The government assured that the rehabilitation of Marawi City is “on track,” four years after the Marawi siege.
In a Laging Handa public briefing on Tuesday (May 25), Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary Eduardo del Rosario said that the infrastructures are 65% complete.
“Mula nang nagsimula tayo ng vertical saka horizontal infrastructures last year, we started last August, lahat ng ating public infra na pinapagawa is now 65% complete. So, iyon ang accomplishment rate natin, 65%.”
Del Rosario claimed that they are “on track” with their “stated deadline” of December where 100% of all projects must be finished.
“Well, actually four years ng first priority ng ating gobyerno ang rehabilitation but we have to take the methodology na kailangan na magawa natin at hindi pwedeng in an instant tapos agad ang rehabilitation,” he said.
He asserted that the rehabilitation is done in three phases.
“Ang first phase natin iyong early intervention activity that took us almost one year para mabigyan ng attention iyong immediate need ng mga internally displaced persons at i-revive natin ang economy, bigyan natin ang health services, palakasin ang educational system na bumagsak noong panahon ng pagtama ng Marawi siege.”
“Now, after that nag-conduct tayo ng debris management that in effect we have to remove millions of tons of debris and remove thousands of bombs in the most affected area na tinatawag natin ground zero and that took us one year and four months. Even before, ang siege ongoing, priority na ng gobyerno, nagpapatayo na tayo ng mga temporary shelter, nagkaroon tayo ng land development,” del Rosario continued.
The DHSUD Chief further asserted that they are “doing their best” in ensuring that the rehabilitation will be done by December.
“We are doing our best to ensure na ang rehabilitation ay matapos natin by December, substantially matapos natin yung rehabilitation and completely within the term of the president.”
Report from Kenneth Paciente/NGS – rir