Rising from Marawi’s rubble

Text & photo by Ayunan G. Gunting-Al Hadj

Following the long and vicious battle between the government troops and extremist groups in 2017, Marawi can only dream of getting its former status back. It was once distinguished as the economic hub of Lanao del Sur and the center of Islam in the country. Today, the business district and the surrounding barangays have been reduced to rubble. Homes of well-to-do families, including Marawi Mayor Majul Gandamra’s, were demolished or damaged by artillery.

Despite the ravages of war, some cultural icons have remained, such as the scenic Mindanao State University and the torogans, the traditional Maranao homes with intricate carvings.

As a personal initiative, Gandamra, his family and friends donated 46 hectares of land for settlements, consisting of temporary shelters. These were built by the National Housing Authority (NHA) and the municipality. Many poor families who were displaced during the war, have returned to Marawi and moved into these homes. 

In Barangay Sagonsongan, families have occupied 1,050 temporary shelters. An additional 300 houses are being put up. 

Of the 1,500 temporary shelters in Barangay Boganga, 600 have been turned over to other residents. A thousand homes in Barangay Dulay are on the rise.  The temporary shelters are just the start of Marawi’s urban renewal, which could take more than a decade. 

The five-month Marawi Siege was said to be the country’s longest urban war. Fighters of ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) and the local radical Islamic groups of the Maute and Abu Sayyaf tried to conquer the city, including the capitol building. 

When the siege began in May 2017, Gandamra, his immediate family and his staff were holed up at the City Hall.  “It was the target of the ISIL and the Maute so that they could conquer and install their flag. They were well-equipped and tried to kill us, but we stood our ground. The City Hall is the symbol of our sovereignty. Our retaliation was calibrated. After four days, the military strengthened our forces. We were then able to extricate ourselves from the City Hall,” said Gandamra. The battle ended in October 2017. The mayor and his family have since been staying in their other residence in Iligan City, Lanao del Norte, which is 38 kilometers or an hour’s drive from Marawi. 

Gandamra said out of Marawi’s 96 barangays, 72 have tried to return to normalcy. Over 800 households are still staying in evacuation centers outside of Marawi. Task Force Bangon Marawi, comprised of various government agencies, is slowly working on the rehabilitation of Ground Zero, or Marawi’s devastated city center. As part of the clean-up, it has to get permission from homeowners to demolish the ruins of their homes that are deemed unsafe. There are plans to build roads and install underground cables. 

Meanwhile, Gandamra has been working on the temporary shelters—22-square-meter concrete spaces with a bathroom, an extension for the kitchen and dining area, and water and electricity. Six people can live comfortably in one shelter. 

Tricycle driver Masiding Bani, his wife and four children were elated to move into the house in Sagonsongan. During the war, his family stayed at a relative’s house in Iligan City for two months then transferred to an evacuation center near Sagonsongan. They lived in humid and crowded tents and lined up to use the portalets. Bani said they are content with their new home. 

A community leader in Area 3 of Sagonsongan, Omangan Benito recalled that during the siege, his family sought refuge at an unfinished building beside the City Hall. Since last year, the Benitos have been living in one of the shelters that were built by the NHA with aid from Korea 

“We are happy to have a roof over our heads,” he said in Tagalog.

Trader Alnasser Busara and his family lived with relatives in a town in Lanao del Norte then eventually rented a space in Iligan City. When they returned to Marawi to reside in Sagonsongan, Busara said he felt their lives had stabilized.

Bani, Benito and Busara expressed their gratitude to Gandamra, who constantly reassures his constituents that the situation will slowly improve.

“He didn’t let us down. When the houses were built, he urged us to return to Marawi,” said Busara. “He made sure that we received relief goods regularly.”

Image credits: Ayunan G. Gunting-Al Hadj