Mutarjim

Maraming nagtatanong kung tatakbo siya sa Parlamento... ..patuloy siyang maglalakad patungong Unibersidad upang MAGTURO. :)

SULU MYSTERIES OF A PROUD PAST

"Are we going to make it?" I muttered to myself, watching the time tick away.

After an overnight stay and a visit to two barangays in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, we were racing against the clock. Our next destination? Zamboanga City, where we needed to catch a ferry to Sulu by early evening. But the day had other plans. Our 4 PM flight was delayed by an hour, and with each passing minute, the uncertainty of catching the ferry grew heavier.

As soon as we landed, the adrenaline surged. We had no choice but to submit to the whims of the taxi driver who charged us Php500 for a rushed trip from the airport to the pier. Upon arrival, MV Aleson Ferry 1 was just about to close its gates. Breathless, we flashed our tickets at the guard. “We made it!” my team leader from the Ministry of the Interior and Local Government (MILG) Regional Office whispered, more to ourselves than anyone else.

The sea was merciful that night, or perhaps we were too exhausted to notice anything but our deep slumber. Either way, the smooth overnight travel carried us closer to our destination.

“Lebol, lebol!” shouted the young men as they boarded the ferry early in the morning. Their calls offering to carry passengers' baggage woke me. "We’re here," I thought, realizing we had arrived in Lupah Sūg, the land of the brave. As we disembarked, the same eager voices echoed, “Motol, motol!”—motorcycle services were being offered as we navigated the light drizzle.

Our reception at the pier was warm, despite the rain. A Municipal Local Government Operations Officer (MLGOO) and a staff member from the MILG Provincial Office were waiting to fetch us. “PD (Provincial Director) sends her regards and apologies,” they explained. “She’s on official travel.” With that, we were whisked away to Dennis Coffee Shop along Scott Road for an early breakfast—a spread of satti and traditional Tausug sweet delicacies.

After the meal, we had a brief respite at the Sulu State College dormitory. Two hours of rest was all we had before heading to Talipao Municipality at exactly 8 AM. We first made a quick stop at the MILG Provincial Office, located within the Sulu Provincial Capitol compound, for a courtesy call to the Provincial Director Officer-in-Charge (OIC). As we drove through the streets, I noticed something unusual about the layout of the roads.

“Did you know that these roads are shaped like a sword?” Ma’am Jane said, pointing out the window. “If you look closely, you’ll see the handle right there.”

I peered out of the window, intrigued by the symbolism and the striking design. "A sword? That’s an interesting choice for a road layout," I mused, imagining how the streets must have been deliberately constructed to embody the region’s heroic warrior spirit.

After a quick stop to snap a picture at the iconic "I Love Sulu" sign, we passed by the Sulu National Museum. That’s when Ma’am Jane surprised me with a suggestion.

“Sir, would you like to check out the museum before we head to Talipao?” she asked, her tone light but curious, as if the idea had just struck her.

“Absolutely!” I said without hesitation, grateful for the unexpected opportunity.

The less-than-an-hour museum tour turned out to be a whirlwind journey through time, a window into the vibrant history, culture, and civilization of the "People of the Current"—the proud Tausug. Walking through the exhibits felt like traveling through centuries of rich tradition, from the grandeur of Sulu’s sultanate to the region’s deep-rooted cultural identity. The artifacts and displays were a testament to the wealth of natural and human resources that have shaped Sulu’s story.

“It’s amazing to think about how much history is packed into this small space,” I remarked to museum guide as we wandered through a gallery of ancient textiles and weaponry.

“I agree,” he nodded. “There’s so much more to learn about this place. Every artifact here has a story.”

Though I had a thousand more questions for the guide, time wasn’t on our side. I longed to linger and dive deeper into Sulu’s fascinating past, but our schedule demanded otherwise. By 9 AM, we were back on the road, making a quick stop at the Mindanao State University (MSU) Sulu Campus—at my insistence—before continuing our journey to Talipao.