DPWH takes delivery of equipment from China for Marawi rehabilitation

Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar announced the arrival of 47 heavy equipment from the People’s Republic of China at the Port of Iligan City last week.

The equipment will be used for the rehabilitation of war-torn Marawi City.

“Through China’s Emergency Humanitarian Assistance Program, we expect seven more equipment to arrive,” Villar noted.

The equipment from the China included eight excavators, eight wheel loaders, five compactors, five track-type tractors, five bulldozers, eight dump trucks, eight cement mixers and a container van.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has already accomplished site development works for six areas of transitory houses for the Marawi siege evacuees.

“The area, which has been developed by DPWH in Barangay Sagongsongan, Marawi City, can accommodate 1,100 families,” Mark Villar noted.

“Road concreting will be completed by November this year,” he also noted.

DPWH is the lead agency for the Reconstruction Committee of the Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM).

“We have ordered all engineers concerned to prioritize the assessment of the area and make sure that all necessary procedures are taken cared of even before the on-ground rehabilitation starts,” Villar noted.

“Our priority is to make sure that roads and bridges are in place such that there is smooth access of Marawi and its nearby towns,” he added.

Assistance to evacuation centers such as improvement of roadways, installation of water supply system, latrines, communal kitchens and other related matters were consistently being provided and monitored by DPWH.