Bong Mal

Bong Mal is a B'laan tribal enclave in the remote hinterland of barrio Kimlawis, Kiblawan in the province of  Davao del Sur. The community is circled by mountains and is mantled by fogs on early mornings and late afternoons. The forested areas are mostly on the summit of the surrounding mountains giving a pastoral landscape below accentuated by verdant greens. Its sobriquet is coined from two B'laan words "Bong" (big) and "Mal"(water/river) thus it means big river which is located down the hill. The area is bordered by Tampakan, South Cotabato and Colombio, Sultan Kudarat.

The once rustic settlement have seen troubled days as it was a war zone between the military and the insurgents, banditry, tribal and marijuana war. Beset with strife and inaccessibility to immediate government support, the people armed themselves in the defense of their ancestral land and from the lawless elements. Its violent past have impregnated a gun culture in their consciousness. With a population of 600 people, 80 guns were accounted but unlicensed according to LTC Alexis Noel C. Bravo, Battalion Commander of the 27th IB. If half of the population are women and children, 26.6% of the males have guns.

Upon the invitation of the 27th IB Battalion Commander, I was able meet the two key tribal personalities who are at odds with each other. Though their conflict may rather be personal but it created a major tension in the community and even allegedly disrupted the operation of the giant mining firm. Not any other government agencies can pacify the warring parties except for the Armed Forces of the Philippines through the command of LTC Alexis Bravo of the 27thIB.

By securing peace within the community, the 27thIB launched the creation of the Barangay Defence System to strengthen the peace and security of the area. At least 250 men willingly volunteered and signed up with the program. The tech savvy army personnel brought technology to the boondocks and made instant ID to the fascination of the tribal folks.

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