contributes to 52 percent to the GDP of this nation which would have not been made possible if not for the waters of Lanao up in the Islamic City of Marawi. In effect, Marawi blesses this nation tremendously due to its hydro-power resources.  Question: What blessing has this nation given to Marawi and Lanao in return? Are we given premiums? Royalties? Honor? Distinction? Special awards for having contributed so much to this nation? The Maranao Igma ago Taritib operates by honor and achievement. If they are not honored for having done so much — then you have destroyed the value system of the tribe.

By nature and by tradition, the Maranao tribe is federal in set-up unlike the Tausugs of Sulu and the Maguindanaoans of Maguindanao who are both unitary. To be a federal tribe in a unitary government is like a square peg in a round hole. It is for this reason that Lanao was the only province in the entire country which did not sign the 1935 Constitution — we wanted a federal government from the very beginning.  It is no wonder that the “all-out war” of Estrada was declared in Lanao, specifically in Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte. Lanao is the No. 1 conflict area in Mindanao and if left unattended due to the ignorance of central government to the Igma ago Taritib of the Maranaos, then truly we have created our own monster out of the Maranao tribe.

By not listening to the ways of the tribe, our nation has practically created its own “monster.” By insisting on our western/American ways, we have discombobulated the tribe or driven them to confusion and error. The best solution is to go back to the ancient path and learn the ways of the tribe.

Federalism, in this context, is a good move since it breeds human dignity, respect for tradition and subsidiarity.

Allow me to quote a passage in a well-written article way back in 2007 entitled “Igma ago Taritib: Cherished or Perished.” A part of it reads:

‘‘Taritib ago Igma constitutes the identity of a Maranao different from other ethnic groups. Discarding or neglecting it would mean losing our own identity. And the worst part of it is we, Maranaos, are the major players of the menace.

And if Allah (swt) will not intervene, we will just wake up one day and see that Ranao is no longer the homeland of the brave and civilized Maranaos, no longer the last frontier if Islam in the country. One day, we will wake up in the land dominated by new occupants with an alien way of life, and new hypocrites professing a corrupt Islamic ideology with a warped cultural identity. What a painful thing it is to see that our children will come to a point that they will  be asking their parents: Are we American? Are we Pakistan? Are we Arabian? Or Korean? What a doom! Indeed, Allah (swt) forbids!”

And this was written 10 years ago.  How aptly the writer wrote this piece as a warning to the tribe and the nation.

If we, as a nation, highly honor Japanese society and their Bushido Code, should not we do the same for our Maranao brothers? If we feel that destroying the time-honored Bushido Code is wrong, should not we feel the same way if we treat the Maranaos Igma ago Taritib as trash?

For a nation like the Philippines which does not have an honor code or a centuries-old structured society, should we blame the Maranaos for having one?

My advice to the presidential advisers of the President is, follow the ancient path. It’s our way out of trouble.

Congress should also deliberate and be more serious on the draft BBL. It is the first move towards federalism. There is no rocket science to this. It has been proven effective in the US, Germany and Malaysia. Most important of all, put yourselves in the shoes of the Bangsamoro. Understand their ways and their traditions. Respect them and I will assure you this nation will be flying high and end all this trouble in Marawi and the Bangsamoro, a move which has never been achieved by the Spaniards, the Americans and the Japanese and all our foreign invaders for five centuries.  It will be a crowning achievement of the 17th Congress and the Duterte administration.

Respect the tribe, honor tradition, go back to the ancient path or ways, and you will never go wrong.