GOD WORKS IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS!
It is no longer maybe; now is the time to build our dreams.
If we can’t change our ways, Allah will change them in a way that is beyond our comprehension. Before the siege, not many Filipinos knew where Marawi City was. It is now on the world map, and most, if not all, Filipinos of the right age know where
it is.
After getting out of bed at 9 in the morning (My work begins at 12 pm), I watch “Early Edition” recorded in my TFC.TV while eating a light breakfast. It flashed a portion of “Headstart,” where the guest is Duterte’s
anointed czar for rebuilding Marawi. I changed the channel immediately.
Quotes:
“Ramon Ang of San Miguel will build/donate 2,500 houses.”
“We will build a dry and wet market at the destroyed
commercial center.”
“Those whose houses were destroyed but were squatting on
government lands will receive 210,000 pesos.”
“The government will spend 5 billion in 2017 and 10 billion
in 2018 while more expenditures will be determined later.”
“We will build more roads. The 2-lane roads will be rebuilt
as 4 lanes. We will build parks on both sides of the river where squatters used
to live.”
“We have plans to preserve at least 3 places of the
destroyed city as a constant reminder that it should never happen again in
Marawi or anywhere else in the country.”
“MARAWI CITY will be a Mindanao tourist destination.”
…my wish, my dream for Marawi, is taking shape!
Marawi City and Iligan City are so close to each other (37 km without traffic) that people of Marawi drive down to Ilagan City to buy fish, buy meds at Mercury Drug, watch movies, sip coffee at Dunkin Doughnut,
and treat the children at Jollibee. Iligan is Marawi’s shopping center.
If security can be eradicated as a threat and the
plans for Marawi become a reality, the trend can be reversed.
People of Iligan will drive 20-30 minutes to the highlander
city if only to enjoy the cool weather, sip coffee overlooking Lake Lanao, and walk
in the park along the river that runs down to Iligan’s famous Maria Christina
Falls. Take a boat ride around the lake for hours of utmost natural wonder. On
weekends, people of Iligan can drive to Marawi and play tennis or Golf at the Mindanao
State University or jog/walk on the Campus with an overlook view of the City
and the Lake.
…or the people of Iligan can simply take the short ride to
Marawi, if only to listen to the sounds of the rain or get lost in the fog.
You better believe it!
This is another dream that has always been in the back of my
mind long before the Marawi siege. Imagine creating a canal several meters wide
from the lake to the foothill of the Mindanao State University, traversing 2-3
km of farmlands. You would build the entire area into a beautiful canal city… MSU would get direct access to the lake.
MashaAllah! Allah's ways are indeed mysterious! We can only marvel at its perfection and glory! SubhanAllah!
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