MANILA, Philippines — The rehabilitation of Marawi City is expected to be 95 percent complete when President Duterte steps down next year.
Task Force Bangon Marawi and housing chief Eduardo del Rosario said the government would “substantially” complete the city’s rehabilitation four years after a military conflict left around 1,000 people dead and more than 3,000 others displaced.
“Assuming by June 2022, we will be at 95 percent completion,” Del Rosario said during the Laging Handa press briefing yesterday. “The remaining five percent will still be done as the funds have been allocated to the implementing agencies.”
Del Rosario disputed claims that rehabilitation works, which started in July 2020 after the budget was released in May of the same year, have been delayed.
He said debris management, which was conducted for two years and four months, was completed only in February last year.
“We cannot start rehabilitating our public infrastructure if there are still bombs in the area,” Del Rosario said.
At least 30 projects, including mosques and barangay complexes, will be completed by December while more than 60 projects will be finished in the first half of next year.
At least 4,900 units of temporary shelter have been completed. More than 600 permanent houses have also been turned over to beneficiaries.