Marawi
Marawi is a war-torn city in Mindanao, the southern most island of the Philippines. A destructive war broke out on May 23, 2017 between the jihadist ISIL forces and the Philippine Government. The five-month war and bombings destroyed cultural sites and ravaged homes, killing around 1,200 people. 65,000 people remain displaced in the area and rebuilding is slow.
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On November 9, 2019, Play It Forward PH travelled to Marawi, Lanao del Sur to distribute toys, snacks and art materials to 400 children in two communities. The group also taught the children how to play badminton and donated 24 sets of badminton rackets and shuttlecocks to the community. ​The distributions took place at the Buganga and Pag-asa resettlement areas.
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Commander Bravo, a member of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority, and Division Commander of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (M.I.L.F.) graced the distribution and delivered an inspirational speech to the children and parents in the area. He is working with the government to achieve peace in Muslim Mindanao. The group also learned through Ginggay Hontiveros-Malvar, how Go Negosyo, an organization supported by the private sector is working hand in hand with the local communities in developing agricultural farms to uplift the lives of the Maraoans in the hope of ultimately bringing peace through economic growth.
It was truly a wonderful experience to see faces of more than 400 children light up with joy as they unwrapped gifts. The members of the group taught and played badminton with the kids after and donated badminton sets to the community so that the children can engage in fun sports and games.
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After travelling to the resettlement sites, the group headed out to Ground Zero, where the Battle of Marawi took place for five months. The group walked around the site and got a closer look of the magnitude of destruction that took place. It was an emotional experience that allowed everyone to reflect in their own ways.
The Marawi Project was made possible by Play It Forward partners, Ms. Ginggay Hontiveros-Malvar and the Go-Negosyo team, Ms. Princess, Ms. Gelue, Ms. Ronna, Ms. Ronna, Ms. Jamar. The group would also like to thank the military for helping keep the group safe and protected during the trip. Special thanks to AFP 82nd IB, AFP CMO, MBA Farms Association, MILF NWMF, PLGO Lanao Del Sur Office of Governor Adiong, Richprime Global Inc., Lego Education, Felta and OISHI. LBC provided the air cargo to deliver the toys and goods from Manila to Marawi City