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Know your regent
Hon. Bai Fatima Palileo Sinsuat
Interview by Flor Cabangis

FORUM: What were you doing before you were appointed regent?

RBFPS: I was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Cotabato City State Polytechnic College representing the citizen sector. I chair the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) in Cotabato, Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat and the cities of Tacurong, Kidapawan, and Cotabato City. At times I cover the areas of Lanao Sur, Lanao Norte, and Saranggani for survey of evacuees representing the International Committee of Red Cross dissemination of the International Humanitarian Law (IHL).
I am usually invited to give inspirational talk on the Primary Health Care Canadian Red Cross assisted projects and Red Cross training. More often, I am requested by foreign non-government organizations (NGOs) such as action EL Hambre (Spain), Spanish Red Cross Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors without Borders), and the Washington Peace Center and the World Bank to contact the people they want to interview and even personally accompany them to the field.
As a former mayor and community leader, human settlement officer, and president of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines in Cotabato province, I am consulted by people of all creed and religions on barangay problems, family feuds, and even rebellion. I talk to erring groups and try to settle their differences to attain peaceful co-existence.
I was also president of the Progressive Labor Union in the cities of Cotabato, Tapian, Datu Odin Sinsuat and Barurao, Lebak, and Sultan Kudarat for almost 30 years.

FORUM: How does your expertise fit into your appointment as regent?

RBFPS: My exposure to all kinds of problems and experiences has equipped me with the appropriate knowledge, skills, technical know-how as well as some best practices which I believe I can apply in my new post.

FORUM: Are you also into education?

RBFPS: I am a social worker. I obtained my AB Social Service from the Philippine Women’s University (PWU), Manila.With my background and experience, I will probably bring (to the BOR) some insight that could be applicable for the improvement of the academe.

FORUM: Your main duty as regent is in line with policy-making. Have you had any experience in a similar undertaking?

RFBPS: The positions that I occupied in the past mostly involved policy-making both at the local and the regional levels. Hence, I am very much exposed to carrying out policies and making critical analyses of the situation.

FORUM: What do you think is the most serious problem of the country today? How can UP help solve this problem?

RBFPS: Coming from Mindanao, I feel one of our heaviest problems is peace and order. To me, this can be worked out with the sincerity of all people concerned. Sometimes, though, I feel that Mindanao is being used at the expense of civilians.
If I were to ask UP’s help, I would want the UP students to appeal, not through rallies, but letters, to the people concerned and the media, na sana ayusin ang problema. There should be an integration among the Muslims, Christians and the indigenous people, so they understand each other, especially in our area. My feeling is, if you are a Muslim, identified ka agad na kidnapper, rebelde, murderer. I found out yesterday in a meeting that there are a lot of Muslims studying in UP. I told them to try to be closer to their Christian brothers and maybe, through their association, we can help them understand and appreciate the fact that “Hindi naman tayo ganoon.”
Sometimes, sobra din ang print media. Halimbawa, kung ang isang Muslim ay nakapatay, ilalagay kaagad ang salitang Muslim. There are also the bad and the good Christians. There are also the bad and the good indigenous people. Pero iba, eh. Kung minsan masyadong ginagamit ang pagka-Muslim. Kaya nga sabi ko sa mga Muslim students kahapon, I think with your stay here, try to make good. Show your Christian brothers and everybody that we are God-fearing. They gave their plans and I told them I will be supportive of their plans for as long as I am here. I asked them to prepare their communications for the Board and I’ll follow it up. I will really defend it to the last, so that the Board will understand what it is that our brothers from the south want to tell them.

FORUM: Describe your involvement with peace and order issues.

RFBPS: As a leader in my own right, I do assist in peace negotiations in my personal capacity as a social worker. I also support labor unions in combating graft and corruption and labor malpractices through peaceful and legal means.
I had been a peace advocate even before the Marcos administration. I have never ceased in my efforts to support the peace efforts both by the government and the armed groups in Mindanao. As chair of the PNRC Cotabato, I not only carried out relief operations, even putting my own life in the crossfire to help the affected communities, but I have also acted as mediator between the government and the rebel groups.

FORUM: How will you assess the peace and order situation in the country and the way the government handles it?

RBFPS: The situation in the country in general is relatively peaceful despite too much politics in our midst today. However, for it to effectively address the issue of peace and order especially in Mindanao, the government should have a deep understanding of the various political, cultural, economic and religious issues. It should explore more effective means of dealing with conflicts in Mindanao and one way of doing this is by addressing the root causes of these conflicts. The government should also try to resolve this issue through traditional means which are existing in the community. The government can invite local respected leaders who are neutral and impartial in solving conflicts. The primary concern should be to ensure that peace is attained and unity among people regardless of tribe, religion and creed is achieved. I feel there is mistrust on both sides.

FORUM: Being a national university, UP is expected to take leading roles in matters of national interest. How do you see UP vis-à-vis this expectation?

RBFPS: UP to me will always be at the forefront of efforts to uphold national interest. Many of our national figures are products of UP, hence, the University is expected to always take leading roles especially in molding the graduates who will carry out changes toward responsive governance.

FORUM: How do you see the Nemenzo administration, particularly in terms of governance and in the pursuit of its modernization thrusts?

RBFPS: Responsive governance is meeting the needs of our changing times and complex environment. I believe that the modernization thrust of the Nemenzo administration is a logical and timely approach to achieving responsive gover-nance.His goal of inspiring cultural revolution in UP and producing first-rate brainworkers who can be compared with the best in the world must be fully supported. I like the President.He’s daring, he’s okay. I like a person who is not afraid to fight for the right, because I am also like that.

FORUM: The General Education (GE) program is the core of UP education. Right now, it is being revitalized to make it more responsive to the needs of our students in the new century. May we get your insights on the GE program?

RBFPS: Though I am new in the Board, I believe that the GE program does not merely focus on the highly specialized courses but I see it as an effective program that will further mold our students to be better graduates and are competent enough to serve the country.

FORUM: What other things occupy you aside from the PNRC and the BOR?

RBFPS: Whenever I have free time, I rush to our farm, Resa, one of the coastal barangays of UPI, to pay respects to my dearly departed loved ones. I also oversee and assist my son in the on-going deve-lopments in the area for future eco-tourism projects. I assist my son in constructing the purok/cottages and talk to teachers and students to maintain cleanliness in the area. I usually take a pump boat with some climbers going to areas abundant with orchids and other ornamentals for our collection. Sometimes, I just sit and talk with our people in the purok along the shoreline and take my lunch there. I love to watch the huge sea turtles, the fishermen catching fish, the dolphins, and once in a while, the whale and the dugong.
I also chair the International Humanitarian Law or the Law of War Core Group as part of the mandate of the PNRC. I also chair the Progressive Labor Union. I receive calls from all over the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), Region XII.
We are also currently upgrading our technology and doubling our efforts to meet the increasing demand on my people’s cottage industry.

FORUM: Tell us something about our family.

RBFPS: I am proud to say that I come from a crossbred of Muslim-Christian parentage. My mother is a true-blooded Lagueña, Bai Ester Palileo Sinsuat and my father , the late Datu Blah T. Sinsuat, was an interim Batasang Pambansa assemblyman and speaker of the House during the Marcos regime. My grandfather, the late Lorenzo Hocson Palileo, was appointed treasurer at large in Mindanao by President Manuel L. Quezon.
I am blessed with four sons, two of them now happily married. My unmarried son takes charge of the farm and other projects. But the greatest challenge in my life was when I lost my youngest son to the hands of Quezon City policemen. I even thought I would not survive the trauma, but with the kindness of Allah and the prayers of my relatives and friends all over the country, though painful, I slowly overcome the heaviest trial in my life.

FORUM: Is there any priority area you would like to concentrate on during your term as regent?

RBFPS: I have been reading all the programs and I hope all these would push through for the good of the University. I hope everyone would support the President. He is after the good of everyone. I hope he will also grant the Muslim students a piece of land where they can put up a mosque or a worship place that will also serve as a center of learning for a better understanding of our Muslim brothers. I think it’s time for our brothers in Metro Manila and everybody to understand that Muslims are not all warriors, neither are they murderers nor kidnappers. We hope they will realize that Muslims are God-fearing, that their religion is their way of life. We hope there will be peaceful co-existence among various tribes and religions.
I will give my full support to the President. I have done a lot of work not as an academician, because I am not really one. I am more involved in social work. I do not even come from this University, that is why when I was appointed, I was surprised. Anyway, amidst all the fears, I hope I can still be of service, maybe not so much in terms of academics but in some other ways.

FORUM: How do you feel now that you are a part of UP’s highest policy-making body?

RBFPS: I did not expect this. Not even in my wildest dream did I imagine that I will be in UP. I am not really very good in talking but I listen and involve myself in critical issues. For things that do not need much discussion, I say yes and join the BOR in approving. Why should I discuss things just to delay? I open my mouth when I believe I should. When I believe that what I am doing is right, I don’t care kung makalaban ko ang buong mundo. Ayoko rin ng sobrang galing magsalita, sobrang salita, kulang sa gawa. I am more of a worker and I think my record will show that. Everytime there is a problem, mauuna pa ako sa autoridad. Even in the middle of the night, and even now that I am out of politics, I help solve the problem to prevent bigger conflicts. I am friendly. I will do anything to help my fellowmen. I defend the oppressed when needed.
When it comes to following up things in Congress, it’s okay because I still have the linkages. Last time, I joined UP during the budget hearing. Even though I am already out of politics, I am always requested to help support government projects, regardless of who is the president. I am one person who does not expect anything. Kaya nga nagulat ako why President Arroyo appointed me regent. Secretary Roilo Golez said they wanted somebody for the position whose record is untarnished. “Si Bai!” Ganoon ang nangyari.

FORUM: When is your term ending?

RBFPS: I think in December.

FORUM: Any message for the Nemenzo administration, the faculty and students?

RBFPS: I have high regard for Dr. Nemenzo. His reforms in the academe and his concern for the faculty and students is laudable. But I admire most his continuing battle for cultural revolution despite financial limitations.
UP is famous for producing the country’s pool of brilliant leaders. However, many observe that the University is no longer the school for the poor but deserving students but is now an institution for classes A and B. I hope that the poor but deserving students will be given equal access to this institution.
To the faculty, I admire them for keeping up their best despite the low salaries and the lack of modern facilities for research work.
To the students, you came to the state university because you want the best. Here you see the plight of the country and you get involved in all issues that affect the University, the country and the people. Hopefully, this will inspire you to taking a lead in giving your best to achieving for UP, for yourself and your countrymen the vision and mission of the University.