Time to Dream & Ask Soul-Searching Questions
All of us must hold fast to dreams for when dreams die, life is just a broken-winged bird that cannot fly. It is great to have dreams for oneself; it is even greater and noble to have dreams for others, especially for people, planet, prosperity and peace in this broken but beautiful island of Mindanao. We must have dreams for our people so as not to become automatons in this highly consumerist and materialistic society. Let us therefore dream.
To dream that one day Mother Earth will not be killed anymore through the non-stop intensive use of coal and fossil fuel that has put the earth in the brink of extinction due to climate crisis. Nothing less than the survival of our planet and the sanctity of life are endangered because of the Homo sapiens’ domination over the earth. To dream that modern-day imperial powers will cease subjugating the earth especially weaker nations and allowing the super-rich corporations to exploit their natural resources through extractivism. To dream that development must be regenerative rather than extractivist based on ignorance, greed and no respect to the sanctity of life as civilization is being sacrificed for the opportunity of a very small number of people under the Regime of One Percent to continue making enormous profit.
To dream that one day the massive continuing transformation of the beautiful and blessed island of Mindanao into massive plantations to satisfy the consumerist needs for high value fruits of obese rich people in advanced countries should be stopped. When that happens, our watersheds/water-table will not be contaminated anymore of toxic chemicals that have caused cancer and the deformities of new born babies. To dream that our choicest of land should be used instead to produce basic staples like rice and milk for our hungry people especially the children, 85% of whom are malnourished. To dream to urgently stop the massive land grabbing of the ancestral domains of our Indigenous Peoples by the rich powerful oligarchs and Trans-National Corporations as the enrichment of a few means the displacement and impoverishment of the millions of IPs people now living in extreme poverty. SILA PO AY TAO HINDI BASURA!
To dream to stop the massive extra-judicial killings (EJKs) of the chieftains of the Indigenous peoples in Mindanao as 101 of them have already been killed since 2016 for resisting the massive and violent land grabbing of their ancestral domain. To dream that the 21 Ilocano farmers including a pregnant woman who were massacred in Amai Manabilang, Lanao del Sur in year 2000 inside a Mosque should be investigated so that justice be done. To dream that those responsible in the death of three innocent children in Sitio Kibaritan, Malinao, Kalilangan Bukidnon on Good Friday, March 25, 2016 through the explosion of a bomb (UXO) planted near the Elementary School by the military should be made accountable. To dream that indeed in this country no one is above the law, that all must bow down to the majesty of the law because we must follow the rule of law and not of the super-rich, not of those in power and never the rule of the guns.
To dream that the more than one thousand families of the Manobo Pulangiyon Tribe living under shattered tents along the hi-way of Butong, Quezon, Bukidnon for seven years now, eating only “kamote” once a day, should now return to their 1,111 hectare-ancestral domain which was transformed into massive plantation by the Kiantig Development Corporation, owned and managed by the incumbent Mayor of Quezon, Bukidnon. Until now, no rule of law has been followed despite the Certification of the National Commission of the Indigenous People and the ruling of the Supreme Court.
LTo dream of a future with a vision of hope amidst the darkness of horrible social injustices in a highly skewed societal order. To live a more meaningful life, it has become imperative to reflect and ask some soul-searching questions. Upon knowing all these painful social and ecological realities, shall one still continue on living a life of apathy, in utter disregard to what’s going on, focused on self-aggrandizement, wealth, fame and power controlled by the egotism? Isn’t it that the teachings of all religions is to live with love in one’s heart, to serve the least of our brethren? To dream based on a vision of a better world and the steps needed to happen for it to become a reality. Imagine this. What would it be like if everyone, every family, every community, every nation on earth were all dreaming for a better world and work for it? Such will trailblaze the liberating path to be freed from egotism and life will be more meaningful and to put into reality what Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is within you!” Thus dream and dive deep within to develop potentials, and be aware of the consciousness to achieve those dreams for people, planet, prosperity and peace. It is only then that we will know who truly we are as CONSCIOUSNESS to find enlightenment and peace – all for God’s greater glory!
