Duterte wants full implementation of Marawi rehab

President Duterte has become "exasperated" with the slow development of war-ravaged Marawi City a year after it was liberated from the clutches of terrorists.

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said the President wanted the "full implementation of the rehabilitation" of Marawi, which was left in ruins after a five-month terror siege last year.

"Yes, he was exasperated," Panelo said in a Palace news conference about Marawi's development plan that has been delayed a few times.

Panelo, however, said the government "cannot avoid delays" amid negotiations with concerned parties involved in the development project of Marawi. "Natural lang naman iyan, kasi kapag nagkaroon ng negotiation [But it's natural because there are negotiations]," he added.

Panelo assured that the groundbreaking of the Marawi development would finally start before the end of the month. He noted that the contractor has readied its personnel and equipment for the the ground works.

"Tapos na iyong red tape na iyon, eh mag-uumpisa na eh [The red tape is over. It will start soon]," he said.

"The groundbreaking will start at the end of the month. So palagay ko, bibilis na ngayon [so I think it will be hastened]," he added.

Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) chair Eduardo del Rosario had earlier announced that the groundbreaking of the Marawi development was set last October 17 to coincide with the first anniversary of the liberation of the city. He said they awarded the 75-million contract for debris clearing of Marawi City to FINMAT Corporation under negotiated procurement.

The groundbreaking ceremony set last Wednesday has been moved anew to the last week of October so the President could attend the event.

Originally, the Marawi groundbreaking was scheduled for July but was postponed a number of times after government negotiations with a China-led consortium broke down.

Panelo said the President was unable to visit Marawi Wednesday because he had prior engagements in the Palace.

"It conflicted with the certain schedules that occurred yesterday or the other day," he said.

"But his non-attendance doesn’t mean that he was not interested. In fact, he has been doing a lot of things for the rehabilitation of that place.