JEDDAH, 23 January 2006 — Negotiations between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) set to be held in the coming months will end with success, according to a provincial governor.
“I’m sure the negotiations to be held in March-April will end on a successful note and bring peace to the autonomous region," Pax S. Mangudadatu, governor of Sultan Kudarat, told Arab news yesterday.
The autonomous region comprises the provinces of Sulu, Tawi Tawi, Basilan, and Lanao Del Sur.
“We’re about to sign a peace deal with MILF as 80 percent of the negotiations have been fruitful,” said Mangudadatu, who is the only Muslim on the government’s peace panel set up by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to negotiate with MILF, a 20,000 strong armed group.
There already exists a peace agreement with another group, the Moro National Liberation Front
“We’ve also included 613 villages from the neighboring five provinces for development but not for integration, as they don’t want to join us,” he said.
Mangudadatu, who returned back to the Philippines later in the day, headed a 43-member Haj goodwill mission and had meetings with Haj Ministry officials, including Ali ibn Yasin Abdul Majid, chairman of Mutawwif Establishment for Southeast Asian Pilgrims during his first annual pilgrimage.
In all 3,288 pilgrims performed the Haj from the Philippines whose population of 83 million includes an estimated eight million Muslims.
Mangudadatu, who is serving his third three-year term as provincial governor, said the fact that he heads a province with only 10 percent Muslims showed his popularity.
“The secret of my popularity and success is due to continuous service in an Islamic way that I provide to the poor and underprivileged people of the province. I provide them free houses, grains, and livelihood, all free of cost,” he said. “What appeals to the villagers is the fair treatment that I accord to everyone regardless of faith. Islamic leadership is my secret weapon and that’s why I’m successful even in Christian majority areas.”
He runs a mobile hospital with operating and lab facilities and a mobile clinic, which offer service to the villages free of cost.
“Even major surgical operations are free,” he said, adding that the vehicles are fully equipped with latest instruments and visit villages from Monday through Friday.
Mangundadatu, who addressed community meetings in Riyadh and Jeddah, said various problems that overseas foreign workers (OFWs) mentioned could be solved with proper understanding.
A majority of the problems were of women housemaids.
“I personally feel that there is urgent need for better training and orientation programs back home for potential migrant workers. They have to be made knowledgeable about the needs and lifestyles of the countries they want to go and work. Understand each other, pray, and be good. That’s the key to a problem-free life,” he added.
