Retrospect
By Carlos Isagani T. Zarate

DURING a trip to my hometown of General Santos City for the traditional family gathering on Christmas Eve, telltale signs of the election season were unmistakably everywhere.

The two-and-half-hour trip from Davao City to the country's "tuna capital," can never be boring as one counts and mentally records the expensive posters of politicians, ostensibly extending to the populace good tidings for the season, that are unabashedly hung from almost every street lamppost. Next to the posters, the second very common campaign device is the glossy calendar, particularly pocket-sized ones, which supporters distribute in bus terminals and eateries that dot the highway.

But mostly, these obvious early campaigning receive some apathetic response from people, who would rather wish, I suppose, that the poster or calendar be instead converted to cash and distributed to them.

Indeed, for many who celebrated Christmas the general feeling was, it is enough "na nakaraos din," aptly reflecting their resignation to the current state of our economy.

While it is not surprising for these politicians to maximize every opportunity available to score "pa-pogi and pa-guapa" points with the people, one can only desire that they do this with some finesse and delicadeza. For example, during the traditional Misa de Gallo and during the Christmas Day Masses, politicos who in the past years shied away from being seen in public were suddenly visible, waving to each and everyone, while smiling from ear to ear. Yet the most repulsive among these lot are those who cannot resist the temptation of advertising their names even in the face of grave tragedies, like those in Southern Leyte and other parts of Visayas and Mindanao. Donated bags of goodies were plastered with the names of these politicos.

To these trapos, we can only say: Tama na! Sobra na! Palitan na!

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In retrospect, the year 2003 is but a continuing saga of unfulfilled promises for Mindanao. For one, the long-sought and peaceful resolution to the rebellion on the island is still very elusive. The stalled peace talks between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) seem to have failed to take off. Endless charges and counter-charges apparently hamstring both panels. Despite repeated rebel denials, the government keeps on blaming the MILF of having links, directly or otherwise, with terrorists and bandit groups, like the Pentagon kidnap group and Jemaah Islamiyah. On the other hand, the MILF is charging the government of being controlled by hawks who will not settle for anything less than the total surrender and capitulation of the rebel group. It is not surprising then that many ordinary people affected by the conflict in Mindanao are already questioning the sincerity of both the government and the MILF in really forging a political and peaceful solution to the conflict.

Meanwhile, it seems that there will no longer be any reopening of talks between the government and the communist-led National Democratic Front (NDF). The NDF apparently is more likely to await the results of the next elections rather than negotiate with the administration that has worked hard to have some of its member organizations-the CPP and NPA-branded as "terrorist organizations" in the world community.

On the other hand, the way Mindanao became the so-called front in the "international war on terrorism" promoted by George W. Bush, is, for many peace advocates, lamentable. Like the occupation forces now stationed in Iraq, US forces have never left the island since the start of the "war games" in Basilan. The "visiting" US forces are seen everywhere: in Western Mindanao, Davao Region, Socsargen area and Central Mindanao.

On top of this, Mindanao also became the arena of deadly bombings in 2003, the most deadly being the twin bombings of the Davao International Airport and the Sasa Wharf. The government created the Maniwang Commission to investigate the bombings, following the accusation of Magdalo soldiers that it was a covert government operation to sabotage the peace process. A church and civil society group in the meantime created the Truth Commission that also conducted its own separate and parallel investigation. Yet, up to now, the only thing clear is that the bombings were staged systematically to justify a scenario for whatever political purpose certain groups have in Mindanao.

The "anti-terrorism" mode sweeping over Mindanao has also resulted in many cases of forced displacement, disappearances, illegal arrests and summary executions of people suspected as "terrorists" or sympathizers. Sadly, these stories, unlike the sensational cases that happened in Manila, hardly got the attention, if they were not ignored completely, both by the mainstream media and the authorities.

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Last December 20, the 14th eaglet bred in captivity was hatched by the Philippine Eagle Foundation at its breeding center located in the watershed area of Malagos, Calinan, Davao City. The yet-to-be-named eaglet, weighing 123 grams, is the eighth offspring of the prolific natural mates Jag and Ka Brianne. Their seventh was hatched on January 6, 2003. The "birth" of this new eaglet may usher hope and pry our eyes open not only to the wisdom of conserving the near extinct Philippine eagle (Pithecopaga jefferyi), but also conserving our remaining natural resources.

To our readers, may we have a liberating 2004 and beyond!

Comments to karlos_z23@hotmail.com or kar_laws@yahoo.com