Marawi at 8: Families await justice, return, and closure

Families of the missing gather during the 2024 commemoration of the International Day of the Disappeared in Iligan City. Photo: L. Monserate Piojo/ICRC

DAVAO CITY (June 8) — Eight years after the devastating siege of Marawi City in 2017, thousands of families remain displaced, and more than 300 people are still missing, highlighting what humanitarian groups call a fragile path to peace.

Despite government pledges of billions in rehabilitation funds, Marawi’s “most affected area” (MAA) remains largely in ruins. Over 8,200 people continue to live in transitional shelters, many of which now charge rent and offer only irregular access to clean water.

“It is disheartening to see so many families still living in inadequate conditions that were meant to be temporary,” said Johannes Bruwer, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delegation in Manila. “They are now paying rent and yet have irregular access to clean water, adding immense strain to their daily lives.”

While the government has constructed new infrastructure and established the Marawi Compensation Board, many families claim that the financial assistance is insufficient, and the complex documentation requirements hinder their ability to claim compensation or rebuild their homes.

The ICRC has urged national and local leaders, especially newly elected officials, to accelerate the city’s rehabilitation and ensure displaced families regain access to basic services.

“Eight years is a long time. People have been displaced for far too long,” Bruwer said. “Returning to their neighborhoods is not only part of healing but also key to lasting peace.”

Water Shortages in ‘Temporary’ Shelters

In many transitional sites, such as Sagonsongan, clean water remains a daily struggle. While the ICRC has improved supplies in some areas, gaps persist, and residents still rely on communal taps and tanks.

The ICRC is calling on government agencies to complete the remaining pipelines in Marawi’s water supply network to ease this burden.

Families of the Missing Still in Limbo

Perhaps most painful is the lack of closure for over 300 families whose loved ones disappeared during the five-month battle. These families live in a state of uncertainty, unsure whether to grieve or hope.

“We urge the Philippine authorities to provide answers as soon as possible to the families who have been patiently waiting,” said Bruwer.

The difficulty in securing legal documents certifying the absence or presumed death of the missing further complicates access to pensions, inheritance claims, and social services. Since 2017, the ICRC has supported over 400 families of the missing through psychosocial support and livelihood assistance, while also aiding the Philippine National Police-Forensic Group in identifying remains from cemeteries like Maqbara and Dalipuga.

Each identification offers a sliver of closure, but hundreds of cases remain unresolved.

“Beyond just remembering the missing people of Marawi, let us realize their families’ shared hope for more support and closure — so that they can move forward with peace in their hearts,” Bruwer said.

For thousands of displaced residents and families still in mourning, the Marawi siege may have ended in 2017, but the road to justice and recovery is far from over.