Leni, Sara almost cross paths in Marawi
MARAWI CITY – Vice President Leni Robredo and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte almost crossed paths here, visiting the same places only 2 hours apart Thursday morning, November 16.
Robredo arrived in Marawi City two hours before the President’s
daughter. Sara Duterte came with Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano whose husband, Foreign Secretary Allan Peter Cayetano , ran against Robredo for vice president in 2016.
The vice president arrived at around 10 am and went straight to the main battle area to see for herself the extent of the destruction then visited St. Mary’s Cathedral and the Islamic Center which, on the other hand, were the two places first visited by Sara Duterte.
The presidential daughter arrived at 12 noon with Cayetano who is also the chairman of the League of Cities of the Philippines, the association of all the city mayors in the country.
At the St. Mary’s Cathedral, the president’s daughter lit candles and offered flowers and prayers for those who died in the fighting.
St. Mary’s Cathedral is where Father Chito Soganub was assigned as parish priest before the war broke out in May 23. He was held hostage by the militants for almost four months before he and another hostage were able to escape and eventually rescued by the military in September 16.
Robredo canceled her first stop, supposedly in Barangay Basak Malutlut, for lack of time and proceeded straight to the Amai Pakpak Medical Center to turn-over medicines donated by her partners from several non-government organizations.
According to Zia Adiong, spokesman of the provincial government of Lanao del Sur, aside from medicines, Robredo also committed to help affected residents address their trauma through the help of her NGO partners.
“VP Leni and her NGO partners will also give livelihood and housing assistance to our affected residents,” Adiong said.
“They want to make sure where (and what aspect of the rehabilitation) they could help,” he added.
Robredo also visited the residents of Barangay Datu Saber who just returned home two weeks ago then she went to visit and distribute school supplies to students of MSU-University Training Center in Barangay Marawi Poblacion.
Robredo ended her visit through a closed door meeting with the officials of the local government of Marawi.
Robredo left Marawi at around 2:00 p.m. and proceeded to Iligan City for the meeting of Task Force Bangon Marawi.
For her part, the President’s daughter from the ground zero went straight to Malutlut Elementary School where around 200 pupils were waiting.
She and Cayetano distributed school bags and school supplies and said they represent the Tapang at Malasakit Alliance for the Philippines.
The alliance, Duterte said, is offering to build a peace memorial in an appropriate area to be identified by the local government of Marawi City.
“This will serve as anti-terror monument and a peace monument, a memorial for those who died because of the siege,” the Davao City mayor said.
Duterte said the main objectives of their visit in Marawi is to personally hand over the assistance from Davao City and Taguig City.
Duterte also handed over to Marawi Mayor Majul Gandamra documents expressing their intention to make Davao City a ‘sister city’ of Marawi.
“We also offered to provide technical assistance in the planning, budgeting, and in social services,” Duterte said.
Cayetano likewise also committed to help in skills training and Early Child Care and Development assistance.
During the height of war in Marawi City, the local government of Taguig sent relief goods worth 1.5 million pesos and additional 5 million pesos is allocated by the said LGU for the ECCD and skills training.