At least 50 Moro and IPs in General Santos (GenSan) City conferred in the Tri-People Dialogue held on December 26, 12012 at the City Agricultural Office Training Center to discuss issues affecting the minority tribes in town. The gathering, which was hosted by the Office of the City Mayor - Office on Cultural Affairs (OCM-OCA) headed by Executive Assistant Raja Muda Alimudin G. Hassan, was attended by B’laan, Tausog, Maranao, Maguindanaon, and Sangir leaders. Hassan said the activity output will be presented to the local government and concerned agencies for possible action. Through a workshop, the participants were grouped according to tribe and discussed issues and concerns affecting them.
In the political aspect, the participants were amenable how difficult for them to get a seat in the City Council considering the huge cost for electoral campaign and being outnumbered by the majority settlers. Likewise most of the migrant Moros from Central Mindanao and Lanao Regions go back to their hometowns during election to support their respective candidates. The Moro participants urged the city government to provide them Muslim cemetery. They consider it as priority need especially for the Moro migrants residing in the city.
On education, the Moro participants were thankful for the assistance of the City Government of Gensan on the operation of weekend Madaris education through the OCC-OCM which provide Arabic literacy and Islamic Values to the young Muslims. They, however, seek more support from the city government for the improvement of Madaris facilities and provision of scholarship opportunities to both IP and Muslim youth. Marila Talon, IP Women Federation President, said their group lags behind in terms of education compared to Muslims and settlers in the city. She added that land conflict within their tribe which already claimed lives is their major concern on peace and order. The Moro tribes said they have been supportive to the city government in terms of community policing especially on holiday seasons.
On employment opportunities, they lamented discrimination against Muslim job seekers as the lingering issue. “Despite our children are college graduates and qualified for job, they are not hired and no one help us on this matter,” said Mike Domado, Vice-Chairman of Maranao Employees and Businessman Association. Domado is thankful for the city government for giving them opportunity to do business especially in the public market.
They also discussed the prospects of the Bangsamoro Government being worked by the government and MILF panels following the signing of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB). Speaking for the Maguindanaon group, Tong Salim said if the Moro people will show honest and good governance, Christians in Mindanao will seek inclusion in the Bangsamoro territory. The FAB states that the current ARMM plus some towns or villages in Lanao del Norte and North Cotabato constitute the Bangsamoro Territory that will have autonomous government.
Datu Elias Abdusalam, representing Tausog tribe, urged the local and national government to help the Moro in the city in the economic aspect especially in Halal industry. He said Malaysian businessmen have approached and informed him there is market for fresh fruits and other Halal products in Malaysia. Alimudin Hassan urged the participants to strengthen unity with other tribes in the city. He set another schedule to discuss how the Moro people in the city can produce Halal products for local and export markets with the help of concerned agencies.
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