MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur (PIA)--Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary and Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM) Chairman Eduardo Del Rosario firmly refuted in a virtual press conference the claim over a so-called favored contractor involved in the Marawi rehabilitation.

The TFBM chief bared that what the critics identify as a favored contractor that passed the National Housing Authority’s (NHA) selection process is the Eddmari construction which currently is working on the road networks in the most affected area (MAA) of the city.

Assertions posted online deposed the contractor that was allegedly awarded with major projects inside MAA despite blemishes in its record, even placed in identified blacklisted companies. 

Del Rosario said the NHA had already resolved since 2018 the blacklisted issue of the hired contractor as all other linked concerns were addressed beforehand.

“It was defended very well by National Housing Authority na ito ay malaking contractor at iyong kanilang ginagawa nagkaroon man ng issues (that this is a big contractor and those that they did which had issues), they were all rectified so the blacklist was lifted,” he said.

Del Rosario stressed that the contractor is given the opportunity to provide its service and be involved in the advancing rehabilitation following the clear of its name.

He also hit back at critics resuscitating the solved issues stating that the contractor is the same constructor behind the visible progress of a government housing project in the municipality of Balo-i in the province of Lanao del Norte.

“Iyong ginagawa ngayon na 1,000 housing units in the municipality of Balo-i in Lanao del Norte, if you will go there, the same contractor is building the same 1,000 housing units and that is being appreciated dahil napakaganda ng kanilang ginagawang housing project,” said Del Rosario. (Claire R. Gigje/PIA-10/ICIC Lanao del Sur)