MARAWI REHAB STILL STALLED 8 MONTHS AFTER FIGHTING
MARAWI CITY - The actual rehabilitation of the most affected area here has not yet started despite the government’s pronouncement that the clearing of debris will begin June this year.
Eight months after the termination of combat operation against ISIS-inspired Maute terrorists, the Armed Forces’ bomb experts are still continuing clearing operation to recover unexploded ordnances.
There has been no movement of heavy equipment to clear debris which is expected to be finished in 12 months, according to Housing Assistant Secretary Felix Castro, Field Office Manager of the Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM).
The Bangon Marawi selection committee is now in discussion with Power China that placed second in the bidding process after the Bagong Marawi Consortium was not selected because of failure to meet financial and legal requirements.
“Power China is a multi-national company, internationally-recognized where its work is in infrastructure, hydropower, thermal power and new energy,” Castro said.
If chosen, Power China will build government approved facilities and infrastructure in collaboration with the Task
Force Bangon Marawi, the Marawi City government, and the people of Marawi.
“This is to ensure that the rehabilitation will be completed in accordance to the customs, religion and tradition of the country’s only Islamic city. TFBM is working to ensure that the rehabilitation will remain on schedule,” Castro added.
But residents of the most affected area are estimated to return in in the city on 2020 after some 8 million metric tons of debris are cleared, roads and underground, electric and water facilities are filled and the central sewerage system are completed.
In its timeline, the TFBM said it will spend another six months for the horizontal and ground preparations after the debris clearing.
“The debris clearing and horizontal preparations are expected to be finished in 18 months, so if it will start this July, it will be done in December 2019,” Castro said.
In between July 2018 to December 2019, the TFBM may gradually allow residents in the 24 barangays inside the former battle ground to also rebuild their houses.
“Unti-unti sila papasukin. Kasi hindi sila pwede mag-rebuild sa kanilang property kung di matapos ang mga linya ng kuryente, ng tubig. Underground na kasi yan lahat (They will gradually be allowed to return. They can not rebuild in the properties unless the electricity and water lines are laid underground),” Castro said.
Meanwhile, as of June 29 five sites have already been set up for the transitional housing sites which are located in Barangays Sagonsongan, Buadi Itowa, Mipaga and Buganga in Marawi and in Matungao town in Lanao del Norte.
The Biyaya Ng Pagbabago Temporary Shelter has six sites with 1,010 from out of 1,052 target housing units completed.
Also in Sagonsongan, the Angat Buhay temporary housing project is building 60 units.
The Bahay Pag-asa housing in Buadi Itowa and in Mipaga had 110 while in Matungao has 261 completed and occupied units.
The government has also targeted to finish 1,500 housing units in Buganga but it is still in the land development stage.
The local government of Marawi has yet to set a timeline for the completion of the units in Buganga.
In November last year, around 46,050 displaced families from the 72 barangays outside the most affected areas had resettled in their homes.