Since time immemorial, the country we now proudly call the Republic of the Philippines has always been an archipelagic territory composed of more than 7,000 islands and geographically divided into Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. In fact, these three (3) geographical divisions are so emphatically represented in our national flag by the three (3) prominent stars around the blazing sun with eight (8) rays.
Mindanao, which has been so aptly labelled as the Land of Promise (presumably because a large portion of it has been, and still remains virgin and undeveloped) is the largest among the three prominent islands in the archipelago. It has been the home of what I would want to qualify as the most unadulterated original plain blood Filipinos, in that, even after a number of invaders have come and go to and out of the other parts of the country, not too many foreigners have been able to vanquish nor supplant the culture and livelihood, nor the way of life, including religious beliefs of the native Mindanaoans.
Nonetheless, for whatever historical or political reasons, it has been made to appear that the large island of Mindanao is developed and cultivated into the present extent of its "promises" not by the native Mindanaoans, but by transients from other localities in the Visayas and Luzon. What appears to be obtaining in the islands today is that majority of its resources, natural and human, belong not to the lumads or natives but by Cebuanos, Ilongos, Warays, Ilocanos, Tagalogs, etc. As a result, the natives who have always kept their Islam faith intact inspite of a number of religious attempts to convert, feel deprived of their ancestral domain. Hence, the continuing struggle to reacquire possession and ownership of the territory by the marginalized Muslims.
The MNLF and the MILF actually have the same primary objective, that of repossession of territory, although thru varying methodologies. One group calls it political autonomy, the other demands an expanded autonomy; another group wants federalism, one favors decentralization while still another ultimately calls for outright separation from the unitary state.
By whatever process or methodology, the territorial integrity and national sovereignty of the country is in a critical balance. The national government must assure the general public that the patrimony of the nation must not be unduly disturbed and no portion of the national territory shall be lost to whichever party or group, while at the same time alleviating the plight of some of our brother Muslims who continue to feel underprivileged and deprived. If only then shall always remain the Land of the Morning Sun, Pearl of the Orient Seas, the Philippine Islands, one of the most beautiful places of the world today.
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