Republic of the Philippines

Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao

Marawi City

MARAWI CITY PROFILE

Marawi City popularly known as Islamic City of Marawi is a city in the province of Lanao del Sur, Philippines. It is the capital city of Lanao del Sur. People from Marawi are called Maranao People, the name came from its popular lake, Lake Lanao which is also called as Ranao in Maranao. It is also called the Summer Capital of the South

Location

Marawi City is bounded on the west by Marantao and Saguiaran, on the east by Bubong and Ditsaan Ramain, on the north by Kapai, and on the south by Lake Lanao. It has a total land area of 87.55 km².

History

Marawi was a municipality named Dansalan, capital of the defunct undivided Lanao province in the Philippines from 1907 to 1940, first under the government of the Moro Province, the Department of Mindanao and Sulu, the Bureau of Non-Christian Tribes, the Commonwealth, and finally the Republic.

According to one of the late well-known Maranao scholar Dr. Mamitua Saber, Marawi City got its charter in 1940. But, Samira Gutoc, a Maranao journalist, said that "the lone Islamic City in the country, Marawi, marked its 28 years last Tuesday as a chartered city celebrating the modern and the past."

The granting of a charter to the old Dansalan Municipality was jointly conceived by Commonwealth President, Manuel L. Quezon and Assemblyman, later Senator Tomas L. Cabili. The changing of the official name from Dansalan to Marawi was through Congressional amendment of the Charter in 1956 sponsored by Senator Domocao Alonto." This is embodied in Republic Act No. 1552 dated June 16, 1956.

Under the impact of Islamic awareness and consciousness, the renaming of Marawi City into Islamic City of Marawi was proposed in Parliamentary Bill No. 261 by former Assemblyman Dianalan, brother of former late Mayor Omar Dianalan.

Professor Talib Benito in his thesis work entitled, the Renaming of Marawi City into Islamic City of Marawi: An Attitudinal Study Among City Residents in 1983, revealed that the bill was read before the Batasan floor during its second session on July 24, 1979 and was transmitted to and received by the Committee on Local Government and Community Development on August 2, 1979.

Republic Act No. 6734- "An Act Providing for an Organic Act for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao" as amended by Republic Act No. 9054 "An Act to strengthen and expand the Organic Act for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao" and the Muslim Mindanao Autonomy Acts. During the 1990 plebescite, the people of Marawi City voted against the inclusion of the City in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Therefore, Executive Order No. 429 dated October 12, 1990 provides the transfer of the City to Region IX.

Another plebiscite was scheduled toward the end of 2002. Despite government campaigning for a yes vote in many provinces in Southern Mindanao, only one more province (Basilan) and one city (Marawi) voted to be included in the expanded ARMM. Marawi is thickly populated by a Muslim Maranaos. The 68 years city is expected to be one of the progressive cities in the Philippines.

In 1976, the city was made the seat of the newly erected Territorial Prelature of Marawi.

Geography

Marawi City is bounded on the north by the municipalities of Kapai and Saguiaran, on the south by Lake Lanao, on the east by the municipalities of Bubong and Ditsaan Ramain, and on the west by the municipalities of Marantao and Sauiaran. Rolling hills and valleys and a placid lake dominate the city's landscape. Due to its high elevation, its weather is cool (in tropical terms) and pleasant, distinguished by an even distribution of rainfall throughout the year.

Population

According to the 2000 census, Marawi City has a population of 131,090 people in 20,375 households.

Language

Maranao is the official language of Marawi City, It has 90% of Muslim Population. However, Majority of them are literate in Tagalog, Cebuano and English.

Economy – Livelihood

The economy of Marawi City is largely based on agriculture and exporting. Most industries in the city are Agriculture-oriented. They include rice and corn, hollow block manufacturing, goldsmithing, and saw milling. Small and cottage-size enterprises are engaged in garment-making, mat and malong weaving, woodcraft, brassware making, web development, and blacksmithing.

Society

Marawi City is predominantly Muslim and as such the sale of alcoholic products is forbidden.

Tourism - Destinations