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MINDANAO is known as the land of promise because of its rich biodiversity and natural resources. The land holds an incredible wealth from nature, but also has dark moments of truth. As observed, every traveller who wants to explore Mindanao would ask about safety.Feb 6, 2016
MINDANAO is known as the land of promise because of its rich biodiversity and natural resources. The land holds an incredible wealth from nature, but also has dark moments of truth.
As observed, every traveller who wants to explore Mindanao would ask about safety. And Mindanao cannot hide the truth from them.
Wrangling, religious overtones, clan wars, kidnapping, piracy, political dynasties, resentments, corruption, poverty, regular clashes, and killings are some of the worst scenes in Mindanao.
Along with this is the case of hunger. According to a survey done by Social Weather Stations, Mindanao has the highest incidence of 23 percent.
Cited in Laura Thompson’s blog, there are roughly 18 million people in Mindanao. The majority of the population is non-indigenous, but the population also includes 3.6 million indigenous peoples (of 18 tribes) and 1.4 million Moro peoples (of 13 tribes).
They live in a land that is rich with agriculture (banana, pineapple, cacao, coffee and rubber), sea products, minerals (copper and gold) and energy products (natural gas and oil). Yet, 60% percent of the entire population lives below the poverty line and nearly a third of the population battle with hunger on a daily basis.
Large mining companies and corporations such as Del Monte and Dole consume the “Land of Promise” and leave in their place a country battling pollution, workers rights and displacement. Added to the problem is that of the role of the Philippine government, which promotes the growth of foreign interests while stifling the cries of its own oppressed peoples. Willy Brandt, a former German Chancellor and one of the architects of “realpolitik” in Europe, once said "While hunger rules, peace cannot prevail."
Cited in an article written by Jenina Joy Chavez, Mary Ann Manahan and Joseph Purugganan, Mindanao is the poorest island. Four of the five poorest regions and six of the poorest provinces in the Philippines are in Mindanao, including all four provinces in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao where more than half of households live in poverty.
Mindanao’s problem can be rooted from many reasons. One of this is the long-term marginalization of Mindanao from the national development policy. There is no complete guidance made by the national government to Mindanao’s agriculture since access to land is difficult. Insurgency also is another reason why poverty and violence dominated the region
