TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA)—For the first time in Bohol, Muslim communities gather at the Bohol Cultural Center, not for the usual religious reasons that they do during Eid, but to celebrate culture, music and the culinary traditions of the nation.
Beef rendang (riyandang Maranao), chicken pastil, piaparan, Tausug’s Tiyula Itum, lukot-lukot, yellow turmeric rice, palapa, dodol and the unmistakable aroma of coconut milk, turmeric and shallots rise from the Muslim decorated booths inside the hall at the sound of kulintang, and gongs pervade the gathering air.
Inside the airconditioned hall, muslim women in hijab, khimar, niqab, khimar, esarp and chador tend to congregate with the children while men in traditional headwear, kufi, taqiyah, fez and even some in ceremonial dress mingle with Christians who circle the booths to try the halal food now made available here for the event.
It was a moment of celebration during the 6th anniversary of the biggest and most unifying Bohol Muslim Community for Peace Movement Incorporated (BMCPeMInc) here where Muslims from the five communities in Tagbilaran City and the communities in Ubay, Jagna, and Tubigon came to the cultural center to celebrate peace, unity and brotherhood.
Organized in 2018 after the local Muslim community found that they can help keep the peace in Bohol by keeping tabs of who would be entering Bohol from the extremist groups often with terroristic intent, BMCPeMInc is by far the longest surviving Muslim organization, according to Police Lieutenant Dunhill Sarmiento, police liaison to the muslin communities here.
Since then, the BMCPeM has been partnering with the local authorities in internal security operations, cementing their ranks so that any new comer in the community is accounted, their where about and associations tracked, for monitoring.
In fact, they themselves make up their community ‘policing system,” in line with the cultural practices, local leaders said.
In Bohol, there are three dominant Muslim tribes: Maranao, Maguindanao, and Tausugs, who have reached Bohol after escaping the troubles in Mindanao.
Already inhabiting here and engaging in small business to survive, the Muslims here have imbibed the local culture, however, there are still some Boholano Christians who think that the Muslims do not differ from the terrorists that sow fear around the world.
And for the first time after 6 years, the organization gathered after governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado said it is high time that Bohol moves to provide a venue for a better understanding of the Muslim culture.
Abdulsamad Pangompig, BMCPeMInc Board of Director said this first time event elates them, as no such event in previous years where their communities gathered to celebrate culture.
Daku kayo ang among kalipayniini kay dili sab kini mano mahimo og walay suporta sa atong mga igsoon nga nagdumala sama sa gobernador, OPSWD ug PNPO. Na feel gyud name nga ang atong kaigsoonan sa goberno nga sincere sila sa paggaiya ug pagsuporta sa kaigsoonan nga Muslim, Pangompig said.
BMCPeM president Taha Malabi, Maranao, also said that they planned to mainstream the availability of halal food, in support of the domestic and international tourists.
In Bohol, when Muslims have guests, they would simply cook in their houses.
For muslim tourists coming in, looking for halal food would be a challenge.
For this, National Commission for Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) Regional Director for Central Visayas Onassis Abdulrahim Balt, promised the local muslim community to send in the NMCF experts to help the community set up the plan to open up a halal restaurant and make it sustainable as an alternative livelihood for Muslims.
With this good news, Muslims like Zaprolah Lim Jakiril, Tausug leader of the Jagna Muslim community could not contain his elation for, finally feeling they have been given their importance in Bohol.
“Daghang salamat sa pag-amoma ‘namo, pagdawat ug pagrespeto namo, kaming tanan nga taga Jagna, wala gyud mi mobati ang giingon nga dili maayo nga pagtagad sa goberno ug mga Kristiyano, ilabi na gyud niining time ni Gob Aumentado, shares Jakiril . (Thank you for taking care of us, accepting and respecting us, all of us (Muslims) from Jagna, we do not feel that the government and the Christians are not treating us well, especially this time of Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado. (RAHC/PIA7/Bohol)
