There are certain places in southern Philippines that I would rather be in a town jail than walk around in the streets where they "lived". I was an economic consultant of the Philippine government on rural development for more than a decade - there was not a single consultant who dared to take the job for the area. I ventured to go and trained one of them or talk to the local government officials in meetings with "military escort" only.

The situation has changed since then it is more "peaceful co-existence" after rebellion and rioting to get their "automomous semi-government" in the region which they deserved anyway - the height of incidents where during the Martial Law of a dictator - presently the new goverment infused economic, social and engineering projects to provide hospital, clinics, housing, "barefoot doctors", electric, water systems and schools. Peace is on the land.

Leonidas