Duterte assigns housing czar as head of Marawi rehab TF

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte has reorganized Task Force Bangon Marawi two weeks after the liberation of the city, appointing the housing czar as the head of rehabilitation efforts.

Signed on October 27, Administrative Order 9 amends Administrative Order 3, which created an inter-agency task force last July to take charge of the recovery and rehabilitation of Marawi

“There is a need to reorganize Task Force Bangon Marawi in order to reflect the government’s current priority to rebuild and develop the settlement areas affected by the armed conflict,” the new order reads.

Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council head Eduardo Del Rosario, a retired Army general, was designated as the chairperson of the task force.

Del Rosario will have operational control and supervision of the task force and the overall responsibility to ensure that the objectives of the order are accomplished.

Duterte said Sunday night that all Cabinet secretaries will report to Del Rosario on matters concerning Marawi rehabilitation.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, who was previously the task force head, will serve as vice chairperson alongside Public Works Secretary Mark Villar.

The new order also designates HUDCC to take charge of the SubCommittee on Housing, replacing the Office of the Cabinet Secretary.

HUDCC will be primarily responsible for the immediate rehabilitation and construction of temporary or permanent shelters and the restoration of water, electricity and other public utilities.

The Sub-Committee on Peace and Order will now be co-headed by the Department of National Defense and Department of the Interior and Local Government.