NAMAT.TAWI-TAWI.ORG

 NOAH’S ARK MUSLIM ASSOCIATION OF TAWI-TAWI, PHILIPPINES

NAMAT AND TAWI-TAWI

By:  Prof. Rebuan K. LadjakahaL

Tawi-Tawi is located in the southern tip of the Philippines facing Celebes Sea.  The name Tawi-Tawi is derived from the Malayan word jawi-jawi which means far away. Tawi-Tawi is an island province of the Philippines composed of eleven municipalities separated from one another by sea water. It has a total population of four hundred fifty thousand three hundred forty six. It takes difficult condition for passengers to travel to Bongao, the capital town of Tawi-Tawi due to poor means of sea transportation. Most of the time, people board on motor launch feeling uncomfortably due to small sized-boat crowded with loads of marine products. Bongao being the capital town of the Tawi-Tawi, is the business center of the province. Four main colleges and one university are located in Bongao. Students from the island municipalities take their college education in Bongao. There is the so called crowding condition in Bongao.

Historically, Tawi-Tawi is the first landing place of Islam in the Philippines. In 1380, Sheik Makdum landed in Tubig Indangan, Simunul, Tawi-Tawi to introduce Islam. He is locally known as Tuan Anjaotal. In fact, the oldest mosque in the Philippines is located in Tubig Indangan, Simunul Tawi-Tawi constructed by the same Sheik Makdum, an Arab Missionary in 1380. Until today, the wooden posts which were erected as the foundation are still there preserved which attracts the attention of tourists. The old wooden posts inside the mosque appear to remain fresh and strong after six hundred thirty-one years ago. From Tawi-Tawi sprang the torch of Islam and was brought northward as far as Luzon.  At that time, Islam is the religion of the people in the area. But the advent of Christianity brought by the Spanish invaders had checked the spread of Islam and converted some of the natives to Christianity by force.

NOAH’S ARK MUSLIM ASSOCIATION OF TAWI-TAWI, PHILIPPINES (NAMAT) is organized by Shia Muslim professionals with the idea of reviving the blessing of Islam first brought to Tawi-Tawi. It is the strong belief and opinion of the NAMAT organizers that following the cyclical approach of history, it is possible the true Islam in its true essence and by truly following the Ahlul Bayt (a.s) can spring and blossom again from Tawi-Tawi northward, inshaallah.

 

NAMAT BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 Officers

President: Prof. REBUAN K. LADJAKAHAL (Division Chief For Administration and Finance, Department of Agrarian Reform, Tawi-Tawi)

Vice President (interior): Director Shastri Buddin ( Civil Service Commission, Tawi-Tawi)

Vice President (exterior): Engr. AHMAD KALBIT (Engineer II of the Department of Agrarian Reform, Taw-Tawi)

Secretary: Atty. AMER HASSAN E. DORO (Attorney II, Philippine Overseas Employment & Administration, POEA Tawi-Tawi.)

Treasurer: RENE DAPITON (Radio Announcer, Radio ng Bayan Philippines)

Auditors:

Other Members of the Board of Directors

1. Director Sawajaan Jaji (Mindanao State University, Tawi-Tawi)

2.  Arch. Al-Bolin Hadjirul (Licensed Architect)

3. Mr. Omran Indasan (Family Welfare Officer, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA Tawi-Tawi)

4. Mr. Mohammad Jaidi Ibrahim (Madrasa Teacher)

5.Mr. Toni Said (Madrasa Teacher)

6. Mr. Mad Basar (Madrasa Teacher)