Inaugural Address

Abdusakur A. Tan II Governor, Province of Sulu

Bismillah her Rahman ner Raheem. As Salaamu Alaykum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatu.

Greetings of Peace and a very warm welcome to all, most especially to my mother, Vice Governor Hadja Nurunnisah Abubakar Tan.

I congratulate my mother for her achievement and ascent to politics, in which everything else is made possible. Certainly, she is a whiff of fresh air that can spur change in the provincial government. A scion of politician, her bearing gave her unusual opportunities to make the thoughts in her head the work in her hands. My mother always teaches us that it is charming to be loved by everybody, and the way to obtain it is never to be angry with anybody but to be kind and conciliating.

I cease this rare opportunity to further commend my mother and her dedicated colleagues at the provincial women center for their bold initiatives in preventing and curing an array of diseases that afflict kids, adolescents and elderly. The women center has taught our people the value of health and sanitation that fast became their habit.

I greet my father, Abdusakur M. Tan, Al Haj, our outgoing vice Governor with highest compliments.

I cannot find words to express to him the feelings that lie in my heart. 36 months or so ago, he asked me to run for governor. on becoming governor, no other period in my life has brought so many struggles or so much satisfaction. The struggle would have been infinitely greater and the satisfaction immeasurably less if I had not received his full support every step of the way.

Indeed, all good thins come to a end. My father's break from public service is one such thing. As for the days ahead of him, they are bright. I know my father has foun the means to endure and prevail. He is a builder controlled by any abusive power. I assure him that though our lives will change, we will not. And we whom he has awakened and inspired by his example will be lasting in admiration and gratitude.

I also greet all my noble partners in the LGU, AFP, PNP, academe and line agencies of government, as well as, our traditional leaders, our religious scholars, our guests, visitors and all my friends.

I cannot fail to be proud of your collective support for all our endeavors in various fields of public service. Let us continue to personify our ideals and values as the guiding standards of our personal lives as well as in the practice of our different trade and profession in life. Our people will benefit for decades to come from the discipline we have shown and the reforms we have pushed.

Of course, I greet my brothers, sisters, relatives - you know who you are. But most of all may I in all gratefulness acclaim the love, patience and understanding of my better half Charina and our kids, who stood by me all the times, good or bad. Politics is an exacting mistress. They have to bear with me for another three years.

And so today, alhamdulillah, I praise and thank the Almighty Allah for making it easy and safe for all of us to be here today. In a sense, we won't be here if Divine Providence did not sustain our bod for re-election. Ya Allah thank you again and again for giving us another oppirtunity to serve and for this peacegul continuation of power. Thank you Ya Allah for rescuing Sulu from the evil disturber of peace and the enemy of all rank and order.

Initially, I was reluctant to have this program and to speak our for fear that I might just sound self-serving, defensive or vindictive, which I wish to avoid. Besides, it is un-Islamic to orchestrate charitable achievements. God suffices as witness for every good thing we have done. But protocols have to be observed. I have a duty to tell and you have the right to know the purpose and direction of your provincial government.

The beginnings of all things are small, and the story of my administration is no different.

When I became governor I faced the complex and growing crisis in Sulu with sparse knowledge, scant experience and simplistic assumptions.

Since I assumed my duties 3 years ago today, our defining vision and compelling goals has been waging reform, preventing disease, fighting poverty and building hopes among the neediest sectors.

In these respect, a need clearly exist for basic infrastructures to be in place and for a working peace to reign for us to shape the province we envision in the future, where there is safe water and electricity at hand in every home, food in every table and economic parity among families.

In pursuit of these ends, our reform initiatives and development agenda and strategies in the next 3 years will not be different from the past. As before, we must make sure that our limited funds and supplies go directly to fulfill our goals.

We need to vigorously sustain basic quality education for our youth to make them at par by giving them eligible teachers. This we did through the extensive school support system, such as, the relevant review classes the provincial government has been offering free of charge right here in Jolo to our prospective teachers. By this initiative, alhamdulillah 840 of our BSE graduates easily passed the Licensure Examinations for Teacher this year, in addition to the 1108 more that also made it earlier. This initiative we began in 2013 also generates productive employment keeping in mind that for each graduate, a job means not merely material income, but social usefulness and self-respect. Our goal is to make this trend continue.

Other projects to enhance Madaris education and cultural support programs are also in place. This will balance cognitive development, character formation and moderate Islamic orientation of our youth in particular and our Muslim brethren as a whole. This program is part of our robust counter against terrorism associated with Islam. Our Madaris and Imams must be vibrant, active and progressive. We have to nurture our Islamic institutions and dedication of our religious leaders.

Ma'hlum na katuh, in hulah natuh Lupah Sug gimba iban Kapu'an.

Maka hansul in kahalan sin kamanghuran ha gimba iban kapu'an. Mahang atawa kulang in kala-lamihan nila. Amu pag-iyahun, masamut sila mag-la'as. Thy lack delightful entertainment and recreation.

Ma awun sadja in paglami-lami sin kabataan ha kagimbahan iban kapu'an bang timpu sawa bulan. Karnah way kapag punpunan nila pag sadlup sin Suga. Tigidlum in katilibut.

Mga tuan, mahalgah ha pag-sangput sin kabataan in pag panunpanun , pang-panayam-nayam, pag-langug iban paglami-lami. Sports, recreation and entertainment are vital to human growth and development.

Ha sabab ini tiyagnaan taniyo ilawan in sasukuh sin ka-lubukan sin tao ha katan municipality sin Lupah Sug. Amun pag-tawagun Solar ligh in piyakay ta. Pasuh sin suga in lana atawa kurente niya. Misan taga halgah nag-a-amu ra halgah iban sin kaluargaan niya. Magbuhih na-siya baran niya damikkiyan mag pung da isab siya isa-isa niya.

Alhamdulillah, bihaun, dih na in kabataan humajat magtagad pa atawa magandakay sin guwah sin sawa bulan bang sila baya'an mag pahayang atawa mamanaw-panaw, mang-hunat-hunat ha halaman misn sadlup suga na.

We have installed more or less 1500 units of state of the art solar powered street light in major thoroughfares and promenades in all municipalities in Sulu. Our next challenge will be to spread this project to as many areas possible.

Our constituents in the hinterland are often isolated and neglected. They do not live near running streams or have water wells, and their entire lives are spent walking distances just to fetch water from local rain-fed warer hole. This is the case in Angilan, Municipality of Omar, Maimbung, Kulasi and Siasi, where we have established a clean drinking water supply available throughout.

Unclean water is the prevalent cause of disease and death in the hinterland that we can prevent.

Political rights are important to everyone; we have seen that they fade into secondary importance when the family does not have food, shelter, and an prospect for peaceful existence. The easy resolution for this apparent dilemma is for political rights to include poeple's need.

On this theme, we have established and completed 500 core shelter units in 12 Municipalities. These shelters are real place to call home, modest in size but livable - a show case by all means of our downtrodden brethren.

We have also rebuilt various farm-to-market roads, in Indanan, Patikul, Talipao, Jolo and Parang and refurbished several commercial ports in Pangutaran, Lugus, Maimbung and Parang. Unpaved roads and unserviceable ports affect agricultural productivity, because they limit access to markets. Progress cannot be attained by nslogans but rather through the application of workable solutions to problems.

Our stream of achievements includes the construction of Covered Court and Flea Market in Maimbung, Classroms and Police Outposts in Pandami, Kalinggalan Caluan and Patikul and Barangay Halls in Indanan and Jolo. Now more than ever our municipalities are the better enabled and equipped to serve their constituencies.

Our 20% development funds all went to our public investment programs. Part of this is invested in the construction of a Commercial Building in Jolo Port Area that is nearing completion.

All these projects and constructions are intended to provide the framework for sustaind growth. It is interesting to note that we hare achieving considerable infrastructure requirements with but limited resources, because, of sincerity and plain dealings.

We thank our elders and brothers in the MNLF for tempering their estrangement with the national government that gae us space for peace that provides an arena for economic progress. I noted with pleasure, that in in the era of peace few people suffered more, andmany face more unprecendented oppirtunities for the alleviation of their sufferings. Our livelihood assistance enable our poor and marginalized to earn for themselves. In Maimbung, as it is, elsewhere in Sulu, not even one Samal is a beggar.

Sambil iban natuh Samal taga-usaha. Amu rakuman, dih sila magtanum atawa mag-ipat sin daga-ngan nila. Managat hadja in ka-agi nila. Amu isab ini in piyag bid-daan sin lupah iban dagat. Ha lupah subay kita mag-ulih sin iyani a. Ha ragat magulih isa-isa in gamay iban panagatun.

By all account our recent election was relatively peaceful indication clearly that a period of political stability has reigned. The automation of our election drastically cut vote counting time and insured peace and stability.

On the other hand, we must improve and intensify our anti-crime and anti-drug campaign. We receive nothing but criticism and charges of inefficiency on law enforcement. The overall crime rate appears to be increasing. I grievously lost my unsuspecting Army Security, who was disdainfully murdered in his house.

I have no patience with the myth that our peace and order cannot be managed. Only, we need to shake things up and inject new untainted blood. My goal in the coming years is security for the province at the lowest possible cost. We will make sweeping changes with the new Mayors of Jolo and the adjoinging towns to achieve economic developments, criminal justice, sidewalk and traffic improvement, social services, housing and sanitation.

It is difficult to predict the future. But I am certain that we don't have to surrender our rights for the sake of the security of our country. When we surrender some of our rights in order to achieve security, we might end losing both. But as a transformative leader, when faced with insuperable odds, I should be creative and flexible and consider your wellbeing not just my preferences and glory. I understand the difficulty of waging war and the pain of nurturing peace.

Dinanas na natin ang lahat ng kahirapan at karahansan. Matagal na tayo gustong burahin sa mapa. Sinabihan na nga tayo noon pa "Goodbye Sulu".

Nevertheless, we all see the steady and surprising progress we have made despite years of repression during Martial Law and intermittent disruption of law and order until now.

We have proven ability to take advantage of unforeseen challenges. And we shall continue to have the courage to take a chance on possible failure if the goal is worthy. This is the glory of Bangsa Sug. Fighting is the heart of our legacy.

We will continu to reach out to all other organizations that share our goals and to form constructive partnershio without concern about who receives credit for successes.

With the blessings and guidance of the Almighty we cannot fail. With your commitment and support we will succeed.

Thank you. Ei'd Mubaraq and Was Salaam.