This is the second of 2 parts

Watch Part 1: Inside the War Zone

LANAO DEL SUR, Philippines – Now that the Marawi siege is over, what is next for the city completely destroyed by war? What is next for the Maranaws who are eager to come home? What challenges does the government face in rehabilitation?

Experience firsthand the living conditions of the evacuees. Listen to their pain and their worries. Witness the cost of the war through the first-ever, virtual-reality war documentary on the city and its surrounding towns. See the impact of the Marawi siege on its people like never before – from every angle, in 360 degrees.

The first part of this documentary, Inside the War Zone, was first launched in Digicon 2017 by Rappler, in partnership with Group of Five Incorporated and the Internet Mobile Marketing Association of the Philippines (IMMAP). 

For optimum experience, open the video on the YouTube app, click the glasses icon on the bottom right of the screen, and use VR glasses or a Google Cardboard Viewer. To navigate the scenes in 360, use a mouse or a trackpad on desktop to click and drag to a desired direction. If you’re viewing on mobile, you can move your phone around or use your finger to explore.

On May 23, the military entered Marawi City and raided a safe house where Isnilon Hapilon, the so-called emir of ISIS in Southeast Asia, was reportedly spotted. He escaped, but his supporters went out into the streets, waving black Islamic State flags. The terrorists were led by the homegrown Maute Group.

It turned into a full-fledged war between the military and the terrorists.

On October 16, a military assault finally killed Hapilon and another top terrorist, Omar Maute. Exactly 5 months since the war started on October 23, the military announced the official end of fighting in Marawi.

But the real work begins as the government turns its attention toward rehabilitation. The national government estimates rebuilding will cost at least $1.1 billion. Meanwhile, 600,000 evacuees wait to return home. – Rappler.com