Why the Marawi Siege was somehow needed
were places place I had spent several nights in with my students for overnight extracurricular practices. I would never forget the hospitality of those who housed us there.
Before, it had never crossed my mind that I would never see these places again as how they used to be.
But sometimes, you have to turn something into ashes to make it new again — even to make it better.
Marawi City, as a part of Lanao del Sur, is still afflicted with low literacy rates and academic performances. Because of the fossilized but poor educational structures in many, if not all, parts of Marawi City, many Meranaw learners become victims of this system that produces rock-bottom results.
High rates of tuberculosis, vitamin deficiency among children, as well as poor sanitation, including poor practices of garbage disposal in the city itself are also proliferating problems. Some would comment about Marawi City being ‘Marumi (dirty) City”, even.
A lot of citizens in there have also been consumed by the normalization of death and killing. One example is the thought that a rido (family feud) is a norm. While efforts to combat the custom is already implemented, it is not enough.
There is also the almost impenetrable status of crime and justice in the city. When I head to the police station before to check on some crime and blotter reports, even the policemen themselves would warn us to not get any closer to these reports because even these activities are clan-related, which might get us tangled in the mess because they would see us as rubberneckers.
There’s also the degradation of Lake Lanao — a supposed protected area, a vital part in Mindanao’s supply of electricity, an renowned ancient lake full of stories and legends, and the second largest lake in the country.
Because of previous scars such as wars, a population of Muslims still also hold grudges and prejudices to Christians.
The siege is as an opportunity for a greater power and influence to finally infiltrate the city better.
It’s high time the state wakes up to the dropping rates of the quality of education in Marawi City. It’s time to implement more stringent policies in improving and maintaining the schools’ curricula and administration, as well as in improving the quality of the teaching workforce and their instruction.
Of course, part of this ‘revolution’ in the educational system should still regard the implementation of religion and culture-sensitive education.
It is with much hope that the siege would finally destroy the norm that killing is bad; a norm that may have partially been establish because of certain practices such as rido (family feud).
It’s also time they realize, through various donations drives and rehabilitation programs that Christians and other people who belong to other people groups aside from themselves can do good too, and that there it is not religion but obscure beliefs and ideologies which is our enemy. I hope this helps lessen hostilities among tribal groups.
To reinforce this, there is also a need to for stronger efforts in peace education and campaigns from various entities.
May the rehabilitation period from the siege be an opening to break into the once impenetrable beliefs, systems, and norms of Marawi.
This will all then depend on the actions and plans of the rehabilitation plans of Task Force Bangon Marawi and its success and implementation. Aside from infrastructure, road, and community restoration, internal issues that plague Marawi should also be planned out to be resolved. (rizsunio@gmail.com)