Honoring how a great man Omar Solitario Ali was

HE was my first boss. It was in 2001, He was just several months in office as the City Mayor of Marawi. I went to his office and when I had his attention, I made the best sales pitch of my life.

The rest is history. I was a casual in his office until I became his private secretary. He was a friend of my dad in their younger days, that is probably why I was hired.

They say the years under Mayor Omar Solitario Ali were the great days of Marawi City. Indeed it was. Not many knew that he was an Asian Institute of Management (AIM) graduate where he earned his Masters in Developmental Management.

One of the famous commanders of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), Solitario never surrendered to the government because he believed that if he will, the death of his comrades in the battlegrounds would have been in vain.

When he took up Bachelor of Laws at the Mindanao State University, he was still a well-known commander at that time, his singing of the national anthem as well as recitation of the Panatang Makabayan considered as his pledge of allegiance to the country.

He was a visionary who took calculated risks for the development of Marawi. It was during his time that vital infrastructures were constructed left and right. GMA Terminal, Heaven Road, Rorogagus steel bridge, Padian rehabilitation including the rehab of Tuaka Lapot and Tuaka Bata. Expansion of the road system of the city that met so much disagreement (from owners of) the affected houses. Improvement of health care delivery.

I could go on and on. He was able to properly utilize the 20 percent development fund of the city. He opened up the city by making access roads in different areas and he did that in his two terms as city mayor.

He was a friend of the learned, the ulama, academicians. He was the very first Kuya of the city who brought the Fraternal Order of the Philippine Eagles to Lanao del Sur when he sponsored the charter of the very first ever Eagles Club in the city, Marawi City Eagles Club from the Iligan City Eagles Club where he was a member.

There were meetings in City Hall where he would randomly ask religious questions such as the meaning of Surah al Fatiha. Meetings were not only a venue to discuss office matters but he would incorporate religious teachings as well.

It was during his time that solid waste management was institutionalized in the city. He took it as his priority program. He invested in heavy equipment so garbage disposal will be religiously made. In fact he was known for his cleanliness and how he made City Hall as a no smoking ground lalo na ang kanyang opesina. Bawal ang yosi sa office niya. He tried in his six years to bring Marawi City to an ideal Islamic City.

In 2004, his son was accidentally killed in one of his campaign sorties but he took the higher ground of forgiveness. He forgave the culprits and even sent them to study in Pakistan.

I could go on and on with my stories about him. He served as my first teacher in governance. It was an honor to have served with him during the glorious days of Marawi City.

Pakasurgaan ka o Allah Subhanawataala ka miyakapiyapiya ka a datu. Pusaksian nakun so langon a mapiya a myangolaolangka a mapiya ko madakul a tao. (May Allah grant you paradise because you are a good leader. I bear witness of all the good things that you have done to your people)

(Norayah Ampang Acas served five years under Mayor Omar Solitario. She is now Provincial Director of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority in North Cotabato. Acas posted this on her FB page. MindaNews was granted permission to publish this)