Slow Marawi rehab exasperates Duterte

PALACE spokesman Salvador Panelo on Thursday admitted that President Rodrigo Duterte was “exasperated” with the slow rehabilitation process in Marawi City, which was ravaged by a five-month war between the Maute terror group and government troops.

Panelo said groundbreaking rites for the reconstruction of the Islamic City will be held at the end of October.

“Yes, he was exasperated. But that red tape is already over. [The rehabilitation] will start soon,” Panelo said in a news briefing.

“We cannot avoid delays. But, the groundbreaking will start by the end of the month so for me, [the rehabilitation] will be faster. The problem in Marawi is too big,” he added.

The groundbreaking for the reconstruction project was moved several times. It was originally set in March, but the task force in charge of the project postponed it to April, then to May.

In May, the task force said the groundbreaking would be on the first week of June, but this was again moved to July. In July, the task force said it would be in August but it was reset to August and later, to September.

Last week, Task Force Bangon Marawi secretary- general Falconi Millar said the groundbreaking would be on October 17, the first anniversary of the liberation of Marawi.

On Monday, the task force announced that it would push through on October 28.

The groundbreaking will signal the start of the cleaning of debris in most affected areas.

Filipino company Finmat International Resources Inc. was chosen to head the debris management, Task Force Bangon Marawi chairman Eduardo del Rosario said.

Millar voiced optimism that the rehabilitation process would be finished by the end of 2021.