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Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan and his deputy Nur Ana Sahidula distribute farm implements to villagers in the province during the first H.E.L.P peace caravan last year. Sulu and Basilan provinces will launch a second H.E.L.P. peace caravan in July 17-19, 2008. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)

Passengers from Pangutaran Island disembark from a motorized boat as the other wait for their turn in the port of Jolo in Sulu province in the southern Philippines. Small ferries and boats such as this bring passengers and goods to island-villages off Sulu. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)

SULU (Mindanao Examiner / Apr. 27, 2008) – Sisimulan na umano ang survey sa pagpapalawak sa airport ng Sulu upang mabuksan ang mas maraming mga ruta ng eroplano sa lalawigan.

Sinabi ni Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan na ang proyekto ay bahagi ng $3 milyong pondo na inilaan ng Estados Unidos matapos na humingi ng tulong ang Pangulong Gloria Arroyo kay President George Bush na palakihin ang naturang runway sa bayan ng Jolo.

“Malaki an gating pasasalamat kay Pangulong Gloria Arroyo at sa pamahalaan ng Estados Unidos dahil sa tulong na mapalaki ang ating airport at tiyak na ang mga mamamayan ang makikinabang dito sa proyekto,” ani ng pilantropong si Tan.

Maglalaan rin umano ng ilang ektaryang lupain si Tan para sa mahigit 200 pamilyang maaapektuhan ng expansion ng airport. At kung matatapos ang proyekto sa susunod na taon ay maaari ng makalapag ang masmalalaking eroplano sa Sulu tulad ng Airbus at iba pa. (Mindanao Examiner)

A fisherman paddles his small boat off Sulu province in the southern Philippines. Sulu is embarking on an ambitious tourism campaign dubbed as “Wow Sulu 2008!” aimed at attracting investments and local and foreign visitors in the province which is rich in marine resources. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)

A US soldier mans his machine gun mounted on a hummer as he guards American and Filipino troops who joined a coastal clean up campaign in Sulu province Sunday, April 22, 2008. Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan led over a hundred Muslim villagers in the clean up of a beach front in Patikul town in celebration of the World Earth Day. And a boy curiously looks at a US soldier talking to a Filipino marine as they guard American and Philippine troops who joined a coastal clean up campaign. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)

Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan, 2nd from left, and US military commander Col. Bill Coultrup, left, pick up pieces of garbage in the coastal village of Mauboh in Sulu province in southern Philippines, Monday, April 21, 2008.

Elzadia Washington, of the United States Agency for International Development, accompanied by US Embassy staff, arrived in Sulu to join more than a hundred Muslim villagers and soldiers in the clean-up campaign during the World Earth Day celebration. Elzadia Washington picks up pieces of garbage in the coastal village of Mauboh. And Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan gestures as he shows to Elzadia Washington the beautiful beaches in the town of Patikul. (Sulu Media Desk Photo)

SULU, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / April 1, 008) – Muslim villagers joined US and Filipino troops in a coastal clean-up campaign during the World Earth Day celebration Monday in the southern province of Sulu.

Elzadia Washington, of the United States Agency for International Development, who visited Sulu province, also joined the clean-up drive in the village of Mauboh in Patikul town. Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan led the locals in the campaign.

“We are happy that people are active in caring for their environment and we will sustain this effort to ensure Sulu remains a beautiful place in this part of the country,” Tan told reporters.

Filipino marines and US troops headed by Col. Bill Coultrup joined in picking up pieces of garbage left by tides on the beach. “Along this, we are all reminded of our responsibilities, which extend beyond our own backyards. This clean-up campaign demonstrates oneness among stakeholders in caring for the waters not just in Sulu, but in fact everywhere in the world,” Marine commander Brig. Gen. Juancho Sabban said.

“Every day should be coastal clean-up. And cleaning the coast through picking up garbage is the least that we can do. By giving Mother Earth a totally healthy environment, we are also acting upon our moral duty for the people we both serve and hold dear,” he said.

Washington said she is happy by the active participation of the province in the World Earth Day celebration. “Protecting the environment is important and crucial towards the progress of the nation. If environment is not protected, concerns in security may arise,” she said.

She also toured different places in Sulu and went with Tan to the Mount Datu where Washington viewed the whole of Jolo and nearby towns. Washington was all praised to the beauty of Sulu, from its pristine beaches to unspoiled jungle and friendly people. “The people are great and friendly and the place is magnificent,” she said.

Tan said the Mount Datu one of many eco-tourism sites in Sulu and a favourite among nature lovers and trekkers. While the Sulu Sea is one of the richest fishing grounds in the Philippines. “We have very beautiful places in Sulu and we are working hard to promote these places,” he said.

The Tubbataha Reef is the best known site in the Sulu Sea for its 81,000 acres of corals. It is also considered the world's best dive spot for underwater adventure. The pearls from the Sulu Archipelago are among the finest in the world, Tan said. (With reports from Nickee Butlangan and Arthur Abasalo)

Ferries are anchor at the port of Jolo in the southern Philippine province of Sulu. The United States has committed millions of dollars for the rehabilitation of the port and the airport in Sulu, says Governor Sakur Tan. A few hundred American soldiers are currently stationed in Sulu, on the request of the Philippine government, to help train local troops and carry out humanitarian and development projects in the province. And a small motorized boat just off the coastal town of Jolo. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)

Aliw na aliw ang mga batang ito sa kanilang mga ipinapakitang gilas sa Mauboh beach sa bayan ng Patikul sa Sulu province. Pangungunahan ni Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan ang isang massive clean-up campaign sa ibat-ibang luga sa lalawigan sa Lunes, Abril 21, 2008 sa selebrasyon ng World Earth Day. (Mindanao Examiner Photo/Nickee Butlangan)

SULU (Mindanao Examiner / Apr. 19, 2008) – Isang malaking coastal clean-up ang isasagawa ng lalawigan ng Sulu bilang pakiki-isa sa selebrasyon ng World Earth Day.

Pangungunahan ni Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan ang clean-up drive sa ilang mga beaches sa lalawigan, partikulat sa bayan ng Patikul, na isang potensyal na tourist destination sa katimugan.

Sinabi ni Tan na magsisimula sa Lunes ang clean-up campaign at katuwang rin ng Sulu ang Alliance for Mindanao Off-grid Renewable Energy Program (AMORE) ng US Agency for International Development (UAAID).

Kasama rin sa proyekto ni Tan ang mga sundalong Pinoy at Kano na ngayon ay abala sa ibat-ibang humanitarian mission sa Sulu. ‘Itong clean-up drive natin ay hindi lang dahil sa World Earth Day celebration, ngunit ito ang panimula ng sustaible ecology project ng Sulu upang makatulong naman tayo sa maling problema dulot ng climate change sanhi ng polusyon.”

‘Sisiguraduhin namin na bawat barangay ng lahat ng bayan sa Sulu ay may kaukulang pagaambag sa pananatili ng ating kalikasan at kapaligiran. Ang Sulu ay nanatiling malinis, lalo na ang aming karagatan,” wika pa ni Tan.

Ang tema ngayon taon ay tinawag na "Bayanihan para sa Kalikasan" at ayon kay Tetchie Cruz-Capellan, ng AMORE, ay Malaking hakbang ang isasagawang clean-up sa Sulu upang mapanatiling malinis ang lalawigan.

"This is a very huge concern for us since thousands of our beneficiaries in Sulu depend largely on the Sulu Sea for livelihood. Millions of people depend on the Sulu Sea for food. The sea provides opportunities for all people," sabi pa ni Capellan. (Nickee Butlangan)

A ship is anchored Tuesday, April 06, 2008 at the port of Jolo in the southern Philippine province of Sulu. Sulu province, considered a gateway to the oil-rich Malaysian state of Sabah, is a major trading point in the southern region and is rich in marine resources and famous for its crabs, lobsters and tiger prawns. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)

Sulu Governor Sakur Tan prays with other Muslims in Patikul town. Tan says he will send student leaders and Muslim clerics on educational tours in Malaysia and Saudi Arabia as part of a local government program aimed at enhancing their knowledge on Islam and Shari'a law. (Mindanao Examiner Photos/Nickee Butlangan and Mark Navales)

Sulu Governor Sakur Tan, the proponent of the program, said sending ulama in countries like Malaysia and Saudi Arabia will further enhance their knowledge of the shari’a law, including philosophy, dialectical theology or Quoranic hermeneutics.

Usually, the fields studied and the importance given them will vary from tradition to tradition, or even from seminary to seminary.

“We will send the ulama to an education trip to further expose them and enhance more their knowledge of Islam, the shari’a and other fields,” Tan, himself a religious man, told the Mindanao Examiner.

The ulama in most nations consider themselves to represent the ijma (consensus) of the Ummah (community of Muslims) or to represent at least the scholarly or learned consensus. Many efforts to modernize Islam focus on the reintroduction of ijtihad and empowerment of the Ummah to form their own ijma.

In a broader sense, the term ulama is used to describe the body of Muslim clergy who have completed several years of training and study of Islamic sciences, such as a mufti, qadi, faqih or muhaddith.

Aside from the ulama, Tan said he will also send dozens of Muslim high school and college student leaders in Malaysia for an education tour where they would visit different schools and meet with other student leaders.

“The tour will give our students an opportunity to see and observe the educational system in Malaysia and mingle with Malaysian students and we can even propose or start an exchange program between Sulu and Malaysian students,” Tan said.

Education in Malaysia broadly consists of a set of stages which are Pre-school, Primary Education, Secondary Education, Tertiary Education and postgraduate studies. In 2003, Malaysia introduced the use of English as a medium of teaching in all science subjects.

Tan said the Sulu provincial government will spend for both the ulama and students education program which will begin this year.

“This is good and we long wanted to travel to other Muslim or Arab nations and observe the implementation of their respective shari’a law and other Islamic scholarly issues,” one Muslim cleric, who identified himself only as Ustadz Mohammad, said.

Tan, a known philanthropist in the southern Philippines, urged students to excel in their academics and pursue their goals so they can be a responsible citizen and future leaders of the province.

“Education is very important and only through education that we can help not only our family, but the government as well by becoming more responsible and a partner in nation building,” Tan, a former congressman, said. (With reports from Nickee Butlangan and Mark Navales)

A diver examines his scuba gear at Ramos beach in Panglima Tahil town in Sulu province in southern Philippines. (Photo courtesy of Sulu Provincial Tourism Council)

The glorious Sulu Sea is dotted with coral reefs, such as the pearl farm at Marungas Island, and provides some of the world's best dive spots. Tubbataha Reef is its best known site, a 33,200-hectare underwater splendor drawing divers from all over the world with its marvelous marine wilderness and special ecosystem.

Because of its fabulous beauty, the Tubbataha Reef Marine Park was honored by UNESCO in December 1993 as the first natural site in the Philippines to be inscribed in the prestigious World Heritage List.
It is the best known site in the Sulu Sea, drawing divers from all over the world with its underwater splendor and the rich marine life that abounds in the reef. Snappers, sweet-lips, groupers, angel fish, and morays can be found amid huge fan corals and sponges.

Large schools of barracudas, jacks, rainbow runners, and surgeons pass by while tunas race about.

The Sulu provincial capital is Jolo town. Its walled city is the smallest in the world, with its historic brick walls that lay proof to the city’s historic past.

Another attraction of the city is the Provincial Capitol with its moorish-inspired architectural design.

The province nurtures a harmonious coexistence of the two most dominant religions in the Philippines, Islam and Catholicism. There are beautiful Muslim mosques situated in each village, most notable being the majestic Tulay Mosque which now towers the Sulu skyline.

The existing churches of Christian faith in the province are the Jolo Parish Church, Sacred Heart of Jesus Chapel, and Jolo Evangelical Church.

Geography

Sulu consists of over 400 scattered and almost isolated islands, stretching from the tip of Zamboanga southwestward towards Borneo.

It forms one of the three connections of the Philippines with Sabah. Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan is planning to convert some of these islands into world-class resorts because of their pristine and white sand beaches to help promote tourism.

Climate

Sulu is outside of the typhoon belt. Its climate is warm. Humidity is generally moist, but precipitation is constant throughout the year. February is considered the coldest month while May to August are the hottest, with mean relative humidity of 86%, one of the hottest in the country.

January to April is considered the dry period, with a monthly average of 7 to 9 inches of rainfall. The mean annual temperature is 26 degrees centigrade and the maximum is 27 degrees centigrade.

Language and Dialect

The principal dialect of the natives of Sulu is Tausug. The rest speak Samal and other dialects such as Visayan, Chavacano and Tagalog. English is widely spoken in Sulu.

Major Industries

While there is an absence of huge mineral deposits, Sulu nevertheless abounds in marine and timber resources and is believed rich in fossil fuel. Lying outside the typhoon belt, it is blessed with a year-round bounty from both land and sea.

Due to the character of the soil and climate, the province of Sulu grows a greater variety of products than any other part of the country. In addition to all the crops of the islands, which are abaca, coconut, and fruits like oranges, lanzones, and jacks, other fruits that do not grow in the northern islands are harvested here, such as the mangosteen berries and durian.

In September, some six tons of mangosteen and durian were shipped out to supermarkets in Manila and the fruits were completely sold out in hours. The shipment, Sulu Gov. Tan says, is part of the Fruits for Hope program. The international non-government organization, the Asia-American Initiative and Filipino Senator Richard Gordon also helped in the Fruit for Hope program.

Fishing is the most important industry. Sea turtles and fish of all kinds are caught. Otherwise the people engage in the industries of boat building, mat weaving, coffee processing, and fruit preservation (durian and mangosteen).

Trepang and pearls are extensively gathered in Sulu. Trepang, also called bêche-de-mer, is a sea cucumber of the genus Holothuria of the southern Pacific and Indian oceans, and is often dried or smoked for use as an ingredient in soup, especially in China and Indonesia. (Department of Tourism/Sulu Provincial Tourism Council)