Marawi schools division turns over an old Japanese bomb shell to a Swiss foundation
By ROCAYA SUMNDAD OTICAL
Brgy. Rorogagus East, Marawi City
October 8, 2017
School authorities and barangay officials here turned over on Sunday an old bombshell which was being used as school bell by an elementary school here to a Swiss-based foundation working for the safety of school children.
Ana Zenaida Unte-Alonto, the assistant city schools division superintendent, Supervisors Amina Guro and Lawambae Lumna, the Barangay Chairman of Rororogagus East Datu Yashier Pandi Batabor and his behalf Qairriah M. Lomondot, Barangay BPAT officials, community leaders and the military participated in the turnover ceremony.
School authorities and barangay officials here turned over on Sunday an old bombshell which was being used as school bell by an elementary school here to a Swiss-based foundation working for the safety of school children.
Ana Zenaida Unte-Alonto, the assistant city schools division superintendent, Supervisors Amina Guro and Lawambae Lumna, the Barangay Chairman of Rororogagus East Datu Yashier Pandi Batabor and his behalf Qairriah M. Lomondot, Barangay BPAT officials, community leaders and the military participated in the turnover ceremony.
Anthony "Tony Fish" Thomas Fish, program manager of Fondation Suisse de Deminage, or Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (FSD), received the bombshell and replaced it with a true bell for the school to use.
The purpose of turning over the bombshell is for the safety of the children. They might see or encounter a bomb that has not yet exploded and will make it a bell similar to that of the bombshell at Rorogagus which will be very dangerous.
Barangay folks have a brief tale to say about the bombshell:
"Sometimes in 1940’s during the Japanese war, the bomb hit Rorogagus. Its splinter even hit the late Hadji Aisah Daering Andamun Cacasi who is the mother-in-law of the present Rorogagus Elementary School principal, Jeanorai Batabor Andamun.
"In 1960, when this place was developed and secured, this bomb was found by the leader of this place in the person of Macaindig Ragi, the Ancestor of the Batabor Family.
"Years later, Rorogagus Primary School was established and land donor of the school SANTIA Family and Jeanorai B. Andamun donated the discovered bomb which had been used as the School Bell then until now."
They said, "The bells echo will always linger in our ears even when it no longer belongs to us. FOR ITS SYMBOLIZES SOME OF THE DARK MEMORIES OF THE PAST AND HOW THE ROROGAGUS ROSE OVER THAT DARK ERA."
RSO/rsp
"Years later, Rorogagus Primary School was established and land donor of the school SANTIA Family and Jeanorai B. Andamun donated the discovered bomb which had been used as the School Bell then until now."
They said, "The bells echo will always linger in our ears even when it no longer belongs to us. FOR ITS SYMBOLIZES SOME OF THE DARK MEMORIES OF THE PAST AND HOW THE ROROGAGUS ROSE OVER THAT DARK ERA."
RSO/rsp
