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.

	1. Written by Curator on 05-01-2008 05:43 - Guest
	ang iksi naman, friend!     History ba? of Brief trivia about Marawi citihood.

	2. Written by BABA on 05-01-2008 06:23 - Guest
	Reaction It's a brief historical overview. Pls. undestand the title itself.

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