Marawi

Marawi is covered here in 6 connected parts: Marawi, Marantao, Lanao del Sur's 2nd parliamentary district, Kawayan Torogan, 2016 Lanao del Sur local elections, Lanao del Sur.

Marawi

Marawi, officially the Islamic City of Marawi (Maranao: Bandar a Marawi; Filipino: Lungsod ng Marawi; Jawi (Batang Arab): مدينة مراوى الإسلامية), is a component city and capital of the province of Lanao del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 259,993 people. Marawi is located upon the shores of Lake Lanao and it is the most populous LGU in Lanao del Sur.^[1]

Etymology

Dansalan (Marawi's prior name) derived from the Mëranaw word "dansal", which means rendezvous; literally, it also means arrival (in other source, "where the waves come to shore"). Being known as the destination point for arriving boats, the place refers to a port, hence, the "Place of Destination and Purpose."^[1]

As Dansalan

Dansalan began as a port. A sovereign of Marawi before 1639 was "Datu Buadi Sa Kayo" who imposed taxation.^[1]

Cityhood and renaming into Marawi

Dansalan was the last to become a chartered city under the country's Commonwealth era with the approval of Commonwealth Act No. 592 on August 19, 1940. During World War II, the Japanese invaded Dansalan and established a "comfort station" in the city, where local girls, teenagers, and young adults were kidnapped and turned into sex slaves under brutal "comfort women" system, where victims were routinely gang-raped and killed by Japanese soldiers.^[1]

Siege of Marawi

On May 23, 2017, a pro–Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group called the Maute group attacked the city. The Battle of Marawi—also known as the Marawi siege, the Marawi clash, and the Marawi crisis—started on May 23. CNN Philippines reported that the militants had over 500 men.^[1]

Geography

Marawi has a total land area of 8,755 hectares (21,630 acres). It is located on the northernmost shores of Lake Lanao and straddles the area where the Agus River starts. It is bounded to the north by the municipalities of Kapai and Saguiaran; to the south by Lake Lanao; to the east by the municipalities of Bubong and Ditsaan-Ramain; and to the west by the municipalities of Marantao and Saguiaran.^[1]

Topography

Mountains, rolling hills, valleys, and a large placid lake dominate the city's landscape. Angoyao Hills (Barangay Sogod) served as natural viewpoint over the water of the Lake Lanao. Signal Hill (Barangay Matampay), Arumpac Hill (Barangay Saduc), and Mt.^[1]

Barangays

Marawi is politically subdivided into 101 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios.^[1]

Climate

Marawi's weather is warm and wet throughout the year. With the elevation along Lake Lanao at around 2,300 feet (700 m), this raised altitude together frequent heavy showers at all seasons, ensures that hot conditions are seldom observed.^[1]

Language

Maranao or Meranaw is widely spoken in Marawi; however, many local inhabitants can also speak Maguindanaon, Iranun, and/or Tagalog.^[1]

Related: Marantao · Lanao del Sur's 2nd parliamentary district · Kawayan Torogan · Marawi · Marawi

External references: ^[1][2][3]

Marantao

Marantao, officially the Municipality of Marantao (Maranao: Inged a Marantao; Tagalog: Bayan ng Marantao), is a municipality in the province of Lanao del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 46,233 people. Marantao (Merantau) is a Malay word that means "to go on adventure, travel or hunting or even on a war expedition".^[4]

Barangays

Marantao is politically subdivided into 34 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios.^[4]

Kawayan Torogan

The Kawayan Torogan is the oldest known torogan in the Philippines. It is a traditional Maranao house built for royal Maranao families. There was once a campaign where the people wanted the municipalities of Marantao and Tugaya to pass an ordinance where the architectural scheme of the two towns will follow only the totogan style, in effect, preserve the Maranao people's most royal architectural style and lead to the first two towns with a planned town landscape under an indigenous Maranao architecture.^[4]

Related: Marawi · Lanao del Sur's 2nd parliamentary district · Kawayan Torogan

External references: ^[4][5][6]

Lanao del Sur's 2nd parliamentary district

Lanao del Sur's 2nd parliamentary district is the second of the nine parliamentary districts of the province of Lanao del Sur for the Bangsamoro Parliament. It is composed of the municipalities of Kapai, Marantao, Piagapo, and Saguiaran. Hamza Gauraki of the United Bangsamoro Justice Party is the member of Parliament-elect for the district following the inaugural 2026 Bangsamoro Parliament election.^[7]

Related: Marawi · Marantao · Kawayan Torogan

External references: ^[7][8][9]

Kawayan Torogan

The Kawayan Torogan (also Torogan sa Kawayan) is a traditional Maranao torogan (house) built by Sultan sa Kawayan Makaantal in Bubung Malanding, Marantao, Lanao del Sur. Being the last standing example of the house of the elite members of the Maranao tribe, and the only remaining habitable torogan, it was declared as a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines in 2008. The location of the structure is in Marawi City according to a 2008 declaration.^[10]

Features of the Torogan

A torogan, which literally translates as "a place for sleeping”, is the stately house of elite members of the Maranao tribe in the province of Lanao del Sur in the island of Mindanao, Philippines. As the house of the datu or sultan, it is a symbol of status and leadership. It is known for its traditional vernacular architecture, the pre-Islamic style tracing to Indian architectural influence; and has been called "the prime example of the architectural genius of Filipinos".^[10]

Declaration as a National Cultural Treasure

Under Presidential Decree No. 374, which amends certain sections of Republic Act no. 4846 or "The Cultural Properties Preservation and Protection Act", the National Museum is one of the lead agencies tasked to declare National Cultural Treasures.^[10]

Current state

Unfortunately, the Kawayan torogan needs immediate rehabilitation. Some parts of the house were reported to be collapsed. In an architectural documentation of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, the complete rehabilitation would need the government to allocate ₱ 2.5 million.^[10]

Related: Marawi · Marantao · Lanao del Sur's 2nd parliamentary district

External references: ^[10][11][12]

2016 Lanao del Sur local elections

Local elections were held in the province of Lanao del Sur on May 9, 2016, as part of the 2016 general election. Voters will select candidates for all local positions: a town mayor, vice mayor and town councilors, as well as members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, the vice-governor, governor and representatives for the two districts of Lanao del Sur.^[13]

Provincial elections

The candidates for governor and vice governor with the highest number of votes wins the seat; they are voted separately, therefore, they may be of different parties when elected. Incumbent Governor Mamintal Alonto Adiong Jr. and Vice Governor Arsad Maruhombsar are barred from seeking reelection since they are in their third term.^[13]

Background

The result of the election will determine if the Alonto-Adiong can still preserve their grip on the province. Incumbent Governor Adiong Jr. is barred to seek another term due to term limit, his brother First District Congressman Ansaruddin Alonto Adiong was expected by some of their allies to be his candidate. Meanwhile, Liberal Party (the governor's party) considered Governor Adiong's uncle-in-law Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines Pangalian Balindong to be the party's gubernatorial bet.^[13]

Governor

The gubernatorial race will be between Governor Adiong's mother former First Lady Bae Soraya Adiong of the Liberal Party, his long time ally and uncle-in-law Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines Pangalian Balindong, and the tough Marawi City Mayor Fahad "Pre" Salic of United Nationalist Alliance, and three others. But it is expected to be a three-way race between former First Lady Adiong, Deputy Speaker Balindong and City Mayor Salic.^[13]

Vice-governor

Incumbent Vice-governor Arsad Maruhombsar is barred to seek another term and decided to retire from politics. Governor Mamintal Alonto Adiong Jr. decided to be his mother's running mate of the Liberal Party to preserve their grip on the province. Meanwhile, Marantao Mayor Mohammadali Abinal is nominated as the United Nationalist Alliance Vice-Gubernatorial bet and also chosen by Deputy Speaker Balindong as his vice-governor candidate.^[13]

Related: Marawi · Marantao · Lanao del Sur's 2nd parliamentary district

External references: ^[13][14][15]

Lanao del Sur

Lanao del Sur (Filipino: Timog Lanao; Meranaw and Iranun: Pagabagatan Ranao; Jawi (Batang Arab): لاناو الجنوبى), officially the Province of Lanao del Sur, is a province in the Philippines located in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). The capital is the city of Marawi (the most populous in the province), and it borders Lanao del Norte to the north, Bukidnon to the east, and Maguindanao del Norte and Cotabato to the south. To the southwest lies Illana Bay, an arm of the Moro Gulf.^[16]

Etymology

"Lanao" means "lake", derived from ranao. The province, situated at basin of Lake Lanao, is known as the land of the "Maranaos" (which means "the "people of the lake").^[16]

Early history

Prior to the arrival of Islam, the region already had a sophisticated culture, as embodied in various Maranao epics, chants, and recorded history. The people of Lanao used to adhere to Hinduism, polytheist animism, and Buddhism. During this era, various cultural icons developed, such as the torogan, the singkil dance, the darangen epic, the unique Maranao gong and metal craft culture, the sarimanok, the okir motif, and an indigenous suyat script.^[16]

Spanish colonization

In April 1639, Spanish conquistador Sebastián Hurtado de Corcuera conducted an expedition near Lanao along with troops consisting of Christianized Filipinos. In 1640, the Spanish created a garrison near Lanao but was attacked by indigenous Maranaos. In 1689, the Spaniards discovered a settlement named Dansalan at Lake Lanao's northern end.^[16]

Japanese occupation

In 1942, it was occupied by the Japanese Imperial Forces who landed in Southern Lanao. On May 2, 1942, the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines José Abad Santos was killed by the Japanese Imperial forces in a firing squad at Malabang, Lanao del Sur. In 1945, the first of the liberation forces landed in Southern Lanao and liberated the area with United States, Philippine Commonwealth troops together with the Maranao guerrilla units.^[16]

Philippine independence

In 1956, Republic Act No. 1552 changed the name Dansalan to Marawi, taken from the word rawi, referring to the reclining lilies abundant in the Agus River.^[16]

Contemporary

The Battle of Marawi began and ended in 2017. The battle was against ISIL-affiliated militants, a number of which were Malaysian citizens. The battle destroyed most of the cityscape of Marawi and killed hundreds of civilians and Filipino soldiers.^[16]

Geography

Lanao del Sur is bounded on the north by Lanao del Norte, on the east by Bukidnon, on the west by Illana Bay, and on the south by Maguindanao del Norte and Cotabato. The landscape is dominated by rolling hills and valleys, placid lakes and rivers.^[16]

Demographics

The population of Lanao del Sur in the 2024 census was 1,368,137 people, with a density of 350 inhabitants per square kilometre or 910 inhabitants per square mile.^[16]

Religion

Most of the people of Lanao del Sur are practitioners of Islam. The majority of them are Sunni. The number of Muslims in this province is 1,131,726 or nearly 95% of the total population of the province of Lanao del Sur.^[16]

Related: Marawi · Marantao · Lanao del Sur's 2nd parliamentary district

External references: ^[16][17][18]