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BY AYIN DREAM D. APLASCA
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The Nightmare
TWO MONTHS ago, I was in Manila to take my oath and sign the roll of attorneys. I was very excited and enthusiastic to share a week of happiness and success with my loved ones. However, in the afternoon of May 23rd, news broke out: the Maute group attacked Marawi City.
The timing was odd because President Rodrigo Duterte was in Moscow for a state visit. Together with him was almost the entire high command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). That same day, President Duterte declared martial law in the whole of Mindanao and suspended the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus.
Why am I revisiting what happened last May 23rd?
Although my family is not in Marawi, I was pained by the news. I know that you also felt the same way. Our hearts were broken and our minds were troubled because of pictures from Marawi. We were infuriated by the Maute extremists who hard-heartedly destroy property and snuff out lives.
However, there was one fact that affected me even until now. There is that feeling of pessimism. It is about the future of the youth. When they were young, they carefully planned and prepared their promising future. And just by a snap of a finger a sudden turn happened. A sweet dream unexpectedly becomes a nightmare.
It is hard to imagine what these young ones will do to rebuild and bring back the lives they had to their homeland.
Supposedly, classes will start on the 5th of June but due to the clashes some students are yet to find out when their first day of classes will be. Other students had to wait for the final schedule of their graduation. Young professionals had to reassess their priorities because life is now different when practicing their profession. Sad truth, but some temporarily put aside their plans.
But I believe that when hope fights backs, what’s happening in Marawi won’t make the young ones let it get in the way of their lives. They will fight back in a different form. They are still full of hope in redeeming themselves and the future of their families.
Some people say we may not be there to help them rebuild their future. But I believe we can still reach them out in different efforts. We can still help them rebuild their future by lending ourselves to the people of Marawi, especially to the young ones. Let us include them in the prospect we imagine for ourselves.
Putting Marawi back together is not all about building structures. It is also about restoring and creating an environment where people, especially the young ones, will feel secure and normal again. It is about restoring the environment where learning can continue.
The least we could offer is to believe in them because some have already taken courage, kindness and hope. They will stand the test of time.
(Atty. Ayin Dream D. Aplasca practices her profession in Iloilo City. She may be reached thru ayindream.aplasca@gmail.com/PN)
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