COTABATO CITY – More than 13,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from the 2017 Marawi siege are set to benefit from a public market to be constructed by the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) in Bubong, Lanao del Sur this year.
On Wednesday, ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman led the groundbreaking ceremony for the PHP30-million wet and dry market. Once construction begins, the market facilty will sit on a one-and-a-half hectare of land and will house 100 stalls.
The market is expected to be completed in 240 days.
Hataman said the construction of the public market will open additional economic activities in the town and in the entire first district of Lanao del Sur since these areas have no marketplace.
“The market will mainly cater to displaced residents of Marawi City who have sought refuge in the town,” Hataman said.
About 2,722 families or 13,000 individuals have sought refuge in Marawi City’s adjacent town of Bubong since fighting in the Islamic city started in May 2017.
Early on, the governor has attended consultation dialogues with displaced families to hear grievances from the grassroots to have a “well-informed decision” for the projects and assistance that will facilitated in the affected areas of the siege.
The IDP-organized Sowara O Miamagoyag, representing more than 12,000 households who evacuated to towns of Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, and Misamis Oriental, and to the cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro, have been active in promoting the welfare of its members.
Sittie Joharah Pacalindo-Mamacotao, 27, a leader of the group from Brgy. Marinaut, Marawi City, said displaced residents should be supported on their immediate needs of recovery to enable dignified survival.
“We want to become their representatives to amplify their voice,” Mamacotao said.
The group also recommended reparation and compensation for property damage; livelihood; recovery and access to employment; shelter; participatory, transparent and accountable planning of Marawi rehabilitation, and land dispute resolutions.
The regional government has PHP150 million in un-programmed funds reserved for projects and programs that would help in rebuilding Marawi City.
The proposed Bubong public market and other lined up infrastructure projects would be jointly undertaken by the regional government and Lanao del Sur provincial administration for the Greater Marawi Area in Marawi City this year costing P90 million.
The national government-led Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM) has allocated a P10-billion fund for the rehabilitation of Marawi City. The fund can be accessed by government offices for any project through proposals.
The ARMM government sent a proposal to the TFBM for the construction of 500 permanent houses with complete facilities such as kitchen, solar panel for electricity, and water sources. (Noel Punzalan/PNA)
