This journal consists of two papers which present two themes–politics and historiography. Both papers, however, pursue the same objective: contribute to Moro literature in the hopes of helping people further understand the community’s struggles for autonomy. The first paper is one written by Moctar Matuan. It provides a different take on the proposed autonomy in Mindanao. In particular, it presents an analysis on the historical basis of the demand for the regional autonomy and the willingness of both the Philippine government and Christian Filipinos in acceding to this demand. Matuan asserts that the historical basis dates back to years of colonization, and the many sociopolitical events that succeeded shaped this demand. Meanwhile, with regard to the willingness to accede, the writer points out the potential of the Tripoli Agreement in providing solutions to prominent issues, but for some reasons, the agreement was not implemented in the way the Moro National Liberation Front, or the MNLF, wants it. This may confirm lack of willingness on the part of the government, who continue to insist on their own agenda. In the second paper, Manuel Tawagon writes about the Spanish perceptions of the Moros from an historiographical perspective. The paper explores Spanish policies, which are specifically concerned on enslavement, conversion, among others. Tawagon also reveals how Spanish hatred towards the Moros transcended territorial boundaries, in view of differences in values, customs, and the like. These all go to show how grave Spanish biases and prejudices are, and how these perceptions spanned for so long, particularly from the 16th to the 19th century. In conclusion, the two themes in this journal only confirm the richness of literature regarding the Moro community and how much more themes deserve further scrutiny.

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