COTABATO City– Peaceful resolution.
This is what education officials in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) are expecting to end what it described as inappropriate and a total disregard to the limitations of the Local Government Code and a deprivation of students’ rights.
Regional officials are optimistic of a peaceful closure to the enforcement by the Marawi City government of a month-long Ramadan vacation in schools.
ARMM Governor MujivHataman has directed his subordinates to hold a dialogue with Mayor Fahad Salic of Marawi City to come up with a “win-win” solution to the issue.
He believed the controversy can be resolved peacefully through diplomatic means.
Hataman directed Secretary Anwar Malang of the ARMM Department of Interior and Local Government to meet with Mayor Salic.
Classes in all public and private schools in Marawi City have been suspended since the start of fasting month based on a local ordinance the city government passed in 2007.
But education officials and legal experts questioned the ordinance, saying its validity and effect cannot be over a national entity, like the Department of Education (DepEd).
Last week, John Magno, Department of Education regional secretary, has directed education officials in Marawi City to resume classes during the fasting month. The directive fell on deaf ears as suspension of classes continue.
Previous ARMM executives never questioned the validity of the local ordinance.
Lawyer LaisaAlamia, ARMM executive secretary, said implementation of “Ramadhan vacation” ordinance has no concurrence from the regional government.
“Declaration of holidays requires the approval of the regional governor of ARMM for areas within the autonomous region, and the Office of the President,” Alamia told reporters.
Alamia stressed the Hataman administration wants the issue settled peacefully through legal and diplomatic means.
Muslims have been observing Ramadan since June 16 as a religious obligation.
During the entire time, Islamic faithful focus more on prayers and doing charity works but they still continue work. Ramadan is expected to culminate on June 17 which Malacanang declared a national holiday.
An Islamic preacher said no verse in the Qur’an which tells Muslim to go on a vacation during the fasting month. pna
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