With the opening of the first madaris (plural form of madrasah) in the city, officials of the city government and education bureau in Valenzuela are hoping these traditional Muslim schools bring Muslim youth closer to their roots as well as help curb ethnic discrimination.

At the schools where classes begun on October 3, the Caruhatan Elementary School and Paso de Blas Elementary School, the students are taught Arabic language, Muslim culture, and Islamic values. Classes are held from 8:00 a.m. through 4:00 a.m. So far, 134 students coming from across the grades have enrolled, the Department of Education reports.

Brother Mohammed Nhor Sawato, the DepEd’s Muslim Education specialist, said the youth learn values best when taught in the context of their native culture.

“Kung itinuturo ang kabutihan sa Kristiyano, itinuturo din ang kabutihan sa Islam. ‘Yon nga lang, dahil Muslim siya, dapat sa konteksto ng kanyang paniniwala (If Christianity teaches good personhood, then Islam does, too. However, it should be taught the Muslim youth in the context of his or her faith),” said Sawato, addressing members of the local Muslim community, local education department, and city officials during the launch of Arabic Language and Islamic Values and Education Program on September 18.

Officials are also expecting that the establishment of the madaris would spur an understanding of Muslim people and values in the mainstream and rid of ethnic discrimination, an issue, First District Representative WIN Gatchalian said, not discussed  as often as it should be.

“Ako rin ay hindi iba sa diskriminasyon.Tuwing eleksyon na lang po, limang beses na po akong tumatakbo dito sa lungsod ng Valenzuela, at tuwing takbo ko po, ang ating katunggali, isa lang ang isinisigaw: iyan hong si Gatchalian, hindi naman ho Pilipino iyan, Intsik po iyan (I myself have experienced to be discriminated against. In the five times I’ve run for positions in Valenzuela, I have always heard my opponent saying the same thing: Gatchalian is not Filipino; he is Chinese),” said Gatchalian, who was the city’s mayor from 2004 to 2013.

Gatchalian adds: “Natutuwa po ako na dito po sa ating siyudad ay may masiglang Muslim community. Lahat po tayo ay naninirahan sa Valenzuela. Lahat po tayo ay mga Valenzuelano. Lahat po tayo ay mga Pilipino. Hindi po mahalaga kung saan tayo nanggaling, sa Mindanao, Luzon, Visayas. Hindi po mahalaga kung ano ang ating relihiyon, kung tayo ay Kristiyano, kung tayo ay Muslim, Buddhist, INC. Ang mahalaga po ay kung saan tayo patungo, kung paano tayo magtutulong-tulong sa ikabubuti ng ating lungsod ang pinakamahalaga ( I am happy we have a thriving Muslim community in Valenzuela. We all live in the same city. We are all Filipinos. It doesn’t matter where we come from, be it Mindanao, Luzon or Visayas. Nor does it matter which religion we belong to, be it Christianity, Islam, Buddhism or Iglesia ni Cristo.What matters  is where we are headed. That we are working together for the good of our city is the most important).”