Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao / Lanao del Sur

Marawi

Marawi City remains in a long recovery from the 2017 siege, with a mix of open areas and active rebuilding zones nine years later. Task Force Bangon Marawi was formally dissolved in December 2023, with operations wound down by March 2024. Rehabilitation work has continued under individual national agencies rather than the centralized task force. Stage 2 road reconstruction, covering 26.59 kilometers of roads, bridges, drainage, and slope protection, was 19.61 percent complete as of January 2026. Total cost rose from ₱7.52 billion to ₱9.51 billion, with completion expected by March 2028 instead of the earlier June 2027 target. The Lake Lanao port was completed and inspected by President Marcos on June 23, 2025. The ₱261.5 million facility includes a 132-seat passenger terminal, a fish port, berthing for fast craft, and a RoRo ramp. The port opens inter-barangay trade and passenger connections on the lake. The Marawi Compensation Board has processed 1,465 payments totaling ₱2.447 billion as of late 2025. This covers about 10 percent of the 14,495 registered claimants. More than 12,300 claims remain unresolved, with documentation bottlenecks slowing approvals. The 2026 national budget allocated ₱1 billion to accelerate the process. Approximately 8,200 people remain in temporary shelters, paying monthly rents of ₱500 to ₱1,500 on privately owned land after original agreements expired. The National Housing Authority completed at least 1,310 permanent shelter units in Barangays Kilala and Gadongan Mapantao, though distance from workplaces and markets limits uptake. Mindanao State University's Marawi campus continues full operations with over 69,000 students and approximately 3,100 faculty members. The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources is constructing a ₱534.7 million Integrated Cold Hub Complex at Marawi Port, targeting 2029 completion.

Visitor safety:: Public areas can be visited with current local guidance, but the post siege rebuilding zones require extra care and respect
Known for:: Lake Lanao, Maranao culture, Islamic education, MSU-Marawi, and the long recovery after the 2017 siege
Main route:: Road access from Iligan: 30 km, about 38 minutes by car or van on the national highway
MSU-Marawi:: Mindanao State University Marawi campus is fully operational with over 69,000 students and about 3,100 faculty. The campus above Lake Lanao is the city's main public anchor.

Lake Lanao
Marawi city center
MSU-Marawi

Local context

Marawi's current mayor reference on this page is Sharif Zain Gandamra. 2025 public office directory records list Sharif Zain Gandamra as Marawi mayor from June 30, 2025. Source label: PSA PSGC BARMM cities, 2024 POPCEN.

Marawi is linked to local place pages including Lake Lanao, Marawi recovery. Those pages help separate the city guide from a generic location summary by giving readers concrete markets, parks, transport corridors, civic districts, and visitor routes to compare.

The city profile emphasizes Lake Lanao, Marawi city center, MSU-Marawi. These points give the page a practical local frame instead of treating the city as only a name on a regional map.

Landmarks and orientation points

Lake Lanao
Marawi city center
MSU-Marawi

Is it safe to visit Marawi in 2026?

A careful visit is possible in public areas, especially with local contacts or guidance. Visitors should check current advisories, avoid restricted rebuilding zones, dress modestly, and treat the city as a recovering community rather than a sightseeing site.

What can visitors see in Marawi now?

Visitors usually focus on MSU-Marawi, Lake Lanao views, public parks, restored civic landmarks, mosques visible from public areas, and places cleared for ordinary access. The exact status of the Most Affected Area should be checked locally.

How do you get to Marawi from Iligan?

The usual route is by road from Iligan through the Iligan to Marawi corridor. Vans and other public transport operate depending on terminal schedules and security conditions, while private vehicles should check current road guidance.

What should non Muslim visitors wear in Marawi?

Dress modestly. Cover shoulders and knees, avoid revealing clothing, and bring a scarf if entering or approaching religious spaces where local guidance asks for it. Ask before taking photos of people, homes, or worship areas.

Are Marawi rebuilding landmarks open to the public?

Some restored public spaces and landmarks may be accessible, while residential blocks, construction zones, and sensitive sites can remain restricted. Check with the city tourism office or local authorities before entering the Most Affected Area.

What is the rebuilding status in 2026?

Task Force Bangon Marawi was dissolved in December 2023 after completing 164 projects worth 17 billion pesos. The Most Affected Area at the former city center has sections under rebuilding and restricted access alongside areas cleared for ordinary movement. MSU-Marawi, the Lake Lanao port, public markets, mosques, and city hall are all functioning. A respectful visit starts with local guidance on which roads and landmarks are accessible, avoiding reconstruction zones as sightseeing sites and asking before photographing people or homes.

What can you visit at MSU-Marawi?

MSU offers Islamic studies, sciences, engineering, business, and graduate programs. A Campus Summit event in June 2026 drew thousands of students and alumni. The university is the most practical anchor for visitors wanting to understand Marawi beyond the siege narrative, showing the city's Islamic educational tradition, Maranao scholarship, family networks, and active student life.

What should I know about Lake Lanao?

Lake Lanao is central to Maranao identity, geography, and livelihood. The name Maranao is commonly understood as people of the lake, and the lake shapes settlement, food, stories, royal houses, trade, and the view from many parts of the city. It also links Marawi to the Agus River hydropower system that matters to Mindanao’s electricity supply. Treat the lake as a cultural landscape, not only scenery. Maranao okir design, malong use, brassware, food, and mosque architecture all belong to the same world of lake-based identity. Access to lakefront areas should be guided by local advice, because public viewpoints, private land, and community spaces are not the same.

What is happening with compensation for Marawi siege victims?

The Marawi Compensation Board opened for claims in 2022. Of the 3.044 billion pesos in claims it had resolved by October 2025, only the 2.447 billion pesos in paid amounts had actually reached claimants. Documentation requirements have been a significant bottleneck, as many residents lost property records during the siege. Most eligible claimants who remain unpaid have been waiting more than three years as of late 2025.

How many people are still displaced from the 2017 siege?

Nine years after the siege, relocation to the National Housing Authority's permanent units has been slow due to their distance from schools, markets, and employment centers. A significant number of displaced families settled in Iligan City instead, about 45 minutes to one hour from Marawi, where they pay regular rent while maintaining ties to work and family in Marawi.

What is the Lake Lanao port and what does it change for Marawi?

The port sits in the Ground Zero sector. Before this facility, lake transport was limited to small motorized boats. The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources is building a 534.7 million peso Integrated Cold Hub on-site, scheduled to open by 2029 with ice plants and research laboratories to boost Lanao's fishing industry.

Local places in Marawi

Lake Lanao - Lake Lanao is the second largest lake in the Philippines and the largest in Mindanao. It covers about 347 square kilometers on the Lanao plateau, roughly 700 meters above sea level. Its depths reach over 100 meters. The lake is the cultural center of Maranao life. The name Maranao means people of the lake. The traditional Maranao royal houses, called pat a pangampong ko ranao, are organized around the lake. The lake flows out into the Agus River, which links Marawi to the hydropower corridor in Iligan and Maria Cristina Falls. Native freshwater fish face pressure from other species, pollution, and farm runoff. If you visit from Marawi, check local guidance because the 2017 siege and recovery efforts still affect access to parts of the northern shore.
Marawi recovery - Marawi recovery is an active story of rebuilding and compensation after 2017. Housing in the Most Affected Area, aid for displaced people, road works, and claims processing are still changing in 2026.

Related Mindanao pages

Non-Moro Indigenous Peoples pick two Bangsamoro seats - How Non-Moro Indigenous Peoples choose two reserved seats in the Bangsamoro Parliament before the region's first election on September 14.
How Lanao del Sur lawmakers voted on Sara Duterte's first impeachment - Province by province guide to the May 2026 first impeachment vote, including how the Lanao del Sur delegation that covers Marawi City voted as the Solid South split.
Sara Duterte second impeachment explained - House allegations, the Senate leadership change, and the July 2026 trial schedule behind the second impeachment crisis that reached Lanao del Sur representatives.
What Mindanao separation would actually require - A policy analysis of the constitutional, BARMM governance, and fiscal hurdles behind Mindanao separation talk, central to Marawi City as a Bangsamoro population center.

Sources and verification

PSA PSGC BARMM cities, 2024 POPCEN

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