Fifty-two-year-old Johary Naga Pacasum has lived for eight years in a temporary shelter, losing hope of returning to his ancestral home in Marawi City’s “Most Affected Area,” which suffered extensive damage during the 2017 siege. Pacasum submitted documents to the Marawi Compensation Board (MCB) two years ago, but his claim, like thousands of others, remains unresolved. “I’ve given up hope to return. Even BARMM (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) can’t help us. They’re busy with their own problems,” he lamented. As of September 2025, only 1,455 of 14,495 claims filed since the MCB’s establishment in 2022 have been paid, with P2.447 billion disbursed so far. MCB spokesperson Johary Lumna explained that payments prioritized death claimants, renters, and sharers, while businesses and schools are last in line. Amendments to the Marawi Siege Victims Compensation Act in June 2025 shifted compensation for private properties to the National Housing Authority (NHA), affecting 3,388 claimants in four barangays. However, many residents distrust the NHA. Pacasum, struggling to feed his family of seven with his small sari-sari store and bakery, urged the MCB to distribute compensation in lump sums to ease their daily hardships.
