WATCH: Marawi crisis and the long road to normalcy

MARAWI CITY – At week 3 of the war in Marawi, residents find themselves in different stages of their own battles trying to bring their lives back to normal.

Carmela Fonbuena reports.

CARMELA FONBUENA, REPORTING: Block by block. Building by building. Floor by floor.

We’re in front of the Amai Pakpak Medical Center here in Marawi. The military is conducting clearing operations and they brought the media and representatives of the provincial government so we could see the operations. The Amai Pakpak Medical Center is one of the facilities attacked by combined forces of the local terrorist group on May 23.

A police officer was killed here.

MARLON TAYABA: The clearing operation is going well. We want transparency that’s why all sectors are represented, even civilian voluteers went with us. Media kasama din. Okay naman result of this operation.

CARMELA FONBUENA, REPORTING: Amai Pakpak is one of the first areas declared cleared of Maute presence, referring to the homegrown terrorist group that the military said wanted to seize the city.

Here, they found suspicious communication radios. In other places, they found high powered firearms.

MARLON TAYABA: We have identified kung kanino ito pero we canot divulge right now. Different kinds of ammunitions and other explosvies, and firearms. So far isang lugar nahanap.

CARMELA FONBUENA, REPORTING: The battle still rages in some parts of Marawi City, but this sweep means this area is closer to normalcy than others.

But until residents are allowed to go back to their homes, they are forced to rebuild their lives outside the city.

Children raising their hands. ‘Sino dito ang taga-Marawi? Raise hands.’

They are children of Marawi City. Their schools did not open this week. Not one of the 61 schools all over the city did.

A few hundred of them now go here at Pantar Central Elementary School, located in a town just outside Marawi City.

Juraidah is among them. She has one year left in elementary school and she’s determined to finish.

JURAIDAH MUTHEPEH: Ang importante makapag-aral lang. Makapagtapos ng grade 6. Wag nila yun isipin yung mga mangyayari. Kinakalimutan ko. Binabalewala ko lang yun.

CARMELA FONBUENA, REPORTING: Juraidah is coping well. But Geraha Macaraya, a teacher here, says others are having difficulty adjusting.

GERAHA MACARAYA: Yung iba diyan diyan, may grade 6 na ayaw niya dapat grade 6. Away niya mag enrol grade 6 kasi takot daw siya kay baka ito na naman bombahain. Karating na lugar. Mag-grade 5 na lang isya. Takot siya grade 6 pumasok. Sabi niya ayaw ko kasi takot ako. Baka ito naman bombahain. Kahapo n yung isang bata. Ayaw niya tumingin camera. Ayaw ko. Baka bomba yan. Shock sila truama.

CARMELA FONBUENA, REPORTING: In the capitol, rescued civilians continue to arrive. Marvin Agbas is just figuring out how he and his family will start again.

MARVIN AGBAS: Maasaya kami pauwi na kami. Pasalamat sa diyos kasi makaalis kami. Kasi ito mga anak. Kasi ano. Natatakot ako Baka magkasakit

CARMELA FONBUENA, REPORTING: He’s a construction worker here, but is originally from Davao Occidental. Rescuers from the province are sent here to bring them back home.

The war is now on its 3rd week. Residents find themselves in different stages of their own battles trying to bring their lives back to normal. Some are doing better than others. Carmela Fonbuena, Rappler, Marawi City. – Rappler.com