INTRODUCTION
(Mr. Yusuf "Joey" P. Tugung)

Beaumont, California - Let me begin by saying that UNITE Isabela is not a mouthpiece, campaign vehicle, or endorser of any local or national candidates or political party. However, this is not to say that UNITE Isabela is not about politics; it is most assuredly about politics. A quick google will tell us that "politics" is also defined as "social relations involving authority or power" or as "the opinion you hold with respect to political questions." UNITE Isabela is definitely involved in such relations and it has opinions in abundance.

I may sound like a political propagandist and certainly, I have been accused as someone who might secretly harbor political ambitions. But I cannot possibly have anything political to gain from this because my family and I have long since migrated here in the United States, albeit with the unshaken, firm and steady intention however to return back to our beloved place. Besides, I really have no wish to be a carpetbagger. Might be hard to believe in these cynical times but I am sincerely concerned for our people; a concern that was instilled in me by may late father, idol and local political icon, Bob Tugung, and my mother, Noring Pamaran-Tugung. I feel that wherever I am, I have a self-imposed moral responsibility for our people. Basilan is in my blood and forever will always be my inspiration.

I was in Isabela last December and I have personally witnessed the poor state of our province and city. I saw widespread fear, general mistrust in government and of elected public officials, deep-seated frustrations, and self-anger at one's inability to effect changes. We cannot be naïve and live in a state of denial. Basilan is no longer what it used to be; the safe haven and blessed land of our childhood is gone. What has taken its place is a land out of our worst nightmares - a land where monsters walk in open daylight, wear nice clothes, and have government titles; where corruption and monstrosities are read daily in newspapers or heard hourly on the airwaves; where people live in fear of their "public servants."

UNITE Isabela hopes to be a beacon of hope. It might seem like lighting one candle in the dark in the middle of a raging storm. But one candle is all it takes. UNITE stands for Unity for a New and Isabela Towards Empowerment. UNITE Isabela has no organization and has no set of officers. It is a spontaneous swell of concern from like-minded volunteers, "advocates" who wish to make a difference with their collective efforts. Advocates, who volunteer and believe in the cause of UNITE Isabela, has one personal agenda and design: to advocate for the welfare and interest of the Isabelenos. UNITE Isabela seeks to educate both the Muslim and Christian electorate to exercise the power of their votes responsibly and intelligently. Isabelenos must be made to understand that if they fail to stand up for their principles and fight for the kind of competent, moral and visionary leaders that they should have, then the consequences could very well spell the death of our land. UNITE Isabela hopes to do its part to help in some way resolve the crisis in leadership Isabela is having. It hopes to teach and empower people about making an educated decision when choosing leaders. UNITE Isabela will work to instill in the consciousness of our people that the right of to vote is a very potent power that they should exercise responsibly and intelligently.

If we do not stand up for the needs of our land and our people, then we deserve the kind of leaders that we have elected - we deserve the monsters that will tear our land apart, divide our people, and destroy our dreams.

STAND UP. BE COUNTED! UNITE Isabela!

FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT UNITE ISABELA:

• Purely an ADVOCACY group.
– A movement of concerned and like-minded Isabelenos coming together voluntarily
in this election with a shared common idea and goal i.e., to unite Christians and
Muslims to become responsible voters and to be consciously aware of the fact that this
election is a very crucial matter that will determine the fate and future of the Isabeleños
for generations to come.

• NOT a formal organization.

- No set of officers and list of members. No application form to be filled-up and no
fees required to be a member. Those who share the movement’s goal are called
“Advocates.” Basically, it is an idea and a movement, and the “Advocates” voluntarily
and actively will turn the idea of UNITE Isabela’s goal and purpose into action.

• NOT a partisan group.

• NOT a political organization.

• NOT affiliated with any political party or organization.

• Advocates WILL NOT support, endorse, commit or campaign for any candidate in
this election.

• Advocates WILL NOT support, endorse, commit or campaign for any political party
in this election.

• Advocates WILL NOT advocate in the provincial, congressional and national
elections.

• Advocates WILL NOT receive any direct or indirect financial donation, or any type of
contribution, from any candidate or political party, or from any person who has ties with
any candidate or political party.

• Advocates will strictly confine its efforts and activities only in Isabela and only for
the sake of the Isabelenos.

• Advocates will call on all Isabeleños in this election to exercise their “right of
suffrage” responsibly by consciously making an educated decision in the choice of their
local elective officials. The main task is how to vote and not whom to vote for.

• Advocates will call all Isabelenos to work hard for the genuine unity of Christians
and Muslims as a matter of “self-preservation” against candidates whose intentions are
self-serving and whose designs are malicious and dangerous.


• Finally, UNITE Isabela is a spontaneous gathering of concerned initiators,
volunteers, supporters and facilitators. Regardless of one’s creed, religion, tribe,
economic status and position in life, all Advocates will come together voluntarily to
bond for a common cause i.e., to unite and to educate the Isabelenos in this election
with the ultimate goal of selecting competent, honest, fair, and moral leaders for Isabela.

A SIMPLE GUIDE ON
HOW TO MAKE A WISE DECISION
IN CHOOSING A CANDITATE IN THIS ELECTION

BEWARE OF A CANDIDATE:

• Who does not possess a fair educational qualification and experience in
governance/management.
• Whose intentions are questionable and not for the good of Isabela .
• Who is known for arrogance, callousness, and abusiveness.
• Who is immoral and corrupt.
• Who is a nuisance candidate.
• Who does not have the moral conviction and principle to lead and to stand up for
the Isabelenos.
• Who engages in mud-slinging instead of discussing constructive public issues.
• Who cannot or will not speak about the real issues affecting the lives of the
Isabelenos.
• Who does not have genuine and practicable vision and workable plans for Isabela.
• Who is not concerned with the critical and real issues affecting the Isabeleños.
• Who uses guns, goons and gold (the 3 G’s) to get votes.

ADVOCATES CREED/MISSION STATEMENT:

ISABELA IS OUR PLACE AND, FOR MOST OF US, THE ONLY PLACE THAT WE WILL
EVER HAVE. WE MUST SECURE AND PROTECT IT. WE SHOULD NOT ALLOW
“PSEUDO-LEADERS” TO RUN IT. WE MUST STAND UP, BE COUNTED, AND FIGHT. WE
MUST USE OUR COLLECTIVE EFFORTS RESPONSIBLY BY USING THE ONLY
PEACEFUL AND NON-VIOLENT WEAPON THAT WE HAVE - OUR VOTES IN THIS
ELECTION.

THE RIGHT TO VOTE CAN BE EXERCISED ONLY ONCE EVERY THREE YEARS. IF WE
MAKE THE SERIOUS MISTAKE OF ELECTING TO POWER CORRUPT, INCOMPETENT,
IMMORAL, ARROGANT, ABUSIVE AND INSINCERE CANDIDATES , IT WILL BE NEAR TO
IMPOSSIBLE TO GET RID OF THEM. WE SHOULD NEVER EXCHANGE OUR VOTES FOR
EMPTY PROMISES OR PERISHABLE GOODS. WE SHOULD STAND FIRM AND
RESOLUTE AGAINST UNLAWFUL THREATS AND COERCION. OTHERWISE, IF WE ARE
LESS THAN PRINCIPLED AND VIGILANT, WE WILL HAVE NO ONE TO BLAME BUT
OURSELVES: WE, ISABELEÑOS, WILL NOT GET THE LEADERS WE DESERVE, RATHER
TYRANTS WHO WILL RULE OVER US. THREE YEARS IS TOO SHORT FOR A GOOD
LEADER BUT TOO LONG FOR A BAD ONE.

WE MUST REMEMBER, ACT NOW AND WORK HARD TO USE THE POWER OF OUR
VOTES RESPONSIBLY IN THIS ELECTION. UNITE AND PRESERVE ISABELA FOR THE
ISABELEÑOS. VOTE INTELLIGENTLY. VOTE RESPONSIBLY. THE FATE OF ISABELA IS
IN OUR HANDS.MAY GOD BLESS US ALL!