One of those times I'm an opinion writer. The latest headlines have been pretty disturbing. In a violent ambush, rogue elements from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) have claimed the lives of nineteen soldiers in Basilan. While President Aquino has allowed the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to conduct air strikes, he has correctly maintained that an all-out offensive is not the solution to the conflict. Displacement of civilians and mounting conflict casualties will only serve to prolong the dispute. Having worked in government during the early eighties, I saw various policy-making forays being discussed at the macro level, and I've heard the pros and cons of how to settle the insurgency problem in Mindanao. Today, I still feel that the strategy should be focused on development--pour money into Mindanao, increase infrastructure spending over the next five years. The drive to focus the country's agriculture production in Mindanao, a "land-of-promise" policy birthed in the sixties, is another ideal solution--vast tracks of fertile land are available and the island is not located in the typhoon belt that crosses diagonally from Leyte to Pangasinan. Third, tourism must be pushed--so much natural wonder, so little access, virtually no place to stay. Th hardest part is that throughout this 15-year process, there must be some balance in the government's handling of the situation--a lot of carrot-coaxing from the negotiating peace panels, and some stick-wielding from the AFP. True, this is easier said than done, and there will be a lot of work ahead. I wish the President the best luck on his job. Success must be well-earned, and he is in the best position to jump-start the healing process.
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