view from the end of my finger

attended a bangsamoro youth consultation in one of my weekends in cotabato. as in most consutations, there was a lot of talk. a lot of positions and thoughts were shared to the less than 40 participants in foggy mornings, rainy afternoons and cold nights.

i participated with an observer status, having persuaded a good friend to get some seats in the consultation. thus, i promised myself that i would be listening and hearing what young moros have to say.

alas, nothing was quite new from what these brillant young moros are saying from the leaders that i have heard speak before. their ardent desire for self determination and self governance has always been in the forefront of their agenda.

however, towards the end of the consultation, the theme of the event: conversations, cooperation and collaboration, kept on singing a very familiar tone. it is hard to keep quiet when your heart is beating fast, your mind is racing to get some thoughts together forming into letters, syllables, words and finally an idea.

thus, i had to speak my playful mind. perhaps not written verbatim. but the heart of the matter is:

i just had to say -

the problems that the bangsamoro youth are similar to what young non-moros are experiencing. worse problems are being faced by young lumads. it is a pity, that in these problems the commonality of the mindanao youth is surfaced. it comes as a stumbling block to a bright future ahead. and yet the same problems present an opportunity to work together, come together, cooperate and collaborate.

maybe this consultation can help us, work with our commonalities, and triumph in our coming together. maybe, there is a way we can solve our problems. together or separately, it does not matter as long as we do. maybe, the future is not as bleak and as dark as our days.

maybe, just maybe.

i open the experiences of young people in our sanctuaries for peace for you brother moros. perhaps we can help you, in the same way you guys can help us.