MANILA (PIA)--To fast-track the government's rehabilitation program in Marawi City following the May 23, 2017 siege staged by militants affiliated with the Islamic State (IS), the Senate special committee on Marawi Rehabilitation and Victims Compensation held a public hearing, February 22.
The committee's head, Senator Ronaldo "Bato" dela Rosa, asked the groups helping to rebuild the war-torn Islamic City to give updates on how the projects were going.
Also present in the said public hearing was Lawyer Maisara C. Dandamun-Latiph, chairperson of the newly created Marawi Compensation Board. Latiph sought the help of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Civil Service Commission (CSC), Office of the Solicitor-General (OSG), Supreme Court, Presidential Communications Office (PCO), and other agencies in pursuing the mandate of MCB, saying that the marching order of President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. is to fast track the payment for the properties and lives lost to the five-month battle with the IS groups in Marawi City.
Latiph told Senator Bato that based on the record, there are around 17,000 claimants to be compensated, and the board was only given three to four years to complete the processing of their claims. This is the reason why they are seeking the help of DBM for the funding, the OSG for lawyers to help in the litigation, the SC for additional courts in Marawi, and the PCO for a massive information campaign.
On the other hand, Felix Castro, the project manager for Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM), said that 85% of the projects to fix up Marawi are now done. He said there were projects calendared for 2022 but only implemented this year.
LtGen. Romeo Brawner, chief of the Philippine Army (PA), reminded the public and all stakeholders in Marawi City to help prevent the return of lawlessness in the city after receiving reports that drug lords were resuming operations in the area. "Security is everybody's responsibility," Brawner stressed.
Attending the blended public hearing called by Senator Bato were representatives from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Education (DepEd), Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA), National Housing Authority (NHA), Commission on Audit (COA) National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Public Attorney's Office (PAO), Land Registration Authority (LRA), Philippine Information Agency (PIA), Bangsamoro Human Rights Commission (BHRC), Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), some members of Bangsamoro Parliament as well as Senators Robinhood Padilla, Francis Tolentino and Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go. (PIA-10)
