FAMILIES of people still missing due to the 2017 Marawi siege gathered on Aug. 26 in Iligan City, Lanao del Norte for the launch of a coffee table book and photo exhibition meant to pay tribute to their loved ones and press their search for answers.
The 77-page book titled “The Book of Memories” commissioned by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), was launched alongside a photo exhibit at Robinsons Iligan.
The event coincided with the observance of the International Day of the Disappeared on Aug. 30.
More than 300 people, including relatives of the missing, government officials, law enforcers, and religious leaders, attended the launch.
Filipino photojournalist Larry Monserate Piojo documented the families and the personal belongings left behind by their missing victims of the infamous siege.
“Eight years since losing their loved ones, the families have remained resilient in the face of many challenges,” said Johannes Bruwer, ICRC head of delegation in the Philippines. “The book and exhibit serve as a reminder of the families’ determination to know the fate of their loved ones.”
The exhibit, which ran until Aug. 30, explored the fragility and resilience of Marawi’s communities, using skeletal house frames as a metaphor for survival amid destruction.
