Lanao town gets new market

MARAWI CITY – Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao has recently turned over a newly-built public market to municipal officials in Saguiaran in Lanao del Sur province.

ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman led the turn-over ceremony of the 1,200 square-meter market which has both wet and dry areas catering to displaced families in the 2017 Marawi Siege. The cost of the project was about P20 million.

Saguiaran hosts almost a thousand families from neighboring Marawi City. Mayor Macmod Muti said the establishment of a public market in his town will not just provide livelihood for internally displaced persons (IDPS), but will also resolve the vehicular traffic problem in the municipality.

“Malaking tulong ang pagpapatayo ng public market dahil kailangang kailangan natin ito. Bukod sa matutulungan natin ang mga IDPS ng Marawi, malulutas din nito ang matinding traffic sa Saguiaran dahil mayroon nang isahan na palengke. Marami ang mga nagbakwit dito sa amin sa Saguiaran kaya ginagawa namin ang lahat para marespondehan ang pangangailangan ng lahat,” he said.

Gov. Hataman said the public market is just one of the projects of the regional government in Saguiaran. “Sinabi ko kay Mayor na maghanap pa tayo ng mas malaking lupain para idevelop natin, dahil buhay na buhay na yung komersyo dito sa Saguiaran,” he said.

During the ceremony, Gov. Hataman also thanked the village chieftains of Lumbaca Toros and Pagalamatan for donating lots for ARMM’S housing projects. “Nagpapasalamat ako sa mga Barangay Captain ng Lumbaca Toros at Pagalamatan dahil sila ang nagpapakita ng gawain ng isang mabuting Muslim. Tinuturo sa Islam na kapag nasaktan ang isang kalingkingan natin, buong katawan ay nakakaramdam nito,” Gov. Hataman said.

“Ang mga makakatanggap ng pabahay na mga ito ay yung mga kababayan natin na nangangailangan. Yung mga nandyan sa mga tent at gymnasium na nagtitiis na sa mahigit isang taon magmula ng mag-umpisa ang giyera,” he added.

Anticipating ARMM’S transition to Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the governor instructed the agencies involved in response efforts for Marawi IDPS to fast track the regional government’s pending projects.