php Mustache Template switch logic

Question

So. I did see this question: How to use switch case in Mustache template?

Goal flow: php sets variables then calls up mustache template.

Currently its php jumbled with html and calls up mustache templates.

My question is about this sort of logic:

    foreach ($things as $thing) 
    {
        switch ($thing['trait']) {
            case CONSTANT1:
                // launch partial mustache template
            case CONSTANT2:
                // launch partial mustache template
            case CONSTANT3:
                // launch partial mustache template
        }
    }

I want to convert entirely to the mustache template where the php only feeds the mustache template variables. I got this far...

    {{#things}}
        {{#trait}}
            // what do I do here?
        {{/trait}}
    {{/things}}

I am sorta confused about how access things while mustache does the looping.

If I do something like this and make constant1,2,3 variables...

    {{#constant1}}
        do stuff
    {{/constant1}}

I am confused as to how those variables will be reset during looping if they are only set once in the php that calls this mustache template.