Carolyn O. Arguillas
The year 2007 was a good year for Mindanao with the publication of at least 30 books about Mindanao or written by Mindanawons, more than twice the harvest of 12 books and journals in 2006. Consistently since 2000, peace and history still dominated the themes but compared with previous years, the 2007 book harvest is more significant in that there are more Moro voices now, as authors, as editors.
The “Children of the Ever-Changing Moon,” for instance, edited by young Moro writer and award-winning filmmaker Gutierrez Mangansakan II, is an anthology of essays by 16 young Moro writers, including Mangansakan. Twelve of the 16 writers are women.
In the peace front, no less than the chair of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) peace panel, Mohagher Iqbal, is author of “The Long Road to Peace: Inside the GRP-MILF Peace Process,” writing under his pseudonym, Salah Jubair.
“Children of the Ever-Changing Moon” is, thus far the bestseller among the 2007 books. Launched in Davao City on November 29, it is now on its second printing.
MindaNews recorded only 12 books and journals published in 2006 compared with 32 in 2005; 29 in 2004; 19 in 2003; 18 in 2002; eight in 2001 and seven in 2000.
With 30 more in 2007, that’s a total of 155 books and journals published from 2000 to 2007.
Of 30 in 2007, 21 are books, seven are journals and two are monographs.
Here’s the list for 2007 as compiled by MindaNews.
BOOKS
1. Children of the Ever-changing Moon: Essays by young Moro writers. Edited by Gutierrez Mangansakan II. Published by Anvil Publishing, Inc. Authors: Pearlsha Abubakar, Gonaranao B. Musor, Sahara Alia Jauhali Silongan, Samira Ali Gutoc, Sarah Matalam-Alvarez, Ayesah Abubakar, Allyson Banga-an, Sittie Djalia Turabin-Hataman, Ayesha Merdeka Alonto-Datu Ramos, Mucha-Shim Quiling Arquiza, Sittie Jamairah Disomimba, Nefertari Al-Raschid-Arsad, Loren Hallilah Lao, Farida D. Mending, Zainudin Malang and Gutierrez Mangansakan II.
2. The Long Road to Peace: Inside the GRP-MILF Peace Process. By Salah Jubair. Published by Institute of Bangsamoro Studies, Cotabato City.
3. Broken Peace? Assessment of the 1996 GRP-MNLF Peace Agreement. By Amina Rasul. Published by the Philippine Council for Islam and Democracy and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.
4. Radicalization of Muslim Communities in Southeast Asia. Edited by Amina Rasul.
Published by the Philippine Council for Islam and Democracy and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.
5. Tausug & Kesultanan Sulu (in Bahasa Malaysia). By Asreemoro (formerly of Basilan, educated in Sabah, Malaysia). Published by RNH Marketing Sdn Bhd, Selangor, Malaysia.
6. Rido: Clan Feuding and Conflict Management in Mindanao. Edited by Wilfredo Magno Torres III. Published by The Asia Foundation.
7. Voices from Moroland: Perspectives from Stakeholders and Observers on the Conflict in the Southern Philippines. Edited by Peter Kreuzer and Rainer Werning. Published by the Strategic Information and Research Development Center. Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.
8. Insights on Referendum, Ancestral Domain and the Right to Self-Determination
Edited by Alvaro O. Senturias, Jr. Published by Southern Christian College, Midsayap, North Cotabato.
9. Mindanao Ethnohistory Beyond nations: Maguindanao, Sangir, and Bagobo Societies in East Maritime Southeast Asia. By Shinzo Hayase. Published by Ateneo de Manila University Press. (Originally published in Japanese by Iwanami Shoten, Publishers, Tokyo, Japan in 2003. English language edition published in 2007. Translated into English with the help of Dr. Motoe-Terami-Wada. Published with the assistance of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research).
10. Checkpoints & Chokepoints: Learning from Peace and Development Paradigms and Practices in Mindanao. Published by Mindanao Studies Consortium Foundation Inc.
11. Fixing Society: The Inside World of Fixers in the Philippines. By Ronnie V. Amorado. Published by Research and Publication Office. Ateneo de Davao University.
12. The Barbarians’ Book of Remembrance. Ateneo de Davao Hish School Batch 1957. By Dr. Romeo Du. Published by the Research and Publications Office. Ateneo de Davao University.
13. The House on Calle Seminario. By Josie Carballo Tejada. Published by The Davao Writers’ Guild’s Tubao Series
14. The Road to Resolving the Conflict in the South. By Maj. Danilo E. Estranero, PA. Published by the Rotary Club of Pasay Central.
15. Digital Logic Circuits with Verilog HDL. By Rafael U. Gaid and Francisco Glover, SJ. Published by Research and Publication Office. Ateneo de Davao University.
16. Communications I AM and FM. By Rafael U. Gaid and Francisco Glover, SJ. Published by Research and Publication Office. Ateneo de Davao University.
17. Landas. A condensed report on the Peacebuilding and the non-formal education programs for Mindanao Youth. Published by Consuelo Foundation.
18. Writing Against the Current. Proceedings of the 13th Iligan National Writers Worshop. Edited by Christine Godinez Ortega. Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology.
19. Enemies of God: Heretical Writings in the Philosophy of Religion. By Ambong Fernandez. Davao. MS Lopez Printing and Publishing.
20. Bioethics for Contemporary Health Care Professionals. By Ambong Fernandez. Davao. MS Lopez Printing and Publishing.
21. Treasures of the Davao Museum. By Pamela R. Castrillo. Edited by Macario D. Tiu. Published by the Davao Museum Foundation, Inc. and the National Commission on the Culture and the Arts (in 2006 but released in 2007).
JOURNALS
1. Langkit. Official Journal of the College of Arts and Social Sciences. Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology. First issue.
2.Tambara. Volume 24. Ateneo de Davao University Journal. Edited by Albert E. Alejo, SJ. Published by the Ateneo de Davao University.
3. Mindanao Law Journal. The Official Publication of the Ateneo de Davao Law Sachool. Maiden Issue. Published by the Research and Publications Office, Ateneo de Davao University.
4. Right to Self-Determination. Autonomy and Peace Review. Volume 3, Issue No. 1(Jan-March 2007). Quarterly Publication of the Cotabato City-based Institute for Autonomy and Governance and Konrad Adenauer Foundation.
5.International Experiences of Self-determination. Autonomy and Peace Review. Volume 3, Issue No. 2 (April-June 2007). Quarterly Publication of the Cotabato City-based Institute for Autonomy and Governance and Konrad Adenauer Foundation.
6. New Thinking in the Mindanao Peace Process. Autonomy and Peace Review. Volume 3, Issue No. 3 (July-Sept 2007). Quarterly Publication of the Cotabato City-based Institute for Autonomy and Governance and Konrad Adenauer Foundation.
7. Charter Change, Federalism and the Mindanao Peace Process. Autonomy and Peace Review. Volume 3, Issue No. 4 (Oct-Dec 2007). Quarterly Publication of the Cotabato City-based Institute for Autonomy and Governance and Konrad Adenauer Foundation.
MONOGRAPHS
1. Towards Strengthening the Fiscal Capabilities of ARMM. A Policy Paper. By INCITE Gov (International Center for Innovation, Transformation and Excellence in Governance) and LGSPA (Local Governments Support Program-ARMM). 2007
2. Peace-building in times of Institutional Crisis. Ten years of the GRP-MNLF Peace Agreement. By Paul Oquist and Alma Evangelista. United Nations Development Programme. November 2006 but released 2007
MindaNews discovered another book published in 2006 that was not included in MindaNews’ 2006 list, under fiction category, “Blood for Blood. Pangayaw: The right to kill,” by Pio Gabad Arce, published by OMF Literature Inc. and Tribal Mission Foundation, International. (Carolyn O. Arguillas/MindaNews)