HERNANDEZ: Where are the Mindanawons in GMA’s SONA?

ANAK MINDANAO Party-List Representative Ariel C. Hernandez expressed disappointment for not hearing more of the President’s statement on Mindanao, in as much as he also wanted to appreciate the recently delivered SONA of President Arroyo and the accomplishments mentioned in it.

“I was waiting for her to mention clear statements that concern Mindanao and how her administration also invested in Mindanao, as it should have been reflected in her total budget. Rather, I heard vague statistics,” uttered Hernandez, who expected much from the President’s supposed-to-be last SONA. “Meanwhile, she alloted so much of her time stating most of her Manila-centered achievements and criticisms against her detractors,” he added.

“I was hoping for her to talk more about her clear road map of the peace talks in Mindanao. When will the talks resume? How will the communities affected be involved and their issues be considered? What are the direct programs that her administration can implement to speed up the resolution of local conflicts and lessen violence? What are the mechanisms to be placed for the welfare of the growing number of internally displaced persons (IDPs)?” Hernandez said.

“We in Mindanao were waiting for her to articulate these concerns. Meanwhile, clashes and tensions between the military and revolutionary groups are continuing, massive displacements of civilians continue to rise. The DSWD reported that as of mid-July, 430,000 persons already left their homes in search of safer shelter. To our dismay, there were no plans how to answer these concerns mentioned by GMA except that of her wish, that “There is nothing more that I would wish for than peace in Mindanao.’”

Hernandez also pointed out that GMA never mentioned anything on the pressing situations of Mindanawon workers most particularly in Sabah, Malaysia. Many, if not all of them, are undocumented, he noted. About 400 workers per week are reportedly experiencing harsh deportation procedures. “Deportees are on the rise, reaching to almost half a million and they have awful, if not horrific, stories of their working conditions, and of their lives while in exile. I didn’t hear her stand on this issue. Now, how can I believe her pronouncements that she really cares?” Hernandez recently attended the committee hearing on the situation of the deportees from Sabah and he is now zealously monitoring migration issue at large.

The joint session of Congress in the House of Representatives last Monday has been the new Mindanawon solon’s closest encounter with President Arroyo since he sat in the House in April 27, 2009. Though his expectations were not met, Hernandez is still hopeful that the Arroyo administration will do more in the remaining months of her term. He further expressed the willingness of ANAK MINDANAO, the party-list he represents with Mujiv Hataman in the House of Representatives, to engage in a critical collaboration with the GMA administration despite her vague stand on Mindanao’s pressing issues.

Hernandez has vowed to do his part, too. Balay Mindanaw and the Katilingbanong Pamahandi sa Mindanaw, the two foundations he is also a part of, along with partners in the civil society organizations and local government units, are very determined to respond to Mindanao issues. This young solon is taking his little time left in office as an opportunity to serve the voiceless people, to act on the critical issues concerning Mindanawons and to work on his priority bill -- establishing the Peace in Mindanao Academy (PMA) now filed as House Bill No. 6624.