IF the Marcos administration wants to shore up its political capital in Mindanao, the reconstruction of Marawi City presents not a challenge but a great opportunity. A massive resource infusion on its rehabilitation in the next two years can bring significant positive changes that will translate to Mindanao not staying as a promised land, but a land of promises fulfilled.
In May 2017, we witnessed the massive destruction of an entire city when Islamic extremists attacked Marawi City, massacred innocent civilians and engaged the government military and law enforcement forces in a monthlong urban warfare. The ensuing battle and bombardment caused the dislocation of 400,000 internal refugees.
The country has never experienced a devastation of a city since Manila was carpet-bombed in February of 1945 for the Battle of Liberation of Manila. Before the war, Manila was considered one of the most beautiful cities of the Orient. It was the pride of an emerging American power in Asia, rivaling Hong Kong, the Asian center of a waning British empire. Designed by Daniel Burnham, it was the living example of the “city beautiful” concept espoused by modern architects and city planners at that time. The city never fully recovered from the devastation of the war. From its ruins, unplanned developments and sprawl grew to what it is now — a congested, heavily polluted and non-inclusive metropolis. What remains of the Burnham plan is hardly distinguishable and the image of a beautiful Manila is now locked in mere nostalgia of what had been and what could have been.
Marawi City now belongs to beautiful cities that had been laid to waste by hatred and violence. In the recent years, the beautiful and historic cities of Baghdad, Mosul, Damascus, Homs, Aleppo, Beirut, Grozny, Kabul, Sana’a, Aden, Taiz, Tripoli, Mariupol, and recently Gaza, and others fell victim to war and conflict. While most of these devastated cities are located in the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia, Marawi City has the distinction of being the only Southeast Asian city to join this infamous list in recent times. But like many of these cities, its destruction was caused by the zealots’ religious extremism and the brutality of terrorism.
After six long months of urban warfare, the terrorists were finally annihilated but with such gargantuan cost in the lives lost and infrastructures laid to waste. Aggravating this was the cost of dislocation and eventual relocation that must be fulfilled. The victims of this internal strife demanded and continues to demand to be repatriated to their former homes and businesses. Since the conflict, government efforts and focus have been minuscule compared to the urgency and huge scale needed to address the humanitarian crisis that has befallen those from the city. Even years after the end of the battle, the ruins of the city has yet to be fully cleared and internal refugees continue to wander in uncertainty.
The formation of Task Force Bangon Marawi proved to be a tepid bureaucratic response to a government that had it coming. Bereft of the energy that a Marshall Plan-like reconstruction efforts should have brought in, the victims of this tragedy continue to suffer. Many still live in temporary shelters confronted by the uncertainties of returning to their old houses which are now embroiled in confusing claims of land tenure and ownership.
The Marcos administration abolished the task force and created, in its stead through Executive Order 78, the Office of the Presidential Adviser for Marawi Rehabilitation and Development in November 2024. However, this is only an adviser role and mainly a coordinating body. Not the empowered government agency that should perform that role. It does not have nor control the budget to implement government infrastructures required of the city’s rehabilitation. Since its creation, we have not heard of transformative progress that could significantly sway the time pendulum faster.
What can the Marcos administration do to turn a tragedy into his Mindanao legacy beyond 2028?
Build a new Marawi
Master plan and build a new Marawi city center and business district in the idle lands of the Mindanao State University (MSU) campus.
The “Ground Zero” that represented the heart of Marawi City devastated by the fighting would require months if not years to be cleared of the unexploded ordnance and millions of tons of debris. The time and resources needed to accomplish this alone will run into billions.
Right beside the “Ground Zero” lies the expanse of the 1,000 hectares of land allocated to the Mindanao State University’s main campus in Marawi. Instead of spending so much time and resources in clearing ground zero, the government, through the collaborative efforts of the Army Engineering Brigade, must identify at least 200 hectares of idle lands within the MSU campus and convert these 200 hectares into a new Marawi business district similar to what the Bonifacio Global City is in Metro Manila and Clark Green City (New Clark City) in Pampanga and Tarlac. After a master plan and new city design are drawn up, the government can subdivide the land into residential and mixed uses. To do this, a land swap can happen between MSU and the AFP. Thereafter, site development of roads and utilities can be immediately implemented.
The government, upon subdividing the new Marawi lots, can award these lots the soonest to the victims of the Marawi siege for free as part of their war reparations for the suffering endured and damages incurred. This immediately solves the disputes on land ownership and possession. This also allows the fastest way for the families to build their new homes and businesses. Building on the new master-planned location opens the opportunity to also build better rather than rebuild on the devastated area swamped with tragic memories, land disputes, and delayed lives of evacuees.
The newly master-planned Marawi City shall serve as the economic center of the Bangsamoro land nestled in the enchanting shores of Lake Lanao that is situated high up on the mountains with cold weather at the cross roads of Eastern, Central and Western Mindanao. The creation of a new Marawi shall pave the way for the development of all lakeshore towns of Lake Lanao and eventually, the development of the Muslim Mindanao economy and culture. It is already the center of Islamic culture of the country. It only needs to build its economy. For this purpose, a Bangsamoro Economic Development Authority can serve as the steward of natural resources and economic rights to unlock their values through public-private partnerships.
In this way, President Marcos is not merely presenting the Muslims of Mindanao an opportunity to rebuild. What he can offer them is a vision, a dream fulfilled, and honor and dignity regained for a long-suffering people.
– Establish the Lake Lanao Development Authority;
– Create a masterplan for the entire Lake Lanao basin;
– Create a masterplan for a new Marawi City township in the idles lands of MSU;
– Subdivide the lots and award a parcel of residential lot to each victim of conflict.
