Rebuilding Marawi

EDITORIAL - Rebuilding Marawi

 (The Philippine Star) | Updated July 1, 2017 - 12:00am

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The battle for Marawi is expected to be over soon, according to the government. The next phase will be the tortuous road to recovery. With much of the city razed by war, and with the lingering threats posed by those who staged the siege, the task can prove to be more challenging than the reconstruction of Tacloban City and other areas devastated by Super Typhoon Yolanda.

In shifting from war to reconstruction, the government may want to take a page from the military’s counterinsurgency playbook: “clear, hold, build.” Clearing Marawi of Maute and Abu Sayyaf terrorists is still ongoing. Once the AFP considers its mission accomplished, the government must move in and ensure that the victory is sustained. The terrorists must not be allowed to regroup and rebuild their strength for another strike anywhere in the country.

This entails cooperation from the local political leadership all the way down to the grassroots. The military offensive, backed by police commandos, indicated that the Mautes received support from a segment of the Marawi community, which provided funds, guns, ammunition and other supplies to the terrorists. The local supporters might have also had links with fighters of the Islamic State, whose commander in the Philippines, the Abu Sayyaf’s Isnilon Hapilon, could have escaped the government offensive in Marawi.

Now that Marawi residents – and the rest of the nation – have seen the atrocities that the Mautes are capable of perpetrating and the suffering inflicted on the city, there should be greater readiness to work with the government in permanently neutralizing this threat.

Residents’ cooperation is critical in rebuilding Marawi from the ashes of war. The Mautes and their supporters may try to derail reconstruction work. City residents should be at the heart of efforts to thwart any such attempt.

In Tacloban and other areas ravaged by Yolanda, the mantra was to build back better. This can also be done in Marawi. As President Duterte has vowed, the city will rise again. The sweetest victory, and the best way to reject the Islamic State and its gospel of violence and hatred, is to show that Marawi not only recovers but also becomes a better city.

German Honorary Consul in Davao City

Enlarge imageFrom left: Ambassador Dr. Gordon Kricke, Mr. Klaus Döring and Mrs. Rossana Balcom Döring(© German Embassy Manila)

A German Honorary Consul was appointed in Davao City, offering services to German citizens and promoting business, cultural and scientific activities in the region.

The office of the Honorary Consul may be contacted as follows:

Address:   University of Southeastern Philippines
Institute of Languages and Foreign Cultural Arts
Science Bldg., 2^nd Floor Room E 208,
Obrero Campus, Inigo Street
Davao City, 8000, Philippinen

Telephone: 0063-82-227-1761
Fax: 0063-82-227-1760
E-mail:davaocity@hk-diplo.de
                 
Head: Klaus Döring, Honorary Consul
Consular District:
Mindanao (with exception of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi)

Office Hours:
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesday, Thursday from 8 a.m.to 9.15 a.m. by personal appointment

The Honorary Consul is not in charge of passport and visa matters.

I am the way

WED, JUNE 28, 2017 BY THE MINDANAO DAILY MIRROR LEAVE A COMMENT

IN MY OPINION

Klaus Doring

Many times we compare our life with a path. We talk about “the way”. We describe a determined man as, “He’s on the right track”. We go about our tracks, but we are reproved if we take a short cut and not the path across a rice field. We learn that there are many ways of solving problems.

We also don’t want to stand in other people’s way. Sometimes we prefer to keep put of someone’s way and plan to avoid getting in their way. Often we try to find the golden middle course….

Many different ways have been offered to us during our whole life. How can we be able to choose the right and correct one? Which signs at our way can be trusted blindly? These are urgent and vital questions for all of us, and, especially during this time, very important like never before.

In the past, traditions and customs are the paths, we took. Nowadays, we make decisions and long for the correct path – mostly on our own.

The German atom physician Werner Heisenberg (1901-1976) described it very impressively. The man of today is like a ship’s captain. This ship is made out of iron. The compass needle is no longer able to show the Northern direction, as expected, because of the ship’s iron inflexible body. You have one choice only: look up to the stars and study their guiding sup-port!”

We’re all happy and proud, when we have every need at our disposal. On the other hand, it only confuses our aims, goals, and objectives in life.

“I am the way” is NOT ONLY a traffic sign – or a shepherd without responsibility – or a religious founder, who thinks, that “only he is the right way, if one follows him”….

HIS way is the only right way. Only His deeds colored our fates. Let’s keep our eyes open for the important signs at our way, such as :

– Unselfish participation in the life of others;

– Courage to uncover prejudice;

– Ready to help the unprotected and defense-less;

– Struggle for freedom and justice;

– Commitment for peace.

Most of all: Love, which does not calculate and count. Love without measurements, boundaries and limits.

If you can share with others, you’ll know one day in future, that someone walked this way – earlier then you – and, and, FOR YOU!

Roxanne Barcelo - The Way I Am (Ingrid Michaelson Cover) for FHM Sessions

A child named "Peace"

Born amid Marawi conflict: A child named 'Peace'

ABS-CBN News

Posted at Jun 25 2017 05:16 PM

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Sahir closes his eyes as her mother lulls him to sleep inside a packed evacuation center in Iligan City. Rod Bolivar, ABS-CBN News

MANILA - In a packed evacuation center in Iligan City, Tarhata Mustari carries her month-old child she initially named Marcial as they try to celebrate Eid al-Fitr on Sunday.

Mustari gave birth to her baby last May 23, the day Islamic State-inspired terrorists took over portions of their hometown, Marawi City.

She named her baby Marcial at first because it was the day President Rodrigo Duterte declared martial law in the whole Mindanao island.

But later on, Mustari said she decided to change the name of her child to Sahir, the Maranao word for peace, hoping for good things to come for her baby boy.

"Sana lumaki siyang maging masigla, makapag-aral siya nang mabuti. Sana mahaba pa rin ang buhay naming lahat," the mother said.

Mustari said Sahari's name is not yet legal as they have yet to get and sign documents needed from the Marawi City Hall's registry due to the ongoing war.

There are over 3,000 displaced Marawi residents staying in five evacuation centers in Iligan City, while 45,604 stay are home-based evacuees, data from the local government show.

In Barangay Buru-un alone, there are already some 269 evacuees. The most crowded evacuation center in Iligan is the Santa Elena Gymnasium where around 1,198 uprooted residents stay.

Displaced Marawi residents are hoping and praying that the conflict ends as soon as possible so they can return to their homes.

But a military spokesman last week said military operations against the Maute and Abu Sayyaf groups in Marawi may still take time.

As of latest count, the government said they have killed at least 280 suspected terrorists while there are already 69 deaths on the government side.

At least 26 civilians, meanwhile, have also died due to enemy fire, according to the military, who admitted having difficulty in forcing enemy snipers out of their hiding places. -- Report from Rod Bolivar, ABS-CBN News

BusinessWeek Mindanao: Honorary Consul of the Federal Republic of Germany