The year 2009 was really a bad year for the Philippines. There were Ondoy and Pepeng typhoons that wreak havoc to the country with many lives lost and properties damaged. And then there’s the Ampatuan massacre which put the country in a negative light. It’s been bad news after the other. The good news, we Pinoys are very resilient. We’re capable of weathering and surviving any bad situation. Our faith in God, our humor and our families are what keep us afloat all these years and no amount of disaster, natural or man-made will make us give up on life. We are fun-loving people and one of the happiest in the world. Happy new year everyone! May this 2010 bring peace, love and prosperity to us all!

For Catholics here in the Philippines, we look forward to the pre-dawn masses which is celebrated starting today up to Christmas. The tradition of Simbang Gabi or Misa de Gallo began in Spanish times, when farm workers wanted to have Mass very early before they go to work. It is said that if you complete the the nine novena masses,  your wish will be granted. However, clergies remind us that let’s not make Simbang Gabi into a “wishing well” because it is a thanksgiving mass.

What’s nice about Simbang Gabi is that the whole family often go to church together. I think this is one of our Filipino traditions which we should continue to practice. Wherever you are in the Philippines, in the city or in the province, Simbang Gabi is something we all look forward to. After the mass, there’s usually the steaming hot bibingka for you to enjoy. I have never completed the Simbang Gabi thus I admire those who diligently attend the mass and complete the nine mornings.

Faith is what helps us Filipinos overcome the different challenges we have in life. Christmas is always looked forward to as a season of giving. We have proven time and again the greatness of the Filipino heart. We are capable of giving so much love that even if we don’t have much, we give to our countrymen during times of needs as we have shown during Ondoy Typhoon. If only we can be like this the whole year round.

This year has been very challenging for us all. Let’s forget about commercialism and contemplate on the reason why we are celebrating this season. It’s the birth of Jesus Christ, our savior. All the glory and honor are His.

Last December 2, 2009 was the first time I set foot on Mindanao soil. Even though Davao City is far from Maguindanao where the Ampatuan Massacre happened, I was still a little apprehensive.  I did not tell my parents that I will be going there for a business trip lest they’d be worried.

I did not have enough time to see much of the city but from what I can observe, it was relatively peaceful. It’s really a big city, the largest in the country in terms of land area. It’s a  bustling metropolitan and a melting pot of culture as well. There are Ilonggos who have also made Davao City their home. In all the firms we visited in Davao, we meet an Ilonggo which means there are also a lot of them here.

Sweet Pineapples

Mindanao seldom experiences typhoons thus it is ideal for growing crops. Dole and Del Monte have vast plantations of pineapples and bananas in Mindanao and mostly on lands under Agrarian Reform. The multinational companies rent the land from the CARP beneficiaries who also work in these companies. Most of the fruits are for export thus strict quality are observed. Those which cannot pass the size and weight requirement are considered surplus which are then sold in the local market. As it is, there are more products available than the local market can consume. The enterprising Davaoenos thought of adding value to the surplus pineapple by processing them into jam.

The pineapples used by DAVECOs ARB in Calinan are from DAVCO which is owned by the Floirendos. We were traveling for almost an hour without traffic and yet we;re still in Davao City.  Unlike in Negros Occidental, in less than 30 minutes travel, you’re already in another city. The coop officers were very accommodating and even gave us a box of pineapple jam. There we met an Ilongga from Pontevedra, Negros Occidental who made Davao her home for more than 15 years. She was cooking pineapple jam when we arrived thus I wasn’t able to talk to her more. I always felt a kind of kinship towars fellow Ilonggos I met in other places so at every chance I get, I talked to them about their past life and their life in their new home.

The King

It’s either you love it or you hate it. The King of All Fruits is hell to others and heaven to some. It so happen that I love durian so I had a grand time having my fill of durian. While some people cannot tolerate the smell, I find the smell of durian sweet. We also have durian in Negros Occidental  courtesy of ECJ Farms owned by Danding Cojuanco, Jr. but you haven’t been to Davao if you haven’t eaten durian so I indulged.

Processed durian is also a promising product which Davao has a competitive advantage. We visited Rosario’s, a relateively new enterprise but already won several awards in entrepreneurship. They process durian into jam and candy and also sells fresh and frozen durian. The durian they used is from the farm owned by the family. The patriarch Severino Belviz is an award winning farmer-scientist who has also developed his own variety of durian, the duyaya.

We were fortunate to meet Mr. Belviz and we learned from him that he is actually from Talisay City, Negros Occidental. His family migrated to Mindanao when he was just 15 years old. Every few years he visits his relative in Negros. What was also very inspiring about him is his humility. He could have named his durian variety after himbut he didn’t want that. Duyaya is from “durian” and “biyaya” because durian has been a blessing for his family. Mr. Belviz is not an agriculture graduate but learned through experience. When he learned we’re from Negros he said Negros has so much potential in agriculture if only people know how to harness them. He could be a very good mentor in agribusiness. Too bad I don’t own a farm.

Going Bananas

We also went to Davao del Norte where we visited a producer of banana flour. . Also an ARB cooperative, AMSEFFPCO in Kapalong, Davao del Norte produces banana flour from the banana surplus from DOLE Philippines.

Bananas is to Davao del Norte as sugarcane is to Negros. Anywhere you look there’s a banana plantation. The coop buys its banana raw materials from DOLE packing plants. Imagine, they buy Cavendish banana at a measly P0.20 per kilo. Even if these bananas are considered rejects, since they did not pass the required size for export, they may still of better quality than the ones you buy from the local market.

Of course we also met another Ilonggo at DOLE Philippines. This time, he is our ticket to go inside the facility. The manager was from Ajuy, Iloilo and he migrated to Mindanao during the 70s. When he learned that a group from Bacolod was visiting he cooperative whose bananas they are buying, he told the coop manager to have us meet him. We were flattered by the reception from a fellow Ilonggo. He must miss talking to an Ilonggo or just like me, felt a kinship towards a kababayan when in a “foreign” land.

It’s a waste that we do not have the freedom to enjoy other parts of Mindanao like what we can in Davao. Some people have made this paradise their kingdom and a hell for other people. I just hope someday we will all have the freedom to walk on Mindanao soil without having to fear for our lives.

“We can’t call him an animal because I have pets and they are tame. No, he is a monster. They are monsters,” Mangudadatu told reporters, referring to Ampatuan Jr. and his gunmen.

“My wife’s private parts were slashed four times, after which they fired a bullet into it. They speared both of her eyes, shot both her breasts, cut off her feet, fired into her mouth. I could not begin to describe the manner by which they treated her.”

How much of this can you take? It is so heartbreaking that every time I read this I feel like crying. It could have been our mother, sister, cousin, or us. As of this writing 57 bodies have already been accounted. Fifty seven defenseless women, civilians and journalist.

From hereon, know where Ampatuan is on the map of the Philippines so that you will not have the mistake of setting foot on it. At least not until all the warlords have been neutralized which I believe will not happen in our lifetime. Monsters roam freely in Ampatuan town. If you care for your life, never set foot on it. A place where journalists are not safe is not safe for anybody.

Howie Severino on Twitter said, “We need to start calling it the Ampatuan Massacre, because it occurred in the town the Ampatuans named after themselves. Spare Maguindanao.” I agree. Let the Ampatuan name be forever attached to the gruesome massacre.

It’s been four days already but the military is just starting to go after the suspects.  And the suspects they are going after are those who are accused of carrying out the massacre. These are some 100 scumbags and may have also include a number of policemen and military men. How many heads have rolled? I can recall only two PNP officials.

What about the mastermind? The way the government is handling the case is really disappointing. Go on GMA, coddle those monsters and God knows what will happen if all hell will break loose in Maguindanao. Prove once again how inutile the government is in cracking down these criminals. If no big time warlord will go to jail for this massacre, then God help us. Maguindanao will be a no man’s land.

Filipinos woke up today with a sad news that around 40 people were massacred yesterday in Maguindanao all in the name of politics. This is not the exact number but then, we are talking about human lives. Any number would not make the crime less gruesome. Whoever did this are barbarians. They raped the women and killed defenseless civilians and journalists. These people have no respect for the law and I doubt they even believe in God, regardless of what religion that may be.

This is really a dark day for us Filipinos, for press freedom and humanity. We should all condemn this crime and demand the government to extract justice. If the military claims they know who the brains behind this gruesome killings then there’s no reason why they cannot be made to pay for their crimes.

This is a litmus test of our democracy. If this crime will not be solved, then what is the government for?