HOPES FOR MARAWI

WHAT MUST BE DONE:

1. In the development of Marawi, after the long battle against the terrorists, the thrust of all programs and projects must bear the importance of healing the psyche, the emotions, the physical and mental make-up of the people. The balancing of the emotions of the people are especially important so that they can carry on their daily activities with renewed strength and feelings of dignity, despite what had happened;

2. Marawi must not only be a showcase of a city that rises up after the siege of terrorists, but a city that is steeped in democratic practices; a city that will no longer tolerate the presence of terrorists; that will stand up against any authoritarian and violent postures of any individual or any group;

3. Marawi City became too malleable to the penetration and manipulation of terrorists because the social structure bred and tolerated the weakness of the populace. The people were dependent upon traditional political power structures which sought their maintenance 
instead of the empowerment of the people. 

4. Hence, Marawi must develop social structures that will be led by the civilians, socio-political and cultural entities, that would be confronting the political structures and authorities who would tend to lean on authoritarianism;

5. These structures shall come in the form of civilian associations -- women's groupings, cooperatives; transport cooperatives; strong parent-teachers' associations; entrepreneurial groupings. All these shall form the new social make-up of Marawi so that the people would learn how to express their thoughts, their needs, and their wants to the political authorities. These groupings shall become the heart of Marawi, always ready and sensitive to what is occurring around them, and serious about the present and future of Marawi. They will be socially aware and helpful to their kababayan, the people of the Philippines and the world. 

6. Most of all the women and girls of Marawi shall share in the shaping of the present and future of the city; no longer the quiet, expressionless women dominated by men, but rather their equal in all facets of life. Ergo, women's groups have to be created-- neighborhood women's groups, girls' arts and crafts; all performing also physical exercises to hone their bodies to greater health and strength. Political exercises like women and girls' debating and speech clubs must be created also in order to train them to speak out. 

7. Marawi must create consumer groups that will be alert to watching the prices of goods and services so that the people would not be in want. Such groups must be given training by relevant government agencies on economics, financing, cooperativism, and the like. 

8. A meditation area, aside from the mosques must be created, preferably near the lake so that the people shall learn how to be sensitive to their feelings, their individual selves, and the need to communicate with God singly, and not always collectively;

9. Ergo, I envision Marawi as composed of circular enclaves that could house these groupings in order to show their unity of purposes -- to live and work for the glory of God and country; to be humane towards each other; to work for the sustainability of the environment; to embrace humanistic ideologies that will propel them to become respected citizens of the Philippines and the world.   

10. Finally, Marawi must build a habit of assembly meetings for all where the people could express their thoughts and feelings about what is happening to them.