MARAWI CITY -- Hundreds of families of internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the country’s lone Islamic city will be granted with permanent shelters by the government soon.

Task Force Bangon Marawi Chairman and Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary Eduardo Del Rosario said that around 400 housing units will be awarded next month to the IDPs.

The awarding of the permanent shelters, undertaken by the National House Authority (NHA), the Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC) and UN Habitat, is scheduled in conjunction with the Marawi Week of Peace celebration in May.

"We will be awarding almost 400 permanent housing units under the NHA and SHFC supported by the UN-Habitat,” Secretary Del Rosario said.

The TFBM chief expressed optimism on Marawi’s economic activities as major infrastructure projects are nearing completion and more IDPs are expected to return to the Most Affected Area (MAA) over the coming months.

The housing czar likewise bared that several ribbon-cutting activities and turnover of projects will be held during the Marawi Week of Peace. According to the TFBM chief, the Sarimanok Stadium, Convention Center, Grand Padian Market, Promenade, the Peace Park, the Marawi Museum and the School of Living Traditions - all of which are located inside MAA - are set for inauguration next month.

“These facilities will make Marawi one of the best tourism sites in the whole of Mindanao,” Secretary Del Rosario stressed.

“So yan ay nagawa natin because tayong lahat ay nagtutulong-tulong, kasi without unity, without cooperation, we cannot achieve all these. Ito po ay sinabi ng ating mahal na Pangulo when he said ‘I’ll see to it that Marawi will rise as a prosperous city once again’ at yan po ang ginagawa ng TFBM,” he noted. 

Meanwhile, Marawi Sultanate League Chairman Sultan Nasser Sampaco expressed gratitude for the construction of the "Torogan" or royal house that will serve as meeting area and offices for traditional leaders.

According to Sultan Sampaco, the completion of the "Torogan" will cement the legacy of President Duterte and Secretary Del Rosario for generations of Maranaws to come.

 “On behalf of the Marawi Sultanate League, I am expressing our utmost gratitude to the TFBM Chairman (Secretary Del Rosario) for all the good things he had done to make our cherished city great again. Mr Chairman, your imprints will not be lost as part of our country from generations to generations,” Sultan Nasser added.  (DHSUD)