The Dynamics of Meranao Political Participation in Southern Philippines: An Analysis Using Milbrath’s Hierarchy of Political Involvement

The study analyzes the dynamics of political participation of the largest Muslim ethnolinguistic group in the Philippines – the Meranao. Using Milbrath’s hierarchy of political involvement, the researcher examines the nature of Meranaos’ political processes and the role played by demographic and socioeconomic factors including gender, place of origin, age, income, education, and occupation on the nature of their political participation. The study adopted quantitative approach whereby survey method is the primary technique during the collection of data. There were 315 respondents who took part in the five-month survey period in the two districts of the province of Lanao del Sur in Southern Philippines. The research question is summed up on how do Meranaos participate in Philippine politics vis-a-vis Milbrath’s Hierarchy of Political Involvement, and how do social stratification in the Meranao society influence their political participation. The study found that the nature of Meranaos’ political participation is not up to democratic setup as they are confined only to spectatorial level, while rarely participating in transitional and gladiatorial levels. In the same manner, there were no significant impacts of demographic and socioeconomic factors on political participation. The effects were only found in individual formative items at a lesser extent. The study recommends the massive information drive on the status and significant roles of political institutions in the Meranao society in order to entice higher political participation. Extension of this study to other Muslim ethnolinguistic groups and communities in the Philippines is essential

THE PROSPECT OF INTEGRATED AND HOLISTIC MADRASAH EDUCATION SYSTEM (IHMES) IN THE PHILIPPINES: A Sustainable Approach to Prevent Violent Extremism

ABSTRACTThe madrasah education system in the Philippines was recently impugned as a source of radicalized Muslim Filipino youths. This assertion was based on the presumption that most radicalized youths who happened to be members of either the revolutionary groups or the ISIS-inspired groups went through the diverse madrasah institutions in the country. This indictment, however, may be parti pris to the substantial majority of Muslim Filipino youths who served the nation in various capacities as also a product of various madrasah institutions in the Philippines and abroad. More vividly, many of the highly educated Muslim Filipino youths are actively engaged in various government and non-government programs on preventing and countering violent extremism. These two opposing views made the examination of the dynamics of the Philippine madrasah education system imperative to vindicate the issue. Using analysis of documents, the study found that there are challenges and gaps in the implementation of the madrasah programs even though it is mandated by existing legislations, policies, and peace agreements. Thus, a sustainable integrated and holistic madrasah education system (IHMES) acquiescent to the religio-cultural orientations of Muslim Filipinos is proposed to empower Muslim communities, eliminate various social ills particularly violent extremism, and meaningfully participate in nation-building.  ABSTRAKSistem pendidikan madrasah di Filipina akhir-akhir ini dibantah telah menjadi sumber bagi radikalisasi pemuda Muslim Filipina. Pernyataan ini didasari pada dugaan bahwa generasi muda yang paling banyak terpapar radikalisme dan menjadi anggota grup revolusioner ataupun grup yang terinspirasi oleh ISIS menempuh pendidikan di berbagai institusi madrasah di negara tersebut. Meski begitu, dakwaan ini mungkin saja merupakan prasangka atas adanya mayoritas pemuda Muslim Filipina yang bekerja dalam melayani negara di bergagay bidang yang juga merupakan lulusan dari institusi-institusi madrasah, baik di dalam maupun luar Filipina. Lebih jelasnya lagi, kebanyakan pemuda Muslim Filipina yang berpendidikan tinggi berperan aftif dalam berbagai program, baik yang diadakan oleh pemerintah maupun swasta dalam rangka menangkal dan melawan ekstrimisme dan kekerasan. Kedua pandangan yang menentang ini membuat pemeriksaan dinamika sistem pendidikan madrasah Filipina sangatlah penting, demi membuktikan kebenaran kasus ini. Dengan menggunakan analisis terhadap dokumen yang ada, studi ini pun menemukan fakta bahwa terdapat tantangan dan kesenjangan dalam penerapan program madrasah, meskipun mereka telah berada di bawah pengawasan perundang-undangan yang ada, kebijakan, dan juga perjanjian kedamaian. Oleh karenanya, sebuah sistem pendidikan madrasah yang terintegrasi dan holistik yang berkelanjutan (integrated dan holistic madrasah education system, IHMES) sepakat pada orientasi agama-budaya Muslim Filipina agar dapat diajukan, hal tersebut betujuan dilakukannya pemberdayaaan komunitas Muslim demi menyingkirkan berbagai penyakit sosial, terutama ekstrimisme kekerasan, dan yang juga berarti sebuah partisipasi dalam membangun negara.                

The Predicaments of Muslims in the Philippines: An Exposition of Said Nursi’s Hypothesis vis-à-vis Hizmet Movement Approach

The complexities of interdependent predicaments experienced by Muslims propel their pessimism on the prospect of reform in the Philippines. This pessimism has made the apathy of Muslims towards the corrupt system in the country. Consequently, this condition drives the weakening of altruism and increases apathetic social identifiers. These predicaments continue until the current day due to the lack of inclusive and effective remedies for improving the rudiments of people’s living in contemporary society. By using analysis of documents and in-depth interviews, the writers examine the root causes of Muslim-Filipinos’ interdependent predicaments according to Said Nursi’s hypothesis vis-à-vis Hizmet Movement approach. The study finds that Said Nursi’s “triumvirate quandaries hypothesis” resembles, to a greater extent, the interdependent predicaments of Muslims in the Philippines. Thus, inclusive remedies concurrent to the approaches of the Hizmet Movement that are known to have effectively addressed the triumvirate quandaries need to be contextualized in the Muslim-Filipino society within the context of the Philippines secular state