Marawi folk hit gov’t for excluding them in crafting rehab plan

MARAWI CITY — Residents and some officials of Lanao del Sur province said they had been left out in the crafting of the rehabilitation plan for this city, which had yet to recover from devastation, following the 5-month battle between government troops and Islamic State-inspired groups last year.

Rebuilding

Dayamon Cosain, who fled Barangay Raya Madaya 1 at the height of the siege on May 23 last year, said residents who were moved to a temporary resettlement area in Barangay Sagonsongan here were told that the government would rebuild the city but no one actually sought their views about the plan.

Lanao del Sur Vice Gov. Mamintal Adiong Jr. said provincial officials were uncertain whether the Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM), which had been leading Marawi’s rebuilding plan, would adopt their recommendations.

The Mindanao Development Authority earlier crafted a P678-billion plan that would serve as a road map for the rehabilitation of Marawi. This would be presented to the TFBM.

But some civil society leaders said, rebuilding Marawi would be faster if the government would allow residents to return home.

“Give back to the people the dignity to rebuild their homes at their own pace,” said Samira Gutoc, a civil society leader in Lanao del Sur. “Give [them] services because they have no opportunity to salvage any capital.”

She said residents built Marawi to what it was, before gunmen belonging to the Maute and Abu Sayyaf groups laid siege to the city in May last year.

Main battle area

Only residents outside the main battle area were allowed to return home after the war ended in October last year. The military and local officials had shut off the main battle area, which is comprised of 24 villages in the city center. People who used to live here were asked to stay in temporary shelters in the city’s outskirts.

“If the government is really keen on fast-tracking the reconstruction of Marawi City, its affected civilians must be allowed to take part in the decision-making process,” said Drieza Lininding, chair of the Moro Consensus Group.

“The key is the direct participation of the people in the rebuilding of Marawi,” he said.

This way, he said, the displaced could restart their lives, and the government would have more time to focus on building roads, bridges, schools and other structures.

Fine-tuning

Assistant Housing Secretary Felix Castro, TBFM field office manager, said the government was fine-tuning the rehabilitation plan. He assured that this would be presented to representatives of the provincial and city governments, and evacuees.

“We are promising that the final output will embody the desires and aspirations of the people of Marawi,” he said. —REPORTS FROM DIVINA SUSON AND JIGGER JERUSALEM