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Valedictorian from Mamasapano tearfully pleads: Invest in education, not war




"Sa totoo lang, naiisip ko na sana araw-araw na lang ang graduation, dahil walang military operation."
 
As far as valedictory speeches go, Norombai Utto's words spoke not only of her hopes, but also that of her community in Barangay Tukanalipao — the village that became the stage of a firefight between members of an elite police force, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, and other armed groups, which led to the deaths of more than 60 people.
 
On Monday, she graduated at the top of her class in Hadji Salik Kalaing National High School in Tukanalipao in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.
 
The class listened to her speech in silence, many of them wiping away tears as she carefully spoke of her struggles as a student and the struggles she continues to share with all of them.
 
“Para sa mga taong may pananagutan sa atin at sa nangyayari ngayon sa ating bayan, ito po ang aking pakiusap: Itigil na po ninyo ang giyera. Sa halip na kaguluhan ang inyong suportahan, sana po ay sa edukasyon kayo mamuhunan, at nang kaalaman at hindi takot ang maging pundasyon ng kapayapaan sa ating bayan,” she said, fighting back tears.
 
At 17, Norombai was a voice that spoke of the pains brought by war, armed with a silent strength seemingly beyond her youth.

More than 91,602 people have been displaced by the government's all-out offensive against the BIFF, the small group that bolted from the MILF. The number has dramatically decreased from more than 120,000 last week.
 
Education officials have recognized the negative impact of the war on the civilians, foremost the students. In response, the military suspended the operations against the BIFF for three days to allow students in affected areas to attend graduation ceremonies.

'Makaka-graduate pa ba ako?'
 
Noromabai thought her day would not come.
 
Looking back, the hardest thing she has had to go through as a student was not the exams and the requirements, she says. It was the struggle to earn an education.
 
"Pinakamahirap po talaga 'yung nangyari rito sa Mamasapano nung January 25. Hindi ko po makakalimutan 'yun kasi lahat ng tao pinapa-evacuate. Iniisip ko, 'Paano 'yung pag-aaral namin, matutuloy pa ba, makakagraduate pa ba ako?'" she said in an interview.
 
But it wasn’t the first time she has had to evacuate with her family.

During the all-out war in 2008, when more than 600,000 residents were displaced, Norombai and her family were separated from their relatives and found themselves without a home. From Polomolok, South Cotabato, her family moved to Mamasapano, Maguindanao in hopes of living a quiet life.
 
The past two years, Norombai and her two siblings were under the care of the principal while their father worked in General Santos City. Their mother left a month ago to work in Saudi Arabia as a nanny. Norombai understands their circumstances, and why they have to be apart for now.
 
Understanding, however, doesn’t make it easier.
 
“Pumapasok ako noon sa klase nang walang-wala talaga dahil sa kahirapan din namin,” she said. “Nung sinabihan niya ako na aalis siya, parang sasabog ‘yung puso ko. Kung puwede ko lang siya pigilan, kaso sabi niya kailangan daw talaga.”
 
She knows many sacrifices have been made so she could graduate. She has had to make some sacrifices herself, as she worked in General Santos during the holidays and weekends to earn some money, and then made the two-hour trip back to Mamasapano to attend school on weekdays.
 
She called their graduation day, "araw ng  pasasalamat ," and encouraged her peers to express their thanks in various ways. It doesn’t matter how, she said, as long as it is honest and sincere.
 
Grateful for ceasefire
 
“Masaya po ako at nagpapasalamat para sa pagdeklara ng tigil-putukan kamakailan upang tayong mga mag-aaral ng Hadji Salik NHS ay makapagdiwang ng ating pagtatapos, kasama iba pang mga mag-aaral dito sa Maguindanao,” she said. “Pero alam ko rin pong maaaring hindi ito magtatagal.”
 
She also thanked her school for continuing to educate her and her peers despite the war, and expressed her gratitude to her parents as they continued to work hard for her studies despite life’s challenges. She also thanked their school principal for inspiring her to continue working for her diploma and to become an educator when she graduates from college.
 
In an interview after her graduation, she talked about her plans for the future.
 
“Gusto ko talagang education ang kuning kurso sa college, kasi balak ko na bumalik dito para magturo. Malaki talaga naitulong sa akin ng mga tao rito, kaya gusto ko rin sanang makatulong,” she said.“Sana po kapag ako na ‘yung nagtuturo, mas maayos na po at mapayapa ang buhay namin dito.”
 
Utto, along with the other top students from her class received scholarship grants from the ARMM regional government. — JDS, GMA News

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The author works for the Bureau of Public Information of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao regional government.
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