Sunday Essays: More than a mag

Saturday, February 4, 2012

"DON'T get me wrong, I was not embarrassed to be a Mindanaon, it was just that I don't know what to be proud of being one. As I grew older, I was able to explore Mindanao in a different way."

SHE asked: "Ai! Wala pala kayong (name of a very good restaurant in Manila) dito?" I cringed.

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I used to feel a little intimidated at times when I get to meet someone from the Northern part of the country -- Manila, to be exact. Having to grow up in Mindanao, especially in the provincial area, I used to have merely a mental picture of all the great places and events in the Philippine capital. But my family and I still travelled outside Mindanao when I was a kid. It's just that I was too young to actually explore those places, and M-magazine hasn't existed yet (not like I was in to reading then).

Don't get me wrong, I was not embarrassed to be a Mindanaon, it was just that I don't know what to be proud of being one.

As I grew older, I was able to explore Mindanao in a different way. I got to go to new places, eat great food that only our place can offer, and see the natural beauty of Mindanao.

But just when I thought I've seen it all and that I have enough reasons to be proud of my Southern blood, my teacher in journalism introduced me to M-magazine, the first-ever glossy travel and lifestyle magazine that showcases the best of what Mindanao has to offer.

When I started flipping through the pages of the first M-magazine I ever had my hands on, I was transported to places I never knew existed. I got to meet extraordinary people from the South that makes me feel proud that I am of the same roots. And when the "journey" came to a close, it was sealed: I am now a proud Mindanaon.

M-mag also provides a huge contribution in eliminating the stereotyped notion of the people from the northern part of the country that Mindanao is a dangerous place because of the war going on in a certain portion of the island.

Showing the beautiful side of Mindanao and letting it overshadow the terrible image that people have for the island is still, in my opinion, the best reason why M-mag deserves a wider readership.

M-magazine is more than just a travel and lifestyle slick, but a beacon of hope for the Mindanaon pride.