Written by Normina Limbona (S’bang Ka Marawi) and Franz Manlutac (IDEALS, Inc.)
In the heart of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, a powerful movement for inclusive storytelling and grassroots news reporting is taking root through S’bang Ka Marawi, an information-as-aid initiative turned into a community-led media platform.
S’bang Ka Marawi (Rise, Marawi) began in 2017 as a radio program in response to the Marawi crisis, providing a vital platform for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in temporary and permanent shelters to voice their experiences, needs and aspirations during a time of upheaval. Almost a decade after the siege, S’bang Ka Marawi continues to be a valuable platform for youth and community patrollers to amplify local stories, offering perspectives often missed by mainstream media.
On December 5, 2017, community broadcasters Aslani Montila at Norhanifah Mangotara interview Jamila Taha, Monitoring and Disaster Grievance Officer from then ARMM’s DSWD to provide information and updates on kambalingan, IDP monitoring and provision of food & non-food items as aid.
Since 2023, IDEALS has continued working with S’bang Ka Marawi to capacitate over 97 community patrollers and broadcasters through a series of mentoring sessions under SPEAK Mindanao. Supported by the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund, SPEAK Mindanao was a three-year project aimed to equip Bangsamoro youth and communities with the skills and tools to co-produce alternative positive messages and counter-narratives on peace. Through these mentoring sessions, patrollers were paired with experienced S’bang Ka reporters and exposed to media & communication practitioners of various fields to strengthen their network and diversify their perspectives.
Breaking barriers through mobile journalism
Maximizing smartphones for on-the-go and on-the-ground digital storytelling, patrollers were introduced to mobile journalism (MoJo) through discussions on stand-up reportage & source interviews, and hands-on workshops on mobile photography and videography.
Jamalia Saumay, 43, a housewife and resident of the Pagalamatan Permanent Shelter in Saguiaran, Lanao del Sur, shared, ”I used to think that speaking in videos, especially in front of many people, was embarrassing. Yet, during the training, when we did actual filming, I gained the confidence to try it out.“
Screencap from Jamalia Saumay’s S’bangkalita report on the neglected roads of the
Pagalamatan Permanent Shelter in Saguiaran, Lanao del Sur
In 2024, her first MoJo report became a catalyst for change, drawing attention to the neglected roads in their community. Since 2019, the muddy and rough roads made it challenging for residents to move around their community, especially during the rainy season. Through Jamalia’s report, the local government acknowledged the problem with their locality’s roads. In 2025, construction for the road finally began.
(WATCH: Pag-aayos ng 700-meter na lubak-lubak na kalsada sa Pagalamatan Shelter, nasimulan na)
Jamalia added, “If we had not joined these kinds of training, we might still just be stories—stories that are neither heard nor noticed.”
Uphold the truth, combatting mis/disinformation
In 2023, IDEALS produced a BARMM Information Ecosystem Assessment, which found that communities in the region rely least on traditional media, such as newspapers, to stay informed. Instead, they heavily depend on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, as well as information from friends and relatives.
This reliance on informal sources makes communities vulnerable to mis/disinformation, especially during sensitive periods such as conflict and elections. To address this, IDEALS’ mentoring sessions focused on ethical reporting, fact-checking, and strategies to combat mis/disinformation – all essential skills for responsible community journalism.
Ahead of the supposed 2025 BARMM Parliamentary Elections, patrollers and broadcasters were trained in key fact-checking practices, emphasizing their role in maintaining the integrity of the local information landscape. While online fact-checking posed technical challenges for some, especially those less digitally savvy, collaboration within the cohort proved effective. Younger patrollers and digital natives assisted older colleagues in cross-referencing online information and verifying news sources.
A session led by Prof. Aislanee T. Macatanong, Chairperson of the Department of Communication and Media Studies under the Mindanao State University – Main Campus, further deepened the discussion. . She highlighted the potential for information to be weaponized and described fact-checking as a frontline practice for patrollers who carry the responsibility of delivering accurate news to promote informed public discourse.
Beyond being a community patroller and broadcaster, Nabilah Mipanga, 35, a teacher from PRRD Mipantao Gadongan, Marawi City, is already bringing these lessons in her own classroom. In her purposive communication, and ethics & leadership subjects, Nabilah shared that, “As a teacher, I remind my students to be wise and critical in choosing which information they share or repost online.”
From storytellers to election watchdogs
Bridging the patrollers’ role as storytellers and truth defenders to election watchdogs, S’bang Ka Marawi held another mentoring session on elections coverage, equipping them with the knowledge and skills for effective media coordination and reportage. Marawi City Election Officer Rasad Disomangcop represented the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), sharing guidelines on media conduct, voter privacy, and responsible information-sharing.
For community patroller Nashiba Usman, 36, President of the PRRD Mipantao Shelter in Gadongan, the session eased previous anxieties about engaging with COMELEC. “Before, we used to be afraid, and we didn’t have the ability to approach the COMELEC. However, because of this session, our perspective changed.” Nashiba, stated, expressing newfound confidence in their role as election watchdogs.
February 28, 2025. Patroller Fayzah Inshirah Cosna A. Ala interviews
COMELEC Election Officer Disomangcop for their coverage of the May 2025 local elections.
In response, Election Officer Disomangcop commended their ability to be independent reporters who commit to the truth, especially in covering election results. The S’bang Ka Marawi mentoring sessions served as an avenue to bridge the gap between dutybearers and communities, reducing barriers for communication.
The mentoring sessions also addressed the physical safety of patrollers. IDEALS’ 2024 Bangsamoro Press Freedom Situationer, described BARMM’s media landscape as “compressed”, shaped by self-censorship, normalized violence, “troll armies”, political threats & safety concerns, particularly when covering sensitive issues such as corruption, conflict, or elections. In the report, local journalists expressed that they have become accustomed to these kinds of harassment; however, they remain firm that such should not be the norm in the region. Marawi, with its proximity to the Ampatuan Massacre—the deadliest attack on journalists in Philippine history—reflects the real dangers of reporting truthfully, particularly during elections.
Considering the BARMM’s history with election-related violence among communities and towards media practitioners, the final mentoring session focused on media safety. Representatives from the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines’ Media Safety Office in Iligan, Richel Umel and Joseph Ben Deveza, guided patrollers on prioritizing their safety while ensuring accurate coverage.
Through these sessions, S’bang Ka Marawi patrollers revisited their roles as both storytellers and election watchdogs. Despite the risks, they affirmed that safety concerns should not silence communities. Upholding transparency, accountability, and truth remains essential for fair election coverage.
After several resets, the BARMM Parliamentary Elections have been scheduled to proceed on September 14, 2026. S’bang Ka Marawi continues to hone its patrollers and broadcasters’ skills in news coverage in preparation for the much-awaited parliamentary polls.
Continuous pursuit for grassroots storytelling and community-building
Community patrollers and broadcasters take part in a group photo opportunity
after the mentoring session on mis/disinformation and fact-checking.
Beyond coverage of regional and national level issues, S’bang Ka Marawi continues to shed light on community issues and stories from grassroots communities in Marawi City. Beyond media production, the community media outfit has served as a safe space for local storytellers and advocates to find community while honing their skills for community-led journalism.
They do not only carry the knowledge and skills to narrate their stories, but also the confidence to shape the narrative of their communities, ensuring that their voices—once unheard—are now rising and resonating throughout Bangsamoro and Mindanawon communities.
Almost 10 years since its inception, S’bang Ka Marawi’s impact has extended beyond the Islamic City. It has grown into the broader S’bang Ka Mindanao community media network, joined by hyperlocal outlets such as S’bang Ka Maguindanao and Matla’ Sin Sulu. With over a hundred patrollers and broadcasters representing youth, women, religious leaders, decommissioned combatants and their families, conflict-affected communities, and internally displaced persons, the network continues to advance community journalism that promotes peace, social justice, and inclusive narratives across Mindanao, Bangsamoro, and allied communities nationwide. #