MSU celebrates 59th founding day; honors late Senator Alonto

MARAWI CITY --- The Mindanao State University (MSU) successfully celebrated its 59^th foundation anniversary on Tuesday, September 01, 2020 by giving honor to late Senator Dr. Ahmad Domocao “Domie” A. Alonto, an exemplary Filipino Muslim Statesman.

MSU was founded 59 years ago to help build peace and celebrate diversity and culture. It was created as one of the government's responses to the so-called “Mindanao Problem” through the efforts of the late Senator Alonto, a lawyer, educator, author, traditional leader, and Islamic figure from Lanao del Sur.

Alonto served as a Senator of the Philippines and was elected as a delegate in the 1971 Constitutional Convention and the 1986 Philippine Constitutional Commission. In 1988, he was awarded with the prestigious King Faisal Prize for Service to Islam.

As part of the celebration, Mindanao State University System President Dr. Habib W. Macaayong along with Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Parliament Speaker Pangalian M. Balindong, Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal A. Adiong, Member of Parliament (MP) Zia Alonto Adiong and other officials, led the inauguration of the “Ahmad Domocao A. Alonto Sr. Hall Building”, launching of “Sen. Ahmad Domocao A. Alonto, Sr., Avenue” and the opening of “Exhibit of the Life and Works of the Late Dr. Ahmad Domocao A. Alonto, Sr.” and “MSU: Then and Now”.

In his message, Mindanao State University System President Dr. Habib W. Macaayong said as they continue to navigate the sea of challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, this is the time as an academic institution to commemorate and consecrate once again their time-honored values of excellence, relevance and diversity which have ushered MSU for 59 years as a prime institution of higher learning in the MINSUPALA (Mindanao, Sulu, Palawan) region.

“In the midst of this public health crisis and under my leadership, let us transform this importunate time into a seedbed of opportunities for growth in the new normal. Together, let us continue our steps forward with a sense of hope in this age of uncertainties,” Macaayong stressed.

Speaker Balindong shared in his message a fond memory of him with his “father-in-law”.

“In the early part of 1968 after my betrothal to Jamila, I met for the first time in person my would be father-in-law, the man who would light up my life and change my whole being. The place was the Alonto residence, popularly known as People’s Kota in Marawi. The Kota like many other revered institutions did not survive the Marawi Siege. In that first encounter with our hero, as expected I lost in the discourse, but I won the true love of my life, my one and only Jamila Malawani Alonto Balindong, Alhamdulillah, the rest is history,” Balindong said.

Balindong stressed this is a celebration of his legacy and establishing a standard of leadership that all of us should not only learn from but as much possible measure ourselves to.

“He is a leader in every aspect. His brilliance, resilience, even persistence would then take him to a much bigger world, again starting as a confidential writer for the National Information Board and the then Department of Interior,” Balindong said.

Balindong added it is not only about brains but also brawn and without hesitation fought for their freedom, for their motherland as a First Lieutenant in the 81^st Division of the Philippine Army with then United States Armed Forces in the Far East (USAFFE).

“This patriotism was fully brought to bear during the Japanese occupation.  He was then the Mayor of Marawi, known as Dansalan before, then he served as Governor of Lanao under the caretaker government under the Japanese.  You could easily then dismiss him as a Japanese supporter that he was not suspected of secretly supporting the underground resistance movement fighting the Japanese.  This will serve as the pivotal turn in his career as he learned enough to propel him for greater heights.  After the war, his significant role will not go unnoticed that he was appointed Presidential Assistant and Adviser to the President.  In time he would show that there is so much more he could do as a true leader,” Balindong said.

Balindong emphasized this ‘university’ is a true representation of his legacy, one of knowledge, peace and development, and a leading light in the Islamic community. 

“We are truly blessed by Allah to have a leader in Dr. Ahmad Domocao Alonto at that most difficult time and led us to where we are now. Truly you are an inspiration that drives us to be more hopeful, as you redirected us to a new mindset during your time, that we are now able to see from a different perspective,” he said.

In his message, Gov. Adiong said because of the late Senator’s commitment to the causes he advocated for and supported, their family was not just simply limited to him being a father and grandfather to them but has set their own lives in solidarity in the service of the Bangsamoro people.

“In the same way that he has worked hard to ensure safety in our own homes, he has worked hard to ensure the safety of our people in Mindanao and beyond, especially the most vulnerable among us. He spoke of peaceful coexistence and interfaith dialogue among Christians and Muslims, as the roots of our struggle for self-determination and meaningful autonomy deepened and spread across the region. He advocated for quality and accessible education for all, as he founded the Mindanao State University system, which now has eight autonomous campuses that serves students from all walks of life,” Adiong said.

On the other hand, MP Adiong said the late Senator Alonto offered himself to the cause of liberty, equality and justice to the Muslim minority in this country in a time when genuine leadership was periled by sheer brute and power. He brought the plight of the Muslim Filipinos to the Muslim world in order that the Bangsamoro Struggle gains international recognition and support abroad while he actively participated in organizing local Muslim groups to continue pushing for the agenda of Moro Advocacies through education and social reform.

He added Dr. Alonto being a prolific writer and an educator, personified the popular saying of the Prophet that “An ink of a scholar is holier that the blood of a martyr.”

“It is but proper that MSU honors this man who offered his entire life and career in promoting social equity through educating the poor and underprivileged section of our society who generally are found within Moro and indigenous cultural communities, “ MP Adiong said.

Meanwhile, the Mindanao State University, commonly referred to as MSU Main, is a public coeducational institution of higher education and research in the Islamic city of Marawi. Founded on September 1, 1961, it is the flagship and the largest campus of the Mindanao State University System.

MSU Marawi Campus has distinctions as the Regional Science Training Center, the Regional Carabao Center, and one of the country's Center of Excellence in Teacher Education and one of the country's COE in Teacher Education and Chemistry and COD for Information Technology. The university has a mandate to integrate the Christians, Moros, and Lumads of Mindanao.

The original mission of the university was anchored on instruction, research, and extension. The 1954 Congressional Committee conceptualized it as a social laboratory for national integration.

For the main campus in Marawi City starting with 282 students and 12 faculty members in its pioneering classes in 1962, it has grown to a multi-campus supra-regional university system, serving over 69,000 students in all levels with nearly 3,100 faculty members. It is the only university directly charged by the government to advance the cause of national unity and actively pursue integration through education.

Today, MSU has units in areas which cut across the Mindanao regions. From a one campus university in Marawi City, MSU has grown to a multi-campus university of eight autonomous campuses: MSU-Main in Marawi City, MSU-IIT in Iligan City, MSU-TCTO in Tawi-Tawi, MSU-Naawan in Misamis Oriental, MSU-Maguindanao, MSU-General Santos, MSU-Sulu in Jolo, and MSU Buug in Zamboanga Sibugay.

The mandates of the university are: to perform the traditional functions of a university namely: instruction, research and extension service; to help accelerate the program of the integration among the peoples of Southern Philippines, particularly the Muslims and other cultural minorities; and to provide trained manpower skills and technical know-how for the economic development of the Mindanao, Sulu and Palawan (MINSUPALA) region in Bangsamoro.

This year’s celebration carries the theme, “MSU @ 59: Relentlessly Forging Ahead in the New Normal to Blaze New Paths for Quality Education." (Gilmhar A. Lao)