VOL. 1 NO. 3 DECEMBER 2017
COV E R STO RY
Marawi 's HEALING
WOUNDS by Maria Victoria T. Te & Jarrah Francine C. Zaballero
I
t has been approximately seven months since the Marawi siege broke out between the military and a local terrorist group identified as the Maute Group. This encounter instilled fear throughout the nation, particularly in Mindanao. There’s no denying the fact that this attack had affected many, as people were held hostage, structures were critically destroyed, and according to Inquirer News, a total of 152 soldiers and policemen were killed in their effort of putting a stop to the Mautes. Residents fled from their hometown in hopes of finding safety in the midst of chaos, despite knowing that there were members of the Maute blocking the roads. The Department of National Defense (DND) reports that the Philippine Government has spent over 6 Billion PHP for the Marawi crisis. The question is, is this enough to heal Marawi and its people of the traumatic experience they encountered with the terrorist attack? Can positivity fill the hearts of the Mindanaoans once again, or will negativity be permanent because of this unexpected and violent exposure?
Caught in the Storm “Pag-gawas namo gikan sa amo school, nakadungog na dayun mi sa bombs and guns. Twenty or thirty minutes after, gisunog amo school. Una ang Marawi City Jail then sunod amo school, (Dansalan College),” stated Malikhat Nayrah Macarampat, a Marawi resident, and currently a Grade 11 Accountancy, Business, and Management (ABM) student of Xavier University Senior High School (XUSHS). Macarampat recounted that when the Maute Group started their attack, she and the many other students, faculty, and staff were stranded in their campus. At that time, the Maute Group were already roaming the streets of Marawi, and many were near the college. The students were prohibited from leaving the campus without a parent or guardian accompanying them for safety precautions. However, due to the established road blocks, no one could reach their school anymore—not even their fetchers. Macarampat, along with her classmates, were forced to meet their families at a nearby checkpoint. While running to the checkpoint, she recalled that the site had already become a ghost town, but that the thundering sounds of bombs and gunfire could still be heard clearly, only intensifying the fear she was already experiencing. With only a few clothes in their possession, Macarampat’s family was able to evacuate the city safely. Macarampat concluded that despite the terrifying experience, they were not traumatized by the turn of events. In fact, she is excited to finally return to Marawi considering that the last time she was there was on May 24, a day after the siege erupted. Fortunate as Macarampat may have been, the same cannot be said for everyone else. Many properties and lives were lost in the crisis, and until today, traces of the siege can still be seen in the streets of the otherwise beautiful and peaceful city of Marawi. Rising from the Rubble When the clock struck 5PM, children looked up to the sky in awe as bombs came firing down the war zone four kilometers away. However, the adults stood at the side, fighting back tears as pain and fear washed over them. They knew that everything was slowly being taken away from them with every bullet and every airstrike, leaving a wreck not only of their homes, but also of their souls. This was just one of the heartbreaking scenes that XU Social Development (SD)
Office Advocacy Head Nestor Banuag Jr had witnessed in one of his visits to Marawi during the siege. Local government units (LGUs), non-government organizations (NGOs), and international organizations have been collectively working on restoring Marawi City back to its former glory, and XU has also been active in helping out with its Tabang Marawi program spearheaded by the SD Office. The SD Office was not alone in their efforts, as Tabang Marawi also received assistance ranging from cash and in-kind donations from all over the country, to students offering help in their fields of expertise such as the College of Engineering designing communal kitchens, and the Sustainable Sanitation Center of the School of Medicine helping with the setup of urinals and toilets. When Banuag’s team first visited Marawi, they were barred from entering the city without securing a pass from the military due to the ongoing exchange of fire. To their fortune, they were allowed to access Bito Buadi Itowa, the first barangay visible after passing Marawi’s welcome arch. The evacuees in Bito Buadi Itowa were able to receive the goods that were prepared for them, but Banuag realized that those were not enough to accommodate all of the internally displaced persons (IDPs). From the initial rounds of support that helped 500 families in Bito Buadi Itowa, the Tabang Marawi team now prepares 1,400 care packages every Sunday that also cover several neighboring barangays. Though the program initially meant to only provide relief packages to the displaced individuals, Banuag didn’t want to settle for band-aid patches; he wanted sustainability. Tabang Marawi then expanded to working on long-term solutions for the affected, such as providing psychosocial assistance and introducing people to Agroenterprise. When Banuag noticed the fertile farmlands and the cool weather in Marawi, he realized the potential the location had. As such, Tabang Marawi then provided locals with the materials, technology, and knowledge needed for them to kick-start trading once again. Banuag pointed out that the progress of Tabang Marawi cannot be credited to him or XU alone. Without the help of donors and volunteers, and the participation of the Maranao people, the program would not reach this level of success today.
Captured by Caryll M. Apostol
Coming Together as One Aside from donating food, money, and other basic needs, Banuag said that there are many other ways that people can contribute to rebuilding Marawi. One of them is engaging in or even initiating forums discussing the Marawi incident, exchanging ideas that may spread awareness to others and help eliminate biases against the Muslim community and Mindanao. He added that with the presence of the social media, the youth should make Marawi talks trend on online platforms as well. “Kasi long-term siya (the effects of forums). Life-changing. Kung musulod na siya sa inyong mga huna-huna, (you become) aware, conscious, sociallyoriented. Aha man na padulong? In your being, in your treatment, in your behavior,” said Banuag. Volunteering in relief operations is another way for people to lend a hand. From things as simple as packing goods, to going as far as actually going to Marawi to distribute packages, generous souls can choose to spare a fraction of their time if they cannot give materially. Lastly, Banuag encouraged everyone to promote the culture of peace and solidarity among one another. *** Despite the Marawi crisis being a dark time for the Filipino people, we do not have to stay in this darkness. If we all tapped into the kindness in our hearts, and allowed ourselves to become beacons of light, then we can help our fallen brothers and sisters, and keep things like these from happening again.S
Sources: w w w . r a p p l e r. c o m /n a t i o n / 1 8 8 7 3 3 government-spent-6-billion-marawi-crisis www.newsinfo.inquirer.net/933947/mautesuffering-heavy-casualties-marawi-siegewont-last-long-afp
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