While Tawi-Tawi strongman, Governor Hadji Sadikul A. Sahali leads Kamahardikaan celebration, Tawi-Tawians rejoice the 37th year independence of a province created on September 27, 1973 by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 302.
Three-day commemoration that began September 25 marks another milestone in Tawi-Tawi’s history, as people unite and rally behind the provincial leadership to support the revelry of the province day.
Although Governor Sahali said it is “a celebration in parsimony,” the usual activities though trimmed, manifested the high spirit of the celebration with highlights on Budjang Tawi-Tawi pageant and the Agar-Agar festival, aside from the sports activities that included the 5th Governor Sahali Invitational Cup, a tennis tournament contested by Zamboanga, Sulu and local players; DTI Techno-Forum and Trade Fair, religious programs, sports march, and the culminating parade, which featured participants from the 10 municipalities, government and private agencies in native garbs.
In his welcome speech, he thanked the municipal officials for bringing their delegations in support to the 37th kamahardikaan celebration. He emphasized that unity in the name of progress should be upheld in order that the province would move forward to achieve the needed development.
Sahali also stressed that cooperation and understanding between leaders and the constituents needs to be strengthened and rift brought by political difference during elections must be erased in order that unity is obtainable to make Tawi-Tawi achieved what it needs to achieve.
Speaking before crowds of the agar-agar festival, he again reiterated his gratitude to all the municipal officials who took their delegations to support the activities and emphasized to bygone political difference and called for a meaningful unity.
He gave special mention to mayors of Taganak and Mapun who, amidst distance of their municipalities, have raced fast towards Bongao to bring their delegations.
Sahali was impressed by the solidarity of support from the 10 municipalities manifested by the presence of its 10 mayors, local officials, and the people who rejoiced over the success of the celebration, which proved once and for all, that he commands respect, loyalty, cooperation and support for any provincial endeavor.
Addressing the overwhelming crowds who joined the culminating parade gathered at the DepEd compound, Sahali reiterated anew that peace, love and unity is the key to move the province forward; that solidarity among the people and the government vis-à-vis is a step to achieve a common goal, the so-called “development of the province and the progress of its people.
Meanwhile, Vice Governor Ruby Sahali also conveyed her message of gratitude in her opening remarks at the Agar-Agar festival gathering at the DepEd Compound. She arrived from Manila on the second day of the celebration and was just in time for the gathering of major events in the commemoration.
Provincial Secretary Nurjay Sahali has also excellently organized the committees that prepared the celebration, which eventually contributed to the success of the affair.
Budjang Tawi-Tawi Pageant
The Search for Budjang (Miss) Tawi-Tawi is the main highlight event in the yearly celebration of Tawi-Tawi Kamahardikaan. Each municipality chooses the most beautiful and brainy bet to contest in the search.
On September 24, the traditional Search for Budjang Tawi-Tawi kicked off with 10 budjangs initially contested in a talent show at Datu Amirbahar Jaafar Convention Center. The next day, all the 10 candidates competed in their summer looks at Sandbar Resort and finally in the coronation night they competed in production numbers, badjao, batawi, casual, evening gowns and Question and Answer portion before meticulous but fair judges.
Of the 10 candidates, one surfaced to top them all. Miss Rizalia Francisco Salih of Panglima Sugala bested them in all categories, and won the title of BudjangTawi-Tawi.
Miss Aimeilyn Tiannok Jumli of Bongao was first runner-up, and Sherwina Abbas Sahipa of Mapun reaped the 2nd runner-up post.
The search was acknowledged fair and successful. The choreography was just fine and relatively handled by professionalism.
Chaired by First Lady Hadja Juana Sahali, the pageant also proved that Tawi-Tawi women also posses beauty and talent, like their counterparts in major cities of the country, including the Metropolis. “We have so many beautiful and talented women in the province, in fact, one of the contestants in the recent Miss Earth was a native of Tawi-Tawi,” Mrs. Sahali was quoted as saying.
Indeed, this local pageant, which has come to be a centerfold of every Tawi-Tawi kamahardikaan could just be a stepping stone for Tawi-Tawi women in national pageantry.
Agar-Agar Festival
Clad in native attires, the participants performed street dancing akin to farming the seaweeds. With floats (Sama Lepa) displaying materials and foodstuffs that demonstrate farmer’s life at sea while planting, cultivating and harvesting agar-agar seaweeds, the festival did showcase Tawi-Tawi’s number one product of export, a main economic source for most people in the islands.
Tawi-Tawi is considerably the largest producer of seaweeds in the country. This industry has brought a boom to the province’s economy. This festival is also a highlight activity, and categorically, a contested presentation.
Except for the Municipality of Languyan, which failed to participate in this year’s Kamahardikaan, all the 10 delegations exhibited apt in the agar-agar festival. The greatness went to Municipality of Panglima Sugala.
5th Governor Sadikul Sahali Cup
This is a “friendly invitational tennis tournament” stressed District Engineer Hadji Bensoud Ajihil, day before the celebration commenced.
Asked to give details, Ajihil said DPWH tennis courts would be the grounds for the tourney. Zamboanga and Sulu tennisters are invited to win a trophy and P20,000.00 in cash prize.
He said this activity is part of the 37th Kamahardikaan sports activities of which DPWH is assisting the provincial government in facilitating the tournament.
In the end, Zamboanga players bagged the trophy and cold cash. They went home with the honor of winning the invitational game.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Friday, September 10, 2010
Eid Mubarak in Tawi-Tawi has never been the same
As a Muslim in my childhood, I learned Hariraya Eidil Fitri as a festive day for Muslims to rejoice, and I was always happy whenever the yearly raya celebration comes. I was use to having new clothes, new pair of shoes, which my parents traditionally did for me, and extra coins to game on that special day, after kissing the hands of my elders and relatives. It was a custom and tradition that cloaked me in my childhood and so with other kids, but changed in my adolescence when I began to understand the essence of true Hariraya Eidil Fitri.
From my adolescence until today, I understand that the real quintessence of Eid Mubarak is not only a day to rejoice as a festivity but a blissful day of triumph from the war against jihadun nafs (self sacrifice against desire), by fasting the whole month of Ramadhan wherein God, the Almighty, has commanded the Muslims to perform as an act of worship unto HIM. It is one of the pillars of Islamic faith and those who have successfully performed it by the rules and procedure ordained by the Almighty God with piety, devotion, sincerity, and dignity shall reap the rewards that ALLAH has promised.
Yet raya celebration has never been the same since my adolescence in this Muslim province where Islam has first seeded through Sheik Karimul Makhdum, an Arabian missionary, who built the first and oldest mosque in the country, found in Simunul Island.
Notably, I felt that raya celebrations here lack meanings and seemingly has less spirit. It appears that people are not united in the stand of simultaneously celebrating the triumph of Ramadhan sacrifice on the same day, which eventually demonstrated its spiritless festivities.
An instance of proof is the just-concluded Eidil Fitri where the Eid prayers were done in three separate and subsequent days by Islamic believers of this Muslim province. Some groups did the prayer on Wednesday, others on Thursday and Friday. I certainly do not understand what brought the difference of the supposed same day Eid prayer among the Muslims here. It is just hardly conceivable to comprehend this difference or this non-unity in the conduct of the Eid prayer at the same time, which reflects a formidable disharmony against the Islamic principle of unity.
I was in Malaysia for several years and I noticed how Malaysian Muslims received the raya day with joy, happiness and unity.
Now do we make distinction with other Muslims of the world?
Allow me to answer my own question. YES, we do because we are in disparity in some Islamic aspects. Let us just hope and pray that by the Will of the Almighty ALLAH and by the Hadith of the Holy Prophet we shall not belong to the 72 groups of the 73 sects of Islam that will go astray.
Happy Eid Mubarak!
From my adolescence until today, I understand that the real quintessence of Eid Mubarak is not only a day to rejoice as a festivity but a blissful day of triumph from the war against jihadun nafs (self sacrifice against desire), by fasting the whole month of Ramadhan wherein God, the Almighty, has commanded the Muslims to perform as an act of worship unto HIM. It is one of the pillars of Islamic faith and those who have successfully performed it by the rules and procedure ordained by the Almighty God with piety, devotion, sincerity, and dignity shall reap the rewards that ALLAH has promised.
Yet raya celebration has never been the same since my adolescence in this Muslim province where Islam has first seeded through Sheik Karimul Makhdum, an Arabian missionary, who built the first and oldest mosque in the country, found in Simunul Island.
Notably, I felt that raya celebrations here lack meanings and seemingly has less spirit. It appears that people are not united in the stand of simultaneously celebrating the triumph of Ramadhan sacrifice on the same day, which eventually demonstrated its spiritless festivities.
An instance of proof is the just-concluded Eidil Fitri where the Eid prayers were done in three separate and subsequent days by Islamic believers of this Muslim province. Some groups did the prayer on Wednesday, others on Thursday and Friday. I certainly do not understand what brought the difference of the supposed same day Eid prayer among the Muslims here. It is just hardly conceivable to comprehend this difference or this non-unity in the conduct of the Eid prayer at the same time, which reflects a formidable disharmony against the Islamic principle of unity.
I was in Malaysia for several years and I noticed how Malaysian Muslims received the raya day with joy, happiness and unity.
Now do we make distinction with other Muslims of the world?
Allow me to answer my own question. YES, we do because we are in disparity in some Islamic aspects. Let us just hope and pray that by the Will of the Almighty ALLAH and by the Hadith of the Holy Prophet we shall not belong to the 72 groups of the 73 sects of Islam that will go astray.
Happy Eid Mubarak!
Sunday, September 5, 2010
The Boxing Congressman
Quote: “When lions spar, the jungle awaits with bated breath to see who the victor will be. The loser is vanquished and either killed or banished to another part of the jungle.
When boxers fight, the world watches. But what happens to the spoils of the fight, once the fight is over? Should the winner take it all or does the loser have something to look forward to other than sore bones?” Unquote.
For Manny Pacquiao, whenever he throws his rapid punches toward his opponents in the ring, Filipinos in all corners of the world chant the name ‘Manny” as if he is a superstar, though he really is actually.
Of Manny’s there is no doubt that the pambansang kamao has made Philippines a name and fame in the boxing world. Mr. Manny Paquiao is a great fighter that Philippines ever had. He is pride of the Filipinos.
But his stint in the boxing arena, many opined, should be ended now that he is already an honorable. Being Congressman is dignity. The position carries respect in itself and in all sense.
As a lawmaker, the pambansang kamao should protect the dignity of his public office. Pursuing his boxing career while having an honorable position in the government will undeniably blemish his public image as a lawmaker.
Can any Filipino stand to see their lawmaker beastly fighting in a boxing ring battered, pummeled, pounded and thrashed like a fighting cock for a belt, fame and dough? Has there been any of this kind occurring in other countries? Well, probably none! It is only in the Philippines. And it’s just Manny!
So does this make Congressman Paquiao decide whether to pursue fighting Antonio Margarito or anybody, if he does, then such is viewed relegating the honor of his public office, or rather quit boxing to maintain the prestige of Philippine politics.
I think Manny should opt for the latter. The fact that he has graduated from a political refresher course in U.P. is an indication that he would make a good public servant dedicated to elevate the advancement of his constituency and his district of representation.
But if he pursues it he shall turn to be a laughing stock of the world, maligning the prestige of Philippine politics and the reputable law making body of the Philippines. It is for Manny now to give discretion between upholding world fame in the ring and clinging to the world boxing titles or sacrifice it in the name of dignity to the political career and respect to being a congressman.
If Manny still clings to the boxing arena, it is probably because there are rules that bind a professional boxer which needs his adherence. Well, I am not privy to what it is, but I believe that the multi-talented congressman; a singer, actor, lover, father and great champ should once and for all cease the boxing challenges if only, again, to revere his lawmaker position.
But I know it will be difficult for Manny to disregard the arena for it was here that he made a name for himself and his country. And doing so will also frustrate millions of his fans who love to see him doing the Muhammad Ali at the expense of respect to government position and being an honorable legislator.
When boxers fight, the world watches. But what happens to the spoils of the fight, once the fight is over? Should the winner take it all or does the loser have something to look forward to other than sore bones?” Unquote.
For Manny Pacquiao, whenever he throws his rapid punches toward his opponents in the ring, Filipinos in all corners of the world chant the name ‘Manny” as if he is a superstar, though he really is actually.
Of Manny’s there is no doubt that the pambansang kamao has made Philippines a name and fame in the boxing world. Mr. Manny Paquiao is a great fighter that Philippines ever had. He is pride of the Filipinos.
But his stint in the boxing arena, many opined, should be ended now that he is already an honorable. Being Congressman is dignity. The position carries respect in itself and in all sense.
As a lawmaker, the pambansang kamao should protect the dignity of his public office. Pursuing his boxing career while having an honorable position in the government will undeniably blemish his public image as a lawmaker.
Can any Filipino stand to see their lawmaker beastly fighting in a boxing ring battered, pummeled, pounded and thrashed like a fighting cock for a belt, fame and dough? Has there been any of this kind occurring in other countries? Well, probably none! It is only in the Philippines. And it’s just Manny!
So does this make Congressman Paquiao decide whether to pursue fighting Antonio Margarito or anybody, if he does, then such is viewed relegating the honor of his public office, or rather quit boxing to maintain the prestige of Philippine politics.
I think Manny should opt for the latter. The fact that he has graduated from a political refresher course in U.P. is an indication that he would make a good public servant dedicated to elevate the advancement of his constituency and his district of representation.
But if he pursues it he shall turn to be a laughing stock of the world, maligning the prestige of Philippine politics and the reputable law making body of the Philippines. It is for Manny now to give discretion between upholding world fame in the ring and clinging to the world boxing titles or sacrifice it in the name of dignity to the political career and respect to being a congressman.
If Manny still clings to the boxing arena, it is probably because there are rules that bind a professional boxer which needs his adherence. Well, I am not privy to what it is, but I believe that the multi-talented congressman; a singer, actor, lover, father and great champ should once and for all cease the boxing challenges if only, again, to revere his lawmaker position.
But I know it will be difficult for Manny to disregard the arena for it was here that he made a name for himself and his country. And doing so will also frustrate millions of his fans who love to see him doing the Muhammad Ali at the expense of respect to government position and being an honorable legislator.
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