‘Dear P-Noy’ tells of Mindanao kids’ hopes

ILIGAN CITY, City – In a 300-word letter written in Filipino, Julie Kristine A. De Guzman of Tagum City told President Benigno Aquino III: “Sana’y magkaroon ng ngiti sa bawat labi ng (mga) taga-Mindanao ngayon at bukas (I wish there will be a smile on the lips of Mindanaoans today and tomorrow).”

“Sa pagkakaluklok mo sa pinakamataas na posisyon sa bansa, nasa iyo ang aking tiwala (With your assumption to the highest position in the land, I rest my trust in you),” De Guzman, a 16-year old student of the University of the Philippines in Mindanao, wrote Aquino.

De Guzman’s letter will be among five written by young Mindanaoans to the country’s chief executive that will be presented to Aquino Saturday.

The letters, written in the course of a contest, embody the Mindanao youth’s “thoughts and aspirations for the land of their birth” that the Aquino administration can help fulfill.

Largely, the 20 letters chosen as finalists are a wish-list for Mindanao to attain a significant level of development in basic infrastructure facilities to boost trade and tourism.

The letter-writers asked Aquino to give the island’s needs greater attention in terms of policy and resources “so that we will no longer be left behind” the rest of the country in terms of access to social services like education and health.

Another constant theme of the messages concerned the longing to transform the animosity that often marks social relations among the island’s various ethnic and religious communities.

“I feel very sad to think that Filipinos are fighting and killing each other just to bring peace in our land,” 18-year old Teresa Carmela Cruz said in her letter.

The concern for maintaining peace and order also occupies the thoughts of the young Mindanaoans.

“I dream that one day, I would be walking confidently to school without having to worry if a bomb might blow (up) somewhere near me… I dream that one day, no media practitioner will die for voicing out the truth,” wrote 17-year old Mikaela Joyce C. Somera.

Somera further hoped “that one day, every politician would find in their hearts the true essence of public service.”

“Hindi ka man si Superman o Batman, sana’y magkaisa tayong suportahan ang pagbabago alang-alang sa bayan. Hindi man biglaan ang pagbabago, sana’y makapagsimula tayo (You may not be Superman or Batman, but I hope we unite to support reforms for the sake of the country. While change may not be immediately, may we start now),” De Guzman wrote Aquino.

De Guzman’s letter topped the contest organized by the nongovernmental youth organization, Voice of Mindanao, to mark its third year anniversary Friday.

The ‘Dear P-Noy’ letter-writing contest launched August 1 in Zamboanga City, the first death anniversary of former president Corazon Aquino, the incumbent’s mother, was open to Filipinos 11 to 18 years old who are residents of Mindanao, whether studying or out-of-school.

The contest was undertaken in partnership with the People Power Volunteers Center.

Aquino’s sister, Victoria Aquino-Dee, who is with the People Power Volunteers, chaired the board of judges.

Voice of Mindanao president Frances Ramos said the contest was launched so that young writers would “appreciate once more letter-writing as… one way of communicating peace.”

The Voice of Mindanao undertakes peace advocacy activities and encourages the youth to express their thoughts regarding the all-important question of attaining peace.

It operates under the guidance of the Zamboanga city-based Mein College Language Center. (RD Rosauro)