Abstract:

The Philippines plays an important role in regional stability. Mindanao continues to experience separatist conflict and terrorist violence. There is evidence that transnational terrorist groups, most notably Jemaah Islamiyah, have used Philippine territory as a staging ground for terrorist acts. The sizeable Muslim population in Mindanao is marginalized economically and lacks
adequate access to basic social services. Development needs are greatest in conflict-affected areas, particularly the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). The ARMM has the country’s highest poverty rates (average per capital income is less than $1 dollar/day) and disturbingly low human development indicators. Islamic schools (madari), some of which are foreign-funded, are outside the regulatory scope of the Philippine government and, in the hundreds of communities in the ARMM with no public schools at all, are often the only alternative for families seeking to educate their children.

Info

Source Institution	United States Agency for International Development
Source URL	http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/pdacd499.pdf
Page Count	60
Place of Publication	Manila
Original Publication Date	March 14, 2005
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