Monday, June 15, 1981

Freshman Makes Me Tau Tiyanggi

Samoore S. Ladjahali, Admin of this Blogger's site finished his secondary education in Southwestern Mindanao Islamic Institute (SMII) from 1981 to 1986. It was a period of five years because he quit schooling in 1983 when he was third year high school. This ID-like picture serves as one of his memories in the life of SMII midshipman in Citizen Military Training (CMT) under Commandant Abduhajan Bajan. 

Frankly speaking, I hated CMT subject or any activities that involved military training, but I just joined it for the sake of compliance as required by the school. I was not even interested to be officers of CMT. Thus, I alway belonged to midshipman from freshman to senior high school of SMII. Proceeding to secondary level of education forced me to live in Tiyanggi (Jolo) due to non-existence of high school in the rural areas particularly in Indanan where the stronghold of Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) forces and camps was hugely founded before the outbreak of Martial Law on September 21, 1972. 

At Tiyanggi, I lived with my aunt, Abu' Bahum, first cousin of my mother. Abu' Bahum rented coffee shop named Violin located near Town Plaza Tulay, Jolo. She visited me in Katian, Indanan, Sulu purposely to get me as coffee timplador in her coffee shop, but she did not disclose it to me and my parents. She pretended that she was concerned with the pursuit of my studies.  I was also happy with her concern thinking that it would be the right time for me to continue my education. She promised me to pay P 1.00 a day with free boarding and lodging. It was so discouraging when she broke her promise after a month. I did not pay attention for that promise anyway I was free to stay in the upper storey of her coffee shop with free snacks and foods while continue serving before and after school.