Assalamualaikum! Greetings of peace, friendship, and solidarity to all!
The Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) joins the Maranao people as you celebrate this year’s Marawi Week of Peace.
This theme of this year’s celebration “Peace Starts with Us: Give, Work and Share” best reflects the importance of this occasion: the need for all of us to give back, work together, and share our blessings.
What happened in Marawi four years ago was perhaps one of the most difficult chapters in the history of the city. But the Maranao people are known for your strength of character, determination and resilience. You have managed to overcome the odds.
Although there are still challenges, we are hopeful that we can surmount these through our collective effort to fully rehabilitate the Islamic city of Marawi.
We are pleased to note the positive developments being done by all peace stakeholders who are working together to help in Marawi’s recovery and rehabilitation.
The City Government of Marawi, Provincial Government of Lanao del Sur, and national line agencies have done an outstanding job of providing essential services to the people despite the challenges brought about by COVID-19 pandemic.
Civil society organizations and foreign donor agencies have played a key role in helping to build the capacity of residents to earn sustainable incomes, while donating much-needed funds for the implementation of various socio-economic measures.
The security sector, for its part, has ensured the safety and security of the people, making sure that situations of conflict are immediately addressed, while implementing their own peacebuilding efforts in the area.
Meanwhile, Task Force Bangon Marawi has been integrator and consolidator of all of these initiatives. Like the conductor of an orchestra, the TFBM has made sure that there is synergy and complementation among the different agencies and institutions.
We believe that all of these interventions are making an impact on the lives of the Maranao people because of our collective vision, and that is, to give, to work, and to share not only our time, skills and resources, but more importantly, a part of ourselves.
We would like to assure the Maranaos and all our peace partners that the Office of the Presidential Adviser will stand behind you, as we build back a better, more peaceful and progressive Marawi City.
Maraming salamat at mabuhay po tayong lahat! Shukran!
