December 19, 2009 – Manila, Philippines
Yolanda O. Stern – President, One World Institute

The number of armed government personnel in Mindanao has increased since Balikatan I.  Some of the best and most experienced men in uniform are assigned to Mindanao. I think it safe to say that there are no inexperienced US or other foreign military personnel in Mindanao.

The brokers and ambassadors of peace have increased in equal measure.  So have the angels of peace.  Many from the foreign embassies and NGOs  assigned to the Philippines are men and women with so much experience in conflict areas of the world. The archipelago offers great training grounds for military skills and use of weapons  on land and at sea.

There have been a proliferation of peace talks, peace summits, peace caravans, peace caddies as well as peace candies. Billions have been expended in the name of peace.

But conflict and peace in Mindanao see saws on the balance.  Law enforcement appears outgunned, outnumbered,  outwitted and outmuscled. In some places, aberrant partnerships have formed.  War as usual continues to be big business while peace maintains its huge burden.

Whatever the program, it has failed.

The Philippines has to decide between two things: Is it fighting global  terrorism  at  its backdoor? Or is it protecting its citizens from  harm ?

For the next President I recommend a new flexible program  –

1. Withdraw the military from all occupied territories contingent upon local government maintaining law and order;

2. Pull military personnel into strategic barracks for extensive training in population safety, riot control, and re-allocate maximum funds to equip  all branches for ready deployment in  emergencies.

3. Deploy visible military  border patrols to protect population centers from roving gangs and pirates.

4. Abolish all armed civilian militias and raise the standard for recruitment out of the military colleges and police academies.

5. Double the watch at Sibuto Straits and empower the Navy to monitor the 58+ tankers that ply the route daily. This will take operational Naval vessels and equipment.

6. Impose  minimum acceptance conditions for donated military vessels and aircraft .  Legacy vessels/aircraft s must come with a 10yr maintenance program on the donor’s account.  Funds saved from high maintenance costs of vessels and aircraft can be spent equipping  the men from the boots up.

7. Re-organize and improve ARMM  by switching to Sen. Pimentel’s recommendation of the Federal State so local government  can be better masters of their fate, enforcing orders at the state levels.  There should be separate ARMM governors for different regions i.e. Sulu, Basilan, Maguindanao, etc.

8. Establish a 5-yeart flood program to reinforce dykes, riverbanks,  and provide  underground overflow systems for reservoirs.

9. Revert provincial traffic control reinforcement and fines to the local governments as an incentive to control traffic flow, illegal immigrants and cargo at border crossings.

10. Enforce a strict provincial data base for Drivers Licenses,  Vehicle Registrations.

11. Enforce strict building codes along flood plains, consistent with the tropical character of storms and monsoons.

12. Require registration and accreditation for all madrasas consistent with a well rounded education, but taking into account the religion and culture of the individual regions, with an added goal of the preservation of the rich cultures of each, maintaining  freedom to practice their religion of choice within the constitution of the country.

13. Establish a consistent military medical triage system for national and local emergencies with strategic depots for quick and easy deployment of  life saving surgical teams to serve all victims of conflict and disasters side by side with PNRC, ICRC,  and other emergency medical NGOs.

14. Improve domestic travel infrastructure for domestic tourism and ramp up domestic tours. Only when local folks are unafraid to tour will the country get meaningful numbers of foreign tourists.

15. Allow 100% ownership of foreign companies but require 95% local employees subject to state and federal payroll taxes. Abolish tax holidays and instead impose a staggered and competitive corporate tax for the first 5 years.

(This opinion is strictly the author’s. Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ; www.theoneworldinstitute.org)