Slow Progress is Still Progress.

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The Cost of Peace: BJE MOA on AD

• Beginner’s Guide to Understanding the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE) MOA-AD
• Let’s Begin
• Of BJE MOA-AD, ARMM Polls and Oil Price Updates
• Fragile Peace? Say It Isn’t So.
• Slow Progress is Still Progress.
• Winners and Losers
• The Case of the “Ex”
• Where Do We Go From Here?
• So You Think She Can Dance?
• Actually, We’ve Been Dancing the ChaCha re: BJE MOA
• The Buck Stops Here
• A Change of Pace on the BJE MOA: Other Avenues of Peace
• Deferred Peace is Expedited War
• You and What Army?
• Just Thinking Out Loud
• Eyes On The Prize
• Live and Let Live: The Non-Negotiable Solution
• Perception vs. Reality
• There’s No Turning Back
• There’s No Easy Way: Peace and Its Price

I have read at least two good news today.

First Good News

First is the news that MILF agrees to pull out fighters in North Cotabato. And they agreed on it hours ahead of today's 10am deadline -- which, by the way, tempts me to think that the MILF are not that tough after all. But, well, of course, we know better. If they weren't that tough, we wouldn't have this peace process in the first place, right? Or does the MILF appear tougher than they actually are because the government is being too lenient with them? Either way, anything that results to halting of violence and chaos is good news and therefore it behooves us to appreciate and laud both sides. Peace, after all is an effort -- and an affort from both parties. So, let's give them that.

I appreciate the government's firm resolve on this issue despite the mounting pressure brought about by TRO, the MILF, the local government of North Cotabato and even the media and the Filipino people in general.

I also appreciate the MILF's (little) way of acting in good faith by heeding the government's call for implementation of the law. Although they keep on calling such a move as "repositioning" and claiming it as a "normal operation during wars", right now, I just don't mind what they call it. It's just wordplay ( thank you, Jason Mraz!). I understand that many will disagree with me on this because people will always deduce a "conspiracy" of sorts from these events. There are just too many smart people out there. I don't blame any of them, though. And I sincerely respect their opinions. But with regards to the "conspiracy theory",  there's no telling if there actually is -- at least at this time of the peace process. But if there were any, I don't think it can remain hidden forever. It has to show up sometime. A plan as evil as that (if there is any) is just too difficult to cover-up, you know.

So, in the meantime, I will keep my fingers crossed and my senses vigilant to succeeding events.This, while constantly praying that everything work out for the best.

Second Good News

Second, is the confirmation that oil firms has cut fuel prices. Eastern Petroleum is the first to announce of such of a rollback of 1 peso per liter on gasoline. This took effect this 6am today. Also, a 50 centavos rollback on diesel and kerosene took effect. Small players started this while major players Petron, Shell and Caltex implements this 12noon today.

It seems that we are seeing progress. Slow. But progress just the same. And come on, that isn't so bad.

I welcome news of this sort with open arms and an ear-to-ear smile. Nothing better than a cup of coffee sprinkled with news of progress -- political, social or economic. These are undoubtedly inextricably linked with each other. We know how these three go together like the Three Stooges -- only that there's nothing funny about it. But that's diverting to an entirely new topic altogether.

So, with that. I end this post and relish this moment of happiness. Something in my gut is howling at me, repeating Yoda-ish words like "all is not what it seems", "dark is the path that we take" while my son seemingly reminds me to be wary as he sings "transformers...more than meets the eye.." but I won't entertain it, for now. Maybe later, what do you think? :)

On second thought, can't we just call on the Autobots to "wage their battle to destroy the evil forces of ... the Decepticons". Wishful thinking. Besides, right now, "Decepticons" and "Autobots" are relative. It's a matter of perspective -- depends on which s<p style="text-align: left;" mce_style="text-align: left;">I have read at least two good news today.</p> <p style="text-align: left;" mce_style="text-align: left;"><b>First Good News</b></p> <p style="text-align: left;" mce_style="text-align: left;">First is the news that <span class="fontheadline"><a href="http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20080807-153314/MILF-agrees-to-pull-out-fighters-in-North-Cotabato" mce_href="http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20080807-153314/MILF-agrees-to-pull-out-fighters-in-North-Cotabato" target="_blank"><b>MILF agrees to pull out fighters in North Cotabato</b></a>. And they agreed on it hours ahead of <b>today's 10am deadline</b> -- which, by the way, tempts me to think that the MILF are not that tough after all. But, well, of course, we know better. If they weren't that tough, we wouldn't have this peace process in the first place, right? Or does the <b>MILF</b> appear tougher than they actually are because the government is being too lenient with them? Either way, anything that results to halting of violence and chaos is good news and therefore it behooves us to appreciate and laud both sides. Peace, after all is an effort -- and an affort from both parties. So, let's give them that. </span><img src="http://adayinthelifeofrj.com/wp-includes/js/tinymce/plugins/wordpress/img/trans.gif" mce_src="http://adayinthelifeofrj.com/wp-includes/js/tinymce/plugins/wordpress/img/trans.gif" alt="" class="mceWPmore mceItemNoResize" title="More..." /></p> <p style="text-align: left;" mce_style="text-align: left;"><span class="fontheadline">I appreciate the government's firm resolve on this issue despite the mounting pressure brought about by<b> TRO</b>, the<b> MILF</b>, the local government of <b>North Cotabato</b> and even the media and the Filipino people in general.</span></p> <p style="text-align: left;" mce_style="text-align: left;">I also appreciate the <b>MILF</b>'s (little) way of acting in good faith by heeding the government's call for implementation of the law. Although they keep on calling such a move as "<b>repositioning</b>" and claiming it as a "<a href="http://www.inquirer.net/specialfeatures/mindanaopeaceprocess/view.php?db=1&article=20080808-153375" mce_href="http://www.inquirer.net/specialfeatures/mindanaopeaceprocess/view.php?db=1&article=20080808-153375" target="_blank"><b>normal operation</b> <b>during wars</b></a>", right now, I just don't mind what they call it. It's just wordplay ( thank you, Jason Mraz!). I understand that many will disagree with me on this because people will always deduce a "<b>conspiracy</b>" of sorts from these events. There are just too many smart people out there. I don't blame any of them, though. And I sincerely respect their opinions. But with regards to the "<a href="http://www.inquirer.net/specialfeatures/mindanaopeaceprocess/view.php?db=1&article=20080808-153336" mce_href="http://www.inquirer.net/specialfeatures/mindanaopeaceprocess/view.php?db=1&article=20080808-153336" target="_blank"><b>conspiracy theory</b></a>",  there's no telling if there actually is -- at least at this time of the peace process. But if there were any, I don't think it can remain hidden forever. It has to show up sometime. A plan as evil as that (if there is any) is just too difficult to cover-up, you know.</p> <p style="text-align: left;" mce_style="text-align: left;">So, in the meantime, I will keep my fingers crossed and my senses vigilant to succeeding events.This, while constantly praying that everything work out for the best.</p> <p style="text-align: left;" mce_style="text-align: left;"> <p style="text-align: left;" mce_style="text-align: left;"><b>Second Good News</b></p> <p style="text-align: left;" mce_style="text-align: left;">Second, is the confirmation that <a href="http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20080808-153328/Oil-firms-cut-fuel-prices" mce_href="http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20080808-153328/Oil-firms-cut-fuel-prices" target="_blank"><b>oil firms has cut fuel prices</b></a>. <a href="http://adayinthelifeofrj.com/2008/08/of-bje-moa-ad-armm-polls-and-oil-price-updates/" mce_href="http://adayinthelifeofrj.com/2008/08/of-bje-moa-ad-armm-polls-and-oil-price-updates/" target="_self"><b>Eastern Petroleum is the first to announce of such of a rollback of 1 peso per liter on gasoline</b></a>. This took effect this <b>6am</b> today. Also, a <b>50 centavos rollback on diesel</b> <b>and kerosene</b> took effect. Small players started this while major players <b>Petron</b>, <b>Shell</b> and <b>Caltex</b> implements this 12noon today.</p> <p style="text-align: left;" mce_style="text-align: left;">It seems that we are seeing progress. Slow. But progress just the same. And come on, that isn't so bad.</p> <p style="text-align: left;" mce_style="text-align: left;">I welcome news of this sort with open arms and an ear-to-ear smile. Nothing better than a cup of coffee sprinkled with news of progress -- political, social or economic. These are undoubtedly inextricably linked with each other. We know how these three go together like the Three Stooges -- only that there's nothing funny about it. But that's diverting to an entirely new topic altogether.</p> <p style="text-align: left;" mce_style="text-align: left;">So, with that. I end this post and relish this moment of happiness. Something in my gut is howling at me, repeating <b>Yoda-ish</b> words like "<b>all is not what it seems</b>", "<b>dark is the path that we take</b>" while my son seemingly reminds me to be wary as he sings "transformers...<b>more than meets the eye</b>.." but I won't entertain it, for now. Maybe later, what do you think? :)</p> <p style="text-align: left;" mce_style="text-align: left;">On second thought, can't we just call on the <b>Autobots</b> to "<b>wage their battle to destroy the evil forces of ... the Decepticons</b>". Wishful thinking. Besides, right now, "<b>Decepticons</b>" and "<b>Autobots</b>" are relative. It's a matter of perspective -- depends on which side of the fence you're on.</p> <p style="text-align: left;" mce_style="text-align: left;"> <p><img class="alignleft" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85704/rjmarmol/sig_1217605896.jpg" mce_src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85704/rjmarmol/sig_1217605896.jpg" border="0" alt="" width="181" height="38" /></p>

Suggested Further Reading:

• Fragile Peace? Say It Isn’t So.
• Where Do We Go From Here?
• A Change of Pace on the BJE MOA: Other Avenues of Peace
• Eyes On The Prize
• Just Thinking Out Loud

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