Although I know better, from the way I think this article is written it makes it appear that Muslims make up the majority of Mindanao's population. It is a positive step to talk and move towards peace, but I don't read too much into it. At best, some of the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) may become more peaceable, but probably their hard core members will regroup and rename, or join the blood thirsty, al qaeda affiliated abu Sayaff.
I think with centuries of bad blood and tempers, Christian and Muslim alike, there's always going to be 'issues' in areas and folks just have to learn to respect boundaries.
Then, you still have the communist NPA (New People's Army) who aren't as self contained as those Muslims who are extremists and terrorists. The NPA 'get around' more, but I dare say they are a little more principled and less likely to cut off heads than the Muslim groups.
Where my inlaws live, a few hours outside Davao, there's plenty of NPA and I never had any issues. There's some places I just wouldn't go because that's 'their' area pretty much exclusively, but even if I did go, it'd be no where as dangerous as some Muslim parts of Mindanao such as the Sulu Province. We sometimes go to some hotsprings in an area the NPA controls, but they realize it's sort of a national treasure, a money maker and there's always westerners there, along with Filipinos having family reunions, etc. On the other hand, I know plenty of Christian Filipinos that wouldn't dare go into Sulu province, never mind westerners. By and large, most Muslims are in the ARMM regions, 9, 11 and 12 and non Muslims just stay the hell out of there.
But you could drive a few hours from Davao City in any direction and not really have to worry. I think the closest place I wouldn't want to drive to is Cotabato City.
Most sources put the total percentage of Muslims in Mindanao at about 20% or less. In Davao City, there are a lot of Muslim merchants and from my experience, they have been very nice people to deal with. In a land where once you buy something, whether it's a meal or a television, you can forget about returning it once you buy it--when I've had problems with purchases from Muslim merchants, they not only took it back, but they gave me new, sometimes better stuff at the same price, even throwing in a gift or two sometimes. Just have manners, respect their prayer time, don't stare at their women and they're a nice bunch of folks--common sense.
I think the article perpetuates misconceptions. To me, large portions of Mindanao are safer than most USA cities. Most of it really. That said, there are places where an American could get in dire trouble in no time at all. Like most places on earth, there's good neighborhoods and bad. There are more hostile groups than the ones I mentioned and I think there's always going to be pockets of trouble in Mindanao--I just try to use common sense and not go where I'm probably not wanted. There's plenty of beautiful places/beaches and friendly people in all the 'good' places there--that's why we have a home there.
