A Call for Unity in Hearts and Minds

 

 

Truly, Mulanayins are warm-hearted people and they love helping each other both in times of crisis and prosperity. It is evident with my three years of extensive studies about Mulanay – its people, culture, history and economy that revealed an exciting fact – we are well-motivated people. The long history of Mulanay as a town is an exciting subject for local historiography. Almost three and half years ago, I have an ambitious project – writing an encyclopedia about Mulanay. The project, like the experiences of Murray in undertaking the project of making the Oxford English Dictionary, is an ambiguous, even challenging and desperate attempt to promote the culture of excellence and tribute to the Mulanayins – both the living and the dead. The proposed encyclopedia is a corpus of Mulanayin culture, a lexicon to its diverse language and cultural orientation and an idealistic representation of Mulanay as the center of trade and commerce in Bondoc Peninsula area. To me, the project is like an epistle to the people of Mulanay whom I consider as special people in the eyes of God. The work will serve as paragon of our objectives towards a new horizon of our people. But sad to say, the project suffered neglect. Majority of the articles, biographic entries, pictures, drawings, notes and quotations from Mulanayins are deteriorating; some are already missing and worst, the project was buried within the realm of frustrations and disappointments.

 

I know several Mulanayins who truly loves Mulanay. They are working for Mulanay and aiming for its prosperity. But this number is not enough to build Mulanay to its former glory being the biggest municipality in Bondoc Peninsula in the covering vat agricultural lands and coastal communities from as far as Gen. Luna in the north and San Andres in the south. Mulanay is in need of thinkers, visionaries, leaders and volunteers. We need minds that will innovate and revolutionize the economy and set trends that will transform problems into opportunities, wastes into source of livelihood, crisis into prosperity and conflicts into unity and solidarity. Like the Tesalonas during the time of Moro raids along the coasts of Bondoc Peninsula who led the Mulanayins into a victorious fight against the enemies – Mulanay is in need of dedicated people today who will lead her town into the pedestal of economic growth and development. Our town needs visionaries who see Mulanay a hundred years from now. We need people who see food baskets in Mulanay’s almost barren and devastated land with productions that could support its economy; yes, we need people who can see an industry that will provide jobs for many people for decades and even centuries. It is about time to call on people who can make Mulanay as a prosperous city recognized internationally and catering jobs for the brightest minds in the world. We need leaders who will unite our people in hearts and minds because our march towards the coming century is a long and challenging journey in the hard times.

 

With this, Mulanayins from Mulanay and from the four corners of the world are hereby enjoined to contribute for this noble cause. We are being called by our hometown to ‘rebuild’ it and strengthen its foundation that will be our legacy to our children and our children’s children. This is not just a desperate call from a single person; it is a desperate call from the heart of our hometown. Let us heal the wounds of division and the acts promoting disunity. We have to gather as one, work together hand in hand and driven with an inner desire – the desire to contribute something beneficial. Mulanayins are not obliged to donate cash or offer their hard-earned money but every Mulanayin is called to render service and offer their precious time. Let those who can afford to give money contribute according to their own will and satisfaction but those who can promise talents and hard work must be recognized equally. As to me, I have no cash or property to give but I can promise willingness to work in collaboration with those who are willing to pursue this undertaking.

 

This is an appeal to each and every one of us. It is a call for unity in minds and hearts just like what powerful countries in the world has undertaken. We have to act now before it is too late.