Indonesian Migrants in Mindanao

LAST month, the Philippine government began identification of Indonesian migrants in Mindanao. They were offered a choice of repatriation to Indonesia, legalization or naturalization. Legalization allows the immigrants to stay in the Philippines and retain their Indonesian citizenship while naturalization provides the migrants with full Filipino citizenship. Most of the migrants came from the islands of Sangihe and Talaud in northern Sulawesi. The forefathers of these Indonesians, who have since taken Philippine citizenship, arrived in the southern Philippines in the 15th century. Locally called the Sangil, they considered themselves natives of Mindanao Island, although they spoke a language originating in Sangihe. Tempo correspondent Verrianto Madjowa traveled to Mindanao last September to observe the lives of the Indonesian migrants and filed this report.