Isuihaya Banbo We left our place three days after the bombing started. We walked from Marawi to Gyaran Evacuation Center; I was with my one-month old baby, five year old son, husband and mother. We walked for three hours. We were very afraid because we hear the bombings everywhere while walking. It was very difficult and I can’t describe nor explain how difficult it was. It is difficult here in the evacuation center because we cannot sleep and the children are getting sick because of the cold at night they can’t eat well. “Masakit na nakikita mo ‘yung mga anak mo na… kung alam ko lang na … Na gan’to ang mangyayari sa kanila, sana hindi na lang sila ipinanganak.” (It is painful seeing my children in this situation. If I only knew this would happened, I could not have carry and gave birth them.) For us adults, the food is okay. DSWD is distributing rice and canned goods every after three or four days. Water is difficult here. We wash clothes in a quite far water source. My husband and I help each other to undertake the daily domestic chores like he is making our meals while I’m taking care of our children. We buy woods to cook food. We get the money from making and selling popcorns; I make popcorns and sell them. Most of us also express when we are asked that we need money. We need it when we ran out of food. We are also afraid of our safety. It is being rumoured that some members of the ISIS were also here. We hope that this war will be over soon so that we can go back to Marawi. It is very difficult here. We would be okay even we have nothing left as long we are back to our home. Rohaima Dimaucan When the war started in the market, we did not leave because it is far from our place. But when we were told that it is getting near and we can already hear bombs, we went to the house of my cousin. We were so many there and there is no space to spend a sleep, hence we decided to go here in the evacuation center. We really have difficulty going here (Gyaran). My cousin gave us a ride. But since we were so many who took that ride, we were crammed that we can barely move and breath. When reached here, we can’t sleep at night for two consecutives. We are not used to this situation…it is really difficult especially if you have children and they are getting sick and you don’t have a comfortable place to live. Our main problem here is when it rains, it is getting inside the gym. The children get wet as well as our things. It is also difficult to cook. You can only cook when there is power. My husband’s children (with his other wives) are not here. He has hard time because they don’t get to see them because they are still in Marawi. But they are “safe”; we still have contact with them. Water is difficult. The government supplies water but it lasts for only two days. We fetched water and wash clothes from afar. There is no sexual harassment or rape that has been reported. The main issue are among couples; they always fight because of poverty and there is no privacy to get intimate. Changing wears are also a challenge. I have to cover a blanket before I could change my clothes. We wish that this war would be over soon and we can go back to Marawi. We hope that by that time we would be given money to build a new house. Monisa Disuma 58