→I WAS DISCRIMINATED BECAUSE I AM A MUSLIM←

[quertz_jedaines]

I WAS DISCRIMINATED BECAUSE I WAS MUSLIM By Tarhata A. Sumayan-Mapandi, MA

Director, TESDA-Lanao del Sur

Marawi City


I wanted to buy a home but I couldn’t get one because I was Muslim.

I am a 36-year old public official who holds several degrees. I am from Lanao del Sur and worked my way up to get to my directorial position. But realities do strike back at times.

On October 6, 2008, Gran Europa La Buena Vida II Subdivision was about to grant me assumption of mortgage for a property at their Subdivision in Cagayan de Oro, the supposed Golden City of Friendship, which is managed by Crown Communities. But all of a sudden, the real estate agent told me that by that a Muslim was not accepted to assume any property within the subdivision above mentioned for unknown reasons. In order that I would be able to assume the property, my agent advised me to get a second person - in that case a Christian who will serve as my dummy to be able to be accepted and facilitate my application .

Upon hearing this directly (which I could not believe and to my dismay), I went immediately to the office of Crown Communities located at downtown Divisoria, CDO City to validate and verify the information feedback by the real estate to me. Indeed, when I ask the staff of Crown Communities to talk to their Manager or to the officer in charge at that time, I was not entertained as if no one is present, not one of the staff present at that office was able directly to answer my query and heard to one of their staff that they are not accepting Muslim to assume or buy property for unknown reasons. I ask whose policy is that not to accept a Muslim? No one can immediately answer. Since noone could give me a direct answer and with that information, clearly discrimination in this part of Mindanao (City of Friendship no more) is happening.

Another experience of discrimination followed soon. This took place when I visited a Housing Fair at Limketkai Mall at Cagayan de Oro City last October 23, 2008, when my sister and I asked for any vacant units to an agent of Johndorf Ventures at their booth, she told us that all units were closed and that the only units available were in the outskirts which is not yet open for reservation since it would still be subject to approval of their head. They did not offer any date when it would open for reservation or application. We left and moved to other developers booths’ present also at that Housing Fair. When we passed by again at that Johndorf Ventures booth, I was surprised and was already in doubt of biases because they were entertaining clients asking open units and showed them the maps where open units are ready for application and reservation, we jokingly told the agent that they should put a mark that Muslim is not allowed to apply for housing units so that we have the idea already not to apply. They have alibis of course and to validate our observation, we commissioned my brother-in-law who is with us during that time to ask any open units available at Johndorf Ventures. The result : the agent entertained and readily presented to my brother-in-law available open units at the front of the subdivision ready for reservation and application. With these experiences, this kind of discriminatory acts towards any person whether Muslims or Christians should and must be stopped.

I asked myself, why are these acts being committed to Muslims and why are these companies tolerating these acts. Is this part of their “agenda” to exclude Muslims in exercising their social rights to own a home in a place dominated by Christians? Such human rights violation to any Muslim Filipinos for that matter who just wanted to assume or buy a property to be called her home is happening still. Reality check, I am already a victim of these dastardly and absurd acts of some of our fellow Filipinos in an island of Mindanao . This experience only proves that discrimination towards Muslim is prevalent still, amidst international, national, regional and even local policies to protect and promote cooperation, understanding, respect and harmony that all of us are Filipinos irregardless of religion and color.


just sharing this to you guys... my friend "habib usman" forward this to my mail

any reaction is allowed...
please pass

[quertz_jedaines]

did they ask you why? baka di alam nong mga nagbibigay ng flyers nila na may ganung situation...

too bad...

[Jamallim-Jun M. Magondacan]

dumaan ako kanina sa both ng grand europa sa SM CDO city, bibigyan ako ng flyers ng tao nila, cinauli ko.... cnabihan ko na lang cla na wag nila ako bigyan kc d naman cla 2matanggap ng muslim and then cnabi ko ulit na may araw may magfile ng complain sa court or sa city council ang developer para ipa clarify lang ang policy nila kung bakit d cla 2matanggap ng muslim ksama ang pueblo.....

[quertz_jedaines]

yeah right... lolz

i definitely agree with that...

[Vulnerable]

LET'S NOT GO FURTHER. ANG PROBLEMA KASI NAMAN DITO IS OTHER CHRISTIANS ARE GENERALIZING NA LAHAT NG MUSLIM AY MASAMA. THE CASE OF MA'AM MAPANDI SHOWS ONLY NA TALAGANG PARE-PAREHO TINGIN NILA SAMIN WHICH IS TOO UNFAIR.

[quertz_jedaines]

lolz... yeah right...
tama na ang siraan...
why dont you try to love each other para mapayapa?

rofl

this blog doesn't mean that i am making things worse...

this is just a lesson to all of us...
you know what will happen if this stupidity still continue...

[Florlyn Lambonao]

Tama!! We can only start the changes we want sa paligid ntin kung ccmulan ntin sa mga sarili ntin.. Xe kayt anu pang gwin ntin wla din namang ibang maglligtas sa atin kundi mga sarili lang din ntin eh.. Not even God, xe c God S'YA lang un maghhusga s'tin in the end.. Hay nku.. Tama na nga ang siraan guys.. Hehehe.. Muah!!!

[quertz_jedaines]

yeah right... kalimutan na natin and we have to start sa sarili natin...
kasi kung mismo tau,di natin nagagawa na respetuhin ang sarili natin, how much more ang ibang tao???

those who judge people,dont you think you're worse than them???
you're pretending that you're good,smart...even perfect...

oh c'mon‼

paano nyo naaatim yan?
lolz...

you're making yourself much cheaper than anybody else...

[Florlyn Lambonao]

Cguro pra s'ken,, wla sa ugat ng nkaugalian nababase ang ksamaan ng tao.. Muslim kman o Kristyano kung talagang gustuhing gumawa ng msama nagagawa, xe wlang mkapgppgil dun not even GOD.. Un ngalang nsa itaas na ang paghuhusga.. Kya guys! Kung pde lang let us make ourselves nalang the channel of peace.. Kalimutan nalang ang lahat ng mga kontradiksyons sa isa't isa, xe gnun din nman eh.. Tayo2 lang din ang magkksakitan.. GOD blesses us!!

[quertz_jedaines]

we are discriminated kasi nga dahil sa history ng bangsamoro dito sa mindanao... pati ang mga MILF,MNLF, at ABU SAYAF inaakalang lahat tau membro don...

kung makapag judge sila,akala mo ang linis nila...
na mga santa sila...
un naman pala santa santita...
lolz

bakit sila?
wala bang Gerilla,ilaga pati NPA???

[Vulnerable]

I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHY WE ARE DISCRIMINATED, MAGING GANUN MAN TINGIN SAMIN RI HINDI NAMAN LAHAT GANUN, UNFAIR LANG TALAGA, THE FACT IS THAT MAS MALALA PA NGA MGA IBANG CHRISTIANS, THE PRESIDENT HERSELF IS CORRUPT AND THE OTHER HIGHER OFFICERS OF OUR "GREAT' COUNTRY.