METROPOST


AUGUST 27 - SEPTEMBER 2, 2017 9


Delivered Aug. 24 during the Devotion in celebration of Silliman University’s 116th


Day at the SUMCFI Rev. Dr. Edmundo Pantejo Garden Chapel.


story of courage, heroism, and endurance, of pain and sadness, but also of hope in God’s abundant faithfulness and unceasing kindness. Scripture says it is fresh


MESSAGE Let me share with you a


Founders By Atty. Grace A. Sumalpong


Dansalan Junior Col lege opened in 1950, offering high school and college courses for teachers and would-be lawyers. Its course offerings expanded. It is now considered as


the premiere institution of Lanao del Sur, known for its high academic standards. It has produced some of the best leaders of Lanao. Through the years,


every morning. Indeed, it is, every morning, every moment. If there’s any story that


St. Louis School High School Batch ‘82.


affirms God’s faithfulness in our contemporary times, this is it for me. Something that has been constantly in my mind since I met some actors who live through harrowing days, weeks, and months, even to this day. And I’m sharing this in the hope that you, too, will keep them in your thoughts and prayers. This story is made in the context of war that is still raging, three months to this day, after Martial Law was declared on May 23. I’ve been hoping and praying it would stop but sadly, it’s still there. The government can’t seem to find its end soon. We’ve heard for several weeks now that the terrorists have weakened and yet.... I’m lifting extensively from


Hannah Tia, Gov.Roel Ragay Degamo,Dr. Angie Young Ricardo,Paro & Carmel Joy Bautista. (Photos by Penn Larena)


NOT....FROM P. 7


the College of Arts & Sciences, the College of Education, and the School of Public Affairs & Governance. So is KH really haunted? Thanks to accounts of blood dripping from the walls where the operating room used to be, or blue-eyed and blonde nurses walking along the corridors, and other spooky ghost stories, Psychology students annually convert it into a Horror Chamber, one of the most-awaited go-to events on Founders Week. 10. Various interesting Silliman-firsts:


campus newspaper Silliman Truth (now known as the Weekly Sillimanian) was in 1903. The first Filipina student was Pura Blanco, admitted in 1912.


The maiden issue of the CITY....FROM P. 3


project at a lesser price, ending with having extra money for two more compactor trucks for Dumaguete, he further disclosed.


compactor trucks will be purchased this year once a bidding has been conducted, Mayor Remollo said. Remollo is optimistic that with the arrival of the two new compactor trucks, part


opened in 1950. Known by the call letters DYSR, this 1000- watt station first broadcast out of Guy Hall for three hours every night. Its first Filipino president,


Dr. Leopoldo Ruiz, was voted into office only in 1952.


Its campus radio station The two additional garbage


of the city’s garbage collection problem will be solved through a safe and efficient collection process of solid waste. Right now, the city


government has to rent cargo trucks to beef up the garbage collection efforts of the City’s Environment & Natural Resources Office that continuously faces a dilemma with dilapidated compactor and dump trucks, some of which are no longer working. The Mayor said they would still continue with the rental of the cargo trucks despite the acquisition of the new refuse compactor trucks. The loading capacity of a


the story written by Edna Orteza, former member of the Silliman BOT, about Marawi City, officially known as the Islamic City of Marawi, which used to be called Dansalan or “a place where ships anchor” or pantalan. Marawi is situated along the shore of Lake Lanao. Long before the Spaniards came, Dansalan was the citadel of Malayan-Arabic culture. One of the first victims of


including church workers were held hostage, forcing President Duterte to declare Martial Law in the entire island of Mindanao.


Within days, the once resplendent Islamic City of Marawi was turned to rubble. And Dansalan College was not spared.


Dansalan College has been interlinked with Silliman, starting with Rev. David and Margaret Hamm who first came to Silliman before moving to Dansalan. Then there was Dr. Peter


Gowling who taught in the School of Divinity then transferred to Dansalan. There, he set up the Dansalan Research Center which aimed to promote understanding of Islam and Muslim Filipinos in the hope of eliminating fear, discrimination, prejudice, hatred and enmity between Muslims and Christians. The center became internationally known as the repository of valuable documents and resources on Muslim-Christian relations. Later, there was Dr. Eulalio Maturan who became its president from 1981 to 1989. Its president now is Dr. Fedelinda Tawagon, also a Sillimanian. Some of its products


pursued college and further studies here in Silliman. Dansalan is the only


compactor truck is equivalent to 20 dump trucks, and that would mean more volume of trash collected each day in the city, Mayor Remollo said. (With a report from Judy Flores Partlow/PNA)


the war is Dansalan College, a UCCP-run school that, like Silliman University, was set up by American missionaries in 1950. It’s their 67th anniversary this year. Its forerunner, the Madrasah High School, was set up in 1941, attended by children of prominent religious and political leaders of Marawi. It was closed when World War II broke out.


Christian school in Marawi. It had a student population of around 2,000, 99 percent of whom are Muslim. Its existence inspired and reflected the importance and impact of inter-faith relations, not much different from Silliman where more than 90 percent of its student population and employees are Catholics. The Dansalan campus sits


Soon after the war ended, some concerned Christians and Maranaos approached the Christian leaders for the possibility of re-opening Madrasah. It was then that


on a beautiful part of Marawi overlooking Lanao Lake and the city. Then May 23, 2017 happened. Government launched a military operation to arrest Isnilon Hapilon who was reportedly seen in Marawi. A fierce and violent firefight ensued, a government camp was occupied, buildings were burned, the chief of police was killed, several people


That fateful day, the teachers were busy with enrollment. They just ignored the gunfire and helicopters flying overhead. Men in black were seen outside its gates. At around 6pm, the hooded men demanded that the gates be opened. The guard refused, and at the count of three, the locks were fired at, and the men entered the campus demanding that everyone come out. Nadia Macarambon, a


science teacher, recognized Omar Maute, a former student, who even nodded his head to her in acknowledgment. Omar and his brother


Abdullah studied in Dansalan in the 90s. Other members of the Maute clan also studied in Dansalan.


hoisted in one of the buildings. Again, they demanded that people come out of the buildings as they were going to burn them down. They threw bottles filled with gasoline into the buildings. Laubach Hall came first. This is the administration building with offices, library, science laboratory, chapel, and housing units for some faculty and staff.


inc lud ing o n-campus residences were burned. After the carnage, seven


of the 92 personnel were taken hostage. Twenty five who were at the farthest end of the campus were able to escape early morning the following day. They were aided by Maranao residents who provided hijab scarves for the women, and sent them away to Iligan after breakfast. Forty-two were in another


The ISIS flag was seen


Several other buildings


part of the campus. They were able to get out assisted by a Maranao neighbor who provided a ladder and hijabs for the women. There were 30 teachers, seven children, a baby, and four others.


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