Sulu's Peace and
Prosperity Now at Hand
By: Faber Concepcion
Royal House of Sulu Kiram Foundation has been
officially established with the objectives at bringing together all its family
members to work for unity and progress of Sulu Archipelago.
The newly formed foundation recently and registered with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC. CN20110869) had issued a formal
“Manifesto of Unity” affirmed by all members of the Kiram family for the very
first time, said Princess Merriam Kiram, Foundation President in an
interview.
Princess Merriam, wife of the late 34th Sultan
of Sulu His Royal Highness Sultan Mahakuttah Kiram announced to all and sundry
the forming of the foundation. The latter is also the President of the
Hong Kong-based United World Foundation (UWF).
The Kiram ancestors reigned over the Sulu archipelagic
kingdom and other territories since the 13th century and are
the acknowledged owners of Sabah (the then North Borneo).
“This is unprecedented. We were able to unite all the members of
the Royal Kiram family, which promises to spearhead the economic development of
the country’s premier Islamic province,” Princess Merriam emphasized.
“Whereas, there is an impending and urgent need for all the
peoples of Sulu Archipelago and the entire Philippines as well as to bind and
unify themselves together for the common purpose of peace, unity, and
development,” the manifesto of solidarity and peace of the peoples of
Sulu Archipelago states.
The royal family and their people decided to
form the foundation in order to unite all the living family members for common
purpose and direction.
“Whereas, the peoples of Sulu and the heirs, clans and
successors of the Sultan of Sulu understand that they can only have a
meaningful and prosperous activities if they will act together as one with a
common purpose despite various differences,” said the manifesto.
Kiram pointed out that the foundation’s mission and vision
included; To bring about the development of Sulu Archipelago, to become
economically stable, environmentally peaceful and prosperously abundant; to
promote goodwill among each other and give full cooperation and support to the
UWF; spearhead education , economic and industrial development of Sulu; bring
peace to Sulu, to the country and to the world; to understand activities for
humanitarian endeavors.
The heirs gathered yesterday in one of the hotels here in
Zamboanga to prepare for the coming in of the investors into the territory in
order to get started with the initial move that will propel the economic
development of the Sulu and its peoples.
The RHSKF, Inc. is seriously committed to fully support
the reform agenda of President Benigno S. Aquino , III which is believed to be
the right path in addressing economic uplift to the peoples of Sulu and
the country as a whole.
“Indeed, with this united front the dream to bring into forth
the long awaited prosperity and development that will pave the way at bringing
back Sulu’s glorious past,” the Princess, optimistically pointed out.
Furthermore, Princess said this will open the door for
international investment to pour in from different parts of the world and bring
the Philippines at par with neighboring countries and to the highly developed
countries.
“Whereas, there is a need to designate their representatives to
the various international for a, bodies and institutions to announce and assert
their goal agenda and purpose to realize the economic development of Sulu
Archipelago,” the manifesto likewise states.
The foundation officers were: Princess Merriam T. Kiram;
President; Vice President-Datu Faisal Kiram; Assistant Vice President-Dayang
Dayang Sheramar Kiram; Chief Executive Officer-Datu Farhan Kiram;
Corporate Secretary-Dayang Tanya Rowena K. Tahil; Treasurer-Datu YLDON T.
KIRAM; and Assistant Treasurer Datu Almujiv Kiram. (faber_concepcion2004@yahoo.com)