This article originally appeared in the Mindanao Cross issue of May 10, 2014.

“If we want to change the world, we have to begin by changing ourselves” – Dalai Lama. This should be the banner carried by those who are pushing for the transformation of the ARMM into a truly Bangsamoro Entity. As many peace advocates hope, this should take place, at this sensitive stage, especially since every nation in this world is looking forward to the GPH-MILF Peace Process as a model of resolving conflict. With the process nearly in completion, the transformation should already be taking place. 

(Image: Editorial cartoon by Mindanao Cross)

Do we have misgivings on the change factors? Observations show that many of us are aware of what should be changed, and what should be retained. However, the long years of carrying negative values seem to make it the “mode”, so that people talk about these negative values as if these cannot be changed. When officials of the ARMM government are asked about the slow pace of reforms in its bureaucracy, they can mention so many shady and dishonest practices which prevent their effective implementation of reforms. These stories are told over and over, until these become a convenient excuse for the poor performance of the institution. The ARMM is not really a failed experiment. It only lacked the transformation that should have taken place. Put in the needed safeguards in the process of governance and it will sail effectively. The process of management includes monitoring and evaluation, which are sorely missing. Even slogans like “transparency” cannot be put in place if there is no review of the process followed. Hopefully, this will be a learning experience for the Bangsamoro entity that will take over the ARMM. 

It reminds us of the stories that drivers of vehicles go through when plying the streets of Cotabato City. Drivers of Cotabato City park anywhere, disregard road safety signs, challenge traffic management personnel. Do they do this in Davao City? Surprisingly no! They are like meek lambs when in another place. However, sociologists would explain the phenomenon of Cotabato City as a stage of transition. In every urban area, there is always a place where folks from the rural areas learn the ropes of urban living. Thus cities like Cotabato, Kidapawan, Tacurong, Koronadal, and General Santos have areas where the rural migrant stay (usually within the safety of relatives and friends) as they adjust to the new environment. For many, the transformation is short, while others have a longer process, complicated by negative factors like illiteracy, illegal drugs, disease and guns. With the transition to the Bangsamoro, expect a higher incidence of migration from the rural to the urban areas. The Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro has given a ray of hope to the poor living in the rural areas. Many of them would move to the urban areas carrying the expectations that life would be better. Hopefully their understanding of the provisions of the CAB will be clear and accurate, otherwise this region will see another round of unpeacefulness of conflict brought about by – unexpectedly – the product of a peace agreement.

In all probability, transformation cannot be forced on persons who are already adults. When a child reaches the age of 7, his or her values are already set. This is the reason why educators want the Kindergarten level to be also open to the teaching of Islamic values in the proposed educational system. This will lead to the formation of children who are steeped in the proper values that will be with them as they face this challenging world. 

Eva Kimpo-Tan is the editor-in-chief of The Mindanao Cross, the oldest Catholic weekly in the southern Philippines.