Balancing martial law with lower investments

President Duterte’s first hurdle will be over by tomorrow’s special session of Congress. His martial law in Mindanao surely will be extended, as most lawmakers prefer it. The only question is for how long. Duterte’s supermajority in the House of Representatives support his request of up to yearend 2017. A slight majority in the Senate might concede only two more months. After the two chambers vote separately, the likely middle ground is to grant Duterte bimonthly extensions as needed.

Then comes the bloody part: winning the war. The Armed Forces of the Philippines needs to crush the Islamic State-inspired Maute terrorists in Lanao. As well, the Ansar al-Khilafa Philippines in Sarangani and South Cotabato, and the Abu Sayyaf in Basilan and Sulu, both also swearing allegiance to IS. Then, there are the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and the Justice for Islam Movement in Maguindanao, splinters of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, that pillage Christian barrios in next-door North Cotabato. There’s also the communist New People’s Army that exacts “revolutionary taxes” in Surigao, Agusan, Compostela Valley, and Davao. For total victory the AFP and National Police would have to enforce gun control on political warlords and clans, and so disband their private armies. Past administrations had let the problems fester. Setting deadlines now on the soldiers would be impractical, even fatal.

Along with and to follow long after the military action is the toughest: winning the peace. Social, political, and economic reforms direly are needed to lift Mindanao out of poverty and recurring violence. Most will bear fruit only after Duterte’s term. But he must begin some crucial items now. Foremost is an expanded Muslim autonomy acceptable even to non-Moros. Congress is rushing by yearend the long-delayed Bangsamoro Basic Law. The injustice and neglect from which Islamist, separatist, and communist insurgents draw recruits must be corrected. Among these would be infrastructures for clean water and irrigation, electricity and trade, transportation and telecommunications. Hand in hand would be practical education, widespread employment, and religious tolerance to prevent youth radicalization. These would require massive public works and private investments in Mindanao.

But it’s a chicken-and-egg situation. Capital must pour into Mindanao to help end the war. But multibillion-peso investments dropped 63 percent across the island in January to June 2017, precisely because of the war. Bureaucrats and businessmen are waiting for the lifting of martial law as a signal that the coast is clear.

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Yesterday my cell phone service provider texted that they are upgrading their facilities, so to please bear with temporary signal interruptions that would redound to better future connections. Great, I told myself. But soon afterwards came an alert from the NTC (National Telecommunications Commission) not to fall for text scams. Oh well.

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Marketing men like to segmentize buyers by age to sell their wares. So there are infant formulas and children’s wear, millennial tastes and mature audiences. The coinage of “teen-ager” in the 1960s sharpened the sale of music records, jeans, beady jewelry, soda bars, chocolates, hair gels, and perfumes.

Medical advances and healthier lifestyles have spawned a new age segment – the beyond 60 but not yet elderly, so still work and want to spend. What to call them?

“Geriactives” doesn’t quite suit them. “Sunsetters” or “nightcappers” sounds too flippant. Upcoming terms are “Nyppies” (Not Yet Past It) and “Owls” (Older, Working Less, Still earning). Expect new brands, ads, and department stores to cater to them.

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Last weekend in Manila of “Kinky Boots,” Cyndi Lauper’s Tommy-, Grammy-, and Academy-award winning musicale. Tonight till Sunday, 3 and 8 p.m., at the Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Ayala corner Buendia, Makati. Top-billing Nyoy Volante.

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Catch Sapol radio show, Saturdays, 8-10 a.m., DWIZ (882-AM).

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