Bismillah Irahman Irahim!
Good people of Upi, boys and girls, mothers and fathers, teachers, school superintendents, principals, and my distinguished delegation that joined us in coming here today – brothers, mayors, national educators of the Philippines of the highest stature. Thank you so much for your very warm welcome here today.
We came really for one principal purpose and that is to celebrate with you and to bear witness with you to what you have proven today. You have proven all that is right and good, and true – and uplifting and inspirational about the Philippines, and about Mindanao and about Maguindanao. You are doing that here in Upi. You are making Upi, a center not of conflict, not of poverty and backwardness, and hate and darkness, and division – but rather, we hope and we see today a center that is taking its first steps for educational excellence toward liberation of your young people, of liberation that comes from enlightenment of the mind, from the learning of mathematics, the learning of reading, the learning of foreign languages, the learning of peace and the true meaning of faith – whether Christian faith or the Muslim faith. You are an inspiration and that’s why we are here today to join you on that.
I’m a former schoolteacher, perhaps you know, like Father Nebres, I’m a former Fulbrighter – I went to Italy, I followed the dictum of the prophet Mohammed himself who said, ‘search for knowledge even if you must go to China. Go wherever you must go to learn.’ And so we have come today to Upi, to learn how you do it in an area that had been an area of conflict – in a corner of Maguindanao where the light will be shining forward against other corners where other communities have not yet decided to make a different future for their young people. I hope others will follow your example and that it will spread faster and faster and deeper and deeper throughout Mindanao and throughout the region.
So it is such a pleasure to join you today in launching this DIWA program. You should know that you’re part of something big. Throughout the Philippines, throughout the conflict-affected areas of Muslim Mindanao, in particular. Later today we’ll be going to Cotabato to launch another education program. And as I depart your town I will stop at the agricultural high school where the United States of America is working with global partners to bring computers under the CLIC program -- Computer Literacy and Internet Connectivity program. And not only computers, but also, Internet connection and training of the teachers. All of that is happening here at Upi. I mean, it’s a town of 50 thousand people. And why is it happening here? It’s happening here because of local leadership – the leadership of mayors like Mayor Piang and the first lady, Carmelita Piang… and the school board, the parent-teacher association whose establishment, and whose training, whose energy is part of the synergy of the program that we are launching here -- the DIWA ( Dagyawang Igpaw sa Wastong Agkataw)program. It’s happening because of the support from far-flung regions of the Philippines, as we see it in the presence of Governor Dominguez and Governor De la Cruz , and the Mayor of Iloilo, and from elsewhere around this great country. You see the country coming together to spread and replicate a good idea that is taking hold throughout the Philippines and which is seizing the future for its students. That’s why we’re here – for all of those good things.
I’m proud to be here, and that as the American Ambassador, I feel that we are keeping faith with the legacy of the Thomasites that Father Nebres has mentioned. As a former teacher, I believe there is no higher calling, no more noble pursuit of human beings than educating our young and liberating them – a kind of jihad, if you will, a kind of a forceful crusade to give the future back to our young people and take it away from those who would steal it from them and keep them in a grand deception of ignorance and poverty, and death and destruction. Those elements are not beholden nor belong to any ordinance from any faith. They are not beholden to Christianity, they are not beholden to Islam. We are all opposed to those things, and education is the power that will make good triumph over all of those evils.
We will continue with our program in education in all of these different areas. We will start in the conflict-affected areas of Muslim Mindanao. We’re grateful for the support of partners—this is not something being done by the United States—it’s being supported by the United States with local community leadership, as I’ve mentioned, from the teachers, the parents, the students, from local government units, by the mayors, by the Department of Education, by the ulama. By people like Sheik Mohammed Baha Edsa of Mahad Dua Minanga al Islamie in Datu Piang and his wife Harefa , people who are teaching the true meaning of their faith and bringing the future here. That’s essentially also what’s happening because of partnerships like that with Synergeia - the consortia of people who come together – I know ABS-CBN is here – the Lopez family foundation through the Knowledge channel, is also participating. Globe, SMART, PLDT, so many, many partners are participating because all of these businesses, all of these political leaders, the Museo Pambata – which is right next door to my embassy – the Children’s Museum – all of these partners are coming together in a noble enterprise that is producing results very quickly. I believe, thanks to your efforts, from what I’ve seen in three years – more than three years in the Philippines, this country is turning a corner. You will turn your corner. You will get the future back to your people and the Philippines will be proud and strong and it will inspire people in other countries.
So please, continue doing what you are doing and accept my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to the future. Thank you – especially good people of Upi, for welcoming us here from Manila, from the United States of America, from all over. Thank you for showing that the people of Mindanao welcome visitors, that you welcome foreign investments, that you welcome communications and that you are not like the few who run around here still, averse to what the outside world has to offer. You are not averse to knowledge and understanding and peace. You prove that this is how we can have the future, and Mindanao is the future. Thank you for proving those points. Thank you for your very warm welcome here.
Assallamu Allaikum! wa rahmat Ullahi wa ta’ala wa.
