Behind the Basilan you know

Yarah Musa

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'Most beautiful stories are untold and hidden behind awful scenes. These are the same stories we need to tell because they show us a world we have yet to see'

War. Bombings. Kidnappings. Ambushes. Explosions. Rebellions. 

All these descriptions of negativity are already entrenched in the views of the Filipino masses whenever Basilan is mentioned. It was all they thought Basilan was – a land of rebellion and war, the bombing capital of the Philippines even. 

Has anyone ever wondered if there are stories other than “Explosion in Basilan,” “Soldiers and ASG clash in Basilan,” “Basilan massacre,” and all those other jarring headline news? Does someone even care to feature the fascinating stories coming from the province?

A natural wonder

Basilan is one of the southernmost islands in the Philippines. It is the largest and northernmost of the major islands of the Sulu archipelago. With its land area of around 137,902 hectares – including its capital city, Isabela City – the province is gifted with natural resources. 

It is home to 3 large ethnic groups: Yakan, Tausug, Zamboangueños – plus other smaller groups. It is also a home to diverse cultures, having 11 municipalities and 255 barangays. 

Few people only know that Basilan has one of the lowest poverty incidence in the country, even if it is classified as a third class province in terms of gross provincial income. Basilan is also known for its coconut and rubber plantations and agricultural crops, which are exported throughout the country and even abroad. 

Another way of life in Basilan is fishing, especially in the Badjao and Samal communities, who live by the coastal areas in the province. We are rich in marine resources as we also export fish and other underwater creatures to Zamboanga and nearby areas. Continuous export of raw materials from Basilan contributes to its economic progress.

It is sad that very few people have seen the enchanting beauty of Basilan, how blessed it is with alluring land and bodies of water. An example of this is Malamawi Island’s hidden Jaga White Beach adorned with white sand, and crystalline water. It is an untouched bounty to behold. 

With its geographic location, Basilan is surrounded by many beautiful beaches such as Tinuse Beach in Sumpisip; Palm beach in Lamitan; and many other truly breath-taking beaches. Another bewitching must-visit spot is the Bulingan falls, located at Lamitan City. 

A local strolls along White Beach in Malamawi Island, Basilan. Photo by David Lozada/ Rappler

Fresh air is something we in Basilan still enjoy, unlike other urban thick-clouded cities. We are also outside the Philippine typhoon belt so we experience very few extreme weather disturbances and floods. It may not be as well-developed as the other provinces but people of diverse cultures and beliefs live here harmoniously. 

Despite our individual differences and multi-culturality, Basilan is united towards a common goal. Despite the image portrayed by history, we still stand up and work every day to make our province’s name better.

Basilan is home

Basilan will always be home for me, a home to everyone who saw what’s realĺy behind the dark shadow of the Basilan most Filipinos know. At my young age, I have witnessed of how it incrementally progressed through the years.  

I was born into a native family of Yakan. Since I was young, whenever my mother would go to Sumisip (a municipality in the eastern part of Basilan from where her family originated), she brings me to visit our relatives.

When I was 8, I remember being afraid to go with her over security fears. I remembered how rough and rocky the road was going there and how it takes 2. 5 hours to cover the short distance. I can recall how I hated that we always had to go with our flashlights and endure the darkness. There is no network signal. We have to walk through mud to reach the well to be able to take a bath. I could still remember the creepy abandoned hospital a few meters away from my grandmother’s house. 

But when I visited Sumisip in the summer of 2015, it only took us an hour to get there. We didn’t have to worry about security anymore and didn’t have to walk to the well to take a bath as water now circulates throughout the barangay. I was happy to see that the residents didn’t have to go to Isabela City for medical check-ups because the hospital is in operation again. I was happy to see our nurses and doctors work for our own homeland. It just felt like a new Sumisip, an improved and developed one.

When we went back to Isabela City, we chose to check out the circumferential road circling around from Sumisip through the western part of the province. It was not just an enjoyable trip, it was productive too as we stopped over at Tumahubong and Tipo-Tipo, where ambushes and killings were always rumored to happen.

It wasn’t the picture of Tipo-Tipo I imagined. It was well-developed and it was far from a ghost town. Families have businesses, there are small and big stores, and eateries by the road. It was my first time there and it was far from the descriptions I had in my mind.

The provincial capital of Basilan in Isabela City. Photo by David Lozada/ Rappler

Moreover, the road is asphalted now and you can see students going to school helping out in the Brigada Eskwela. The schools, too, were improved and more accessible. Although there are still some unprivileged students who are unable to afford school supplies, they are very much willing to learn.

I also visit my father’s native land, Tuburan, when there are special occasions. It’s been years since I last went there but according to my father, aside from having a strong network signal there, peace is progressing and the local economy is developing. 

All the other municipalities are improving and it overwhelms me as a concerned youth of Basilan. I may not fully say that I am a witness of how Basilan developed since I grew up in a city, but it is indeed progressing. 

Even I had to discover and learn more about my homeland. I can still recall the innocent smiles of the children in Maluso during our medical mission together with the Basilan Youth Congress last vacation, too. The feeling was priceless to be able to share stories with them. It’s good that youth leaders and different organizations are now able to bridge some gaps and contribute to the development of the province. 

I need to travel to more towns around Basilan to discover more amazing places and tell more beautiful stories. I had traveled to some places outside Basilan but there was never a more comfortable dwelling than my province.  

What we need

Does anybody ever realize how painful it was for us to hear news of killings, explosions and horrendous events in our own land? Has anybody asked how saddening it was for us – how it felt like when our homeland is described as the bomb capital and the land of rebellion?

Boats dock in Isabela City's port. This is the first scene of Basilan most visitors from Zamboanga City see. Photo by David Lozada/ Rappler

What Basilan actually needs is not sympathy from the public. We need extended hands to help us enrich and cultivate what we have here. We need help in turning our visions to reality. We do not need rumors. Basilan still needs to improve its education sector – we need books and educational materials. We need the allocated budget for education to be felt here.

What we need is not harsh unnecessary comments when you hear the word Basilan. Like us, we need you to see its beauty even at its worst. Go beyond the negative perceptions Basilan has been coated with and search for something more. Listen to our untold stories and the concerns we have been trying to voice out.

Most beautiful stories are untold and hidden behind awful scenes. These are the same stories we need to tell because they show us a world we have yet to see. 

My story is the story of every Basileño still believing that, one day, just like a developed photograph, we can create a good image out of the negativity we have endured for decades. We look forward to that day when Basilan will be a land of eternal peace. – Rappler.com

Yara Musa is a first year Legal Management student at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University. She is a Rappler Mover in Basilan.

 

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