Marawi  City was a municipality named Dansalan, capital of the defunct undivided Lanao province in the Philippines from 1907 to 1940, first under the government of the Moro  Province, the Department of Mindanao and Sulu, the Bureau of Non-Christian Tribes, the Commonwealth, and finally the Republic.

According to one of the late well-known Meranao scholar Dr. Mamitua Saber, “ Marawi  City got its charter in 1940.  The granting of a charter to the old Dansalan  Municipality was jointly conceived by Commonwealth President, Manuel L. Quezon and Assemblyman, later Senator Tomas L. Cabili.  The changing of the official name from Dansalan to Marawi was through Congressional amendment of the Charter in 1956 sponsored by Senator Domocao Alonto.”  This is embodied in Republic Act No. 1552 dated June 16,1956. Under the impact of Islamic awareness and consciousness,  the renaming of Marawi  City into Islamic City of Marawi was proposed in Parliamentary Bill No. 261 by former Assemblyman Dianalan, brother of former late Mayor Omar Dianalan. 

Professor Talib Benito in his thesis work entitled:, “the Renaming of Marawi City into Islamic City of Marawi: An Attitudinal Study Among City Residents in 1983,” revealed that the bill was read before the Batasan floor during its second session on July 24,1979 and was transmitted to and received by the Committee on Local Government and Community Development on August 2,1979. 

Republic Act No. 6734- “An Act Providing for an Organic Act for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao” as amended by Republic Act No. 9054 “An Act to strengthen and expand the Organic Act for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao” and the Muslim Mindanao Autonomy Acts. 

During the 1990 plebescite, the people of Marawi  City voted against the inclusion of the City in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.  Therefore, Executive Order No. 429 dated October 12,1990 provides the transfer of the City to Region 1X. 

Another  plebiscite was scheduled toward the end of 2002.  Despite government campaigning for a yes vote in many provinces in Southern Mindanao, only one more province (Basilan) and one city (Marawi) voted to be included in the expanded ARMM. 

Marawi  City could be one of the progressive city in the Philippines. Its geography and socio-educational and political setting will surely be presented in another article.

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Maugan Buat Mosaid, Ph.D. 

Again, the New Year tradition of predictions and fortune-telling comes to the fore as people expect some changes for the better in their lives and career. Some express them in the form of new year resolutions which are mostly stern promises of leaving bad habits behind with the outgoing year . Others want to be guided by the more conventional art of knowing the things and events that are yet to come, i.e. through feng shui, astrology, tarot cards, etc. (I would still refer to these media of predicting the future as more of an ‘art’ than scientific as there is yet no means for an empirical inquiry to prove them through and through). Still others, the more pious ones, resort to prayers as it is still the best means to shape up the future the way it should be through Divine intercession. 

Equally interesting and worth mentioning are the thoughts posted by two unassuming intellectuals who hid their identities under the following: Toyskie: “More interesting than predictions for 2008 is the list of predictions for 2007 that came true and another list for those that did not. I wonder which list is longer. Perhaps another little research on feng shui’s batting average is called for at this time”; and Maxim: “Feng shui, astrology, tarot cards, etc. have become interesting media for predictions, though I consider them as more of an art than scientific. As an art it has drawn many enthusiasts and adherents for the intrinsic means by which it is undertaken and for the value attached to it. For its unique system, procedures and technique, the art of prediction or fortune-telling has even develop its own culture that not too many have mastered. Interestingly, it is appreciated more for its ‘hits’ than its ‘misses’. So, regardless of which list is longer, the art will continue to grow in popularity and may even generate more downstream opportunities.” 

On the national scene, the following are some of the scenarios foretold by the ‘experts’ in the aspect of predicting/fortune-telling: 

On the economy:

On politics:

Sex scandal:

Accidents:

On sports:

However, on the other side of the euphora for brighter things to come, is the fact that not one of the corrupt, oppressors, and tramplers of human rights (and minority rights) has come to the fore to say their piece for the new year , which means, that the oppressed has nothing much to expect about in the year 2008. These people, whose fate rests in the hands of the few rich and powerful, are not in a position to try to shape up the future or improve their lot. 

There is no need to mention a lot of them but the more prominent ones are: 1) the case of the Sumilao farmers in Bukidnon, who marched to Manila from mid-October 2007 and arrived in early December, or more or less two months of hiking to dramatize their claim to a portion of the 400-hectare farm estate formerly owned by the prominent Quisumbing family then sold to the more powerful San Miguel Corporation; and 2) the case of the Bangsamoro people who are claiming a small portion of Mindanao (once dominated by them) under an established right for ancestral domain which they can call ‘homeland’. Their other wish is that this ‘homeland’ shall be govern by an indigenous system called Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE) under an established right to self-determination and self-actualization.  

The Bangsamoro people have more than dramatize their cause in terms of lives lost and properties damaged when they decided to claim these rights through armed struggle. Now they are anchoring hopes on peaceful means, i.e. the on-going negotiations between the GRP and the MILF but nothing seems to be certain yet as of now. 

What is certain is that the GRP-MILF Talk has bumped into another impasse as the GRP panel allegedly reneged in its commitment in the peace process by inserting the phrase: “in accordance with constitutional processes” in its copy of the draft Memorandum of Agreement. This was vehemently opposed by the MILF panel. And when the GRP panel failed to cleanse its copy of the MOA, the MILF panel decided that it is no longer feasible to face the other party in the negotiating table. This was supposed to be the 15^th exploratory talks had it pushed through in Kuala Lumpur last December 15-17, 2007. 

Thus said, the oppressed Bangsamoro people cannot wish for something better in the New Year or probably in the entire duration of 2008. But the ball is still in the hands of the GRP panel. If it has the political will to return to the unadulterated original draft of the MOA, the MILF panel is more than willing to go back to the negotiating table (Mr. Mohager Iqbal, in an interview with local station DXMS, Cotabato City; Jan. 3, 2008). 

For our part, the lowly Bangsamoro masses, we can only wish that people high up in government, who ‘call the shots’, shall be Divinely inspired to see the wisdom of continuing on with the peace talks. If and when they see the ‘light’, there is still chance for a happy new year, so to speak. 

Any agreement between the two parties will not directly bring food to the lowly Bangsamoro’s dining table, but, seeing the talks proceeding through unhampered is enough reason to be happy for the new year because that would mean that peace is still certain even if it is not too soon. Peace is a window to development!

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