On Monday afternoon, December 19, in the Heroes Hall of Malacañang, leaders of the different sectors of the troubled province of Sulu and big names in the corporate world will get together in an event which could be the defining moment of President Rody Duterte’s efforts to bring peace to the Southern Philippines using a novel approach.
“Save Sulu Project” marks the first time in the history of this country when the private sector, specifically big business takes a direct and active role in the peace efforts.
This all started on the evening of Sept. 15, 2016, less than three months into the Duterte Presidency, when I received a call from Sec. Bong Go, chief of the Presidential Management Staff and executive assistant to the President.
It was 9 p.m. and I was in Borongan, Eastern Samar for the Biyaheng Bukid.
Sec. Go told me that the President wanted to talk to me.
What I heard next was the very disarming and friendly voice coming from the most powerful man in the country.
“Man, (short for Manny) Governor (Sakur) Tan is with me now. He is asking for help for Sulu. Could you please go to Sulu and find out what could be done there?,” he asked me.
Three days later, I was with a team of five other people – my brother, Bong, who is my executive assistant, Director Roy Abaya, an engineer; U Nichols Manalo; John Pagaduan and lone police escort PO3 Fletch Pido – who flew to Jolo on board two obviously overused Airport Huey helicopters.
I have been to Jolo once before as a young journalist and it was peaceful and beautiful back then.
The Jolo I saw seemed to be sitting on pins and needles and the signs of neglect were very stark.
Back in Manila, I reported what I saw to President Duterte during a Cabinet meeting and proposed the creation of a group to be called President Action Contingent for Conflict Areas’ Rehabilitation and Development or PCCARD which I said should be under the Office of the President.
PCARD would directly handle the implementation of whatever projects in conflict areas and it should draw in the private sector in a strategy which I designed over a decade ago as Governor of North Cotabato, which was also a conflict area.
Back then I proposed to the private sector, whose representatives I met in a forum arranged by then Senator Mar Roxas, that they should adopt a village liberated from conflict and help in the building of schools, barangay centres, water systems and sports and health centres.
After one meeting where the businessmen expressed keen interest to help, no follow through actions were made and the enthusiasm just faded out.
Inspired by the President’s enthusiasm to put an end to the conflict in the South, the idea of private sector participation in the peace efforts which I kept in my mind came to fore again.
It was Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez who linked me up with businessman Joey Concepcion, who designed the Go Negosyo Program.
When Joey Concepcion, who was later named Presidential Adviser on Entrepreneurship, was presented with the idea, he immediately moved in a dizzying pace by tapping his Kapatid Go Negosyo program focal person Ginggay Hontiveros to handle project.
After one meeting with business leaders, including Senators Miguel Zubiri, Kiko Pangilinan and Grace Poe, in the Manila Polo Club on Sept. 21, where I presented the “Adopt A Village Program,” the project moved quickly.
Ginggay Hontiveros making at least two courageous trips to Jolo and then started creating a network of big business leaders who all committed.
It was then named “Save Sulu Project” which will officially be launched on Monday, Dec. 19.
About 400 participants, including big business leaders and captains of industry, will be gathered to witness a first in the country’s decades-old effort to bring peace to the South.
President Duterte himself will be present as the leaders and people of Sulu will put forth their dreams and aspirations to which big business leaders are expected to respond to and make commitments on how to help.
This is peace-making Duterte style. This is history.
(First five photos show a beautiful island with a lagoon very near the main island of Sulu, one of the old Air Force choppers which brought us to Jolo, a selfie inside a Huey, Sama children sitting three to a desk in a public school in Jolo and fishermen receiving wooden bancas from BFAR-ARMM; succeeding photos show the Go Negosyo Kapatid meeting in the Manila Polo Club on Sept. 21 organised by Joey Concepcion and attended by captains of industry including Senators Miguel Zubiri, Francis Pangilinan and Grace Poe.)
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