Thousands of Marawi families still unable to return home

It has been almost a year since President Rodrigo Duterte declared Marawi City "free" of Maute-ISIS gunmen, but thousands families displaced during the siege are still unable to return home, data from Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM) revealed.

On Tuesday, the eve of the anniversary of Marawi City's "liberation", GMA News TV program "State of the Nation with Jessica Soho" reported that there were still 11,949 families who remained internally displaced (IDP) as of September 2018.

In November 2017, 77,170 families were recorded as displaced.

Of those still unable to return to their homes, 11,949 families were "home-based" (had taken refuge in the homes of relatives), while some 818 families still called evacuation centers home.

Meanwhile, of the 2,650 "transitional shelters" the government had targeted to build by 2018, only 1,522 (57 percent) had been completed and turned over to IDPs.

In some parts of the city, live ordinance, explosive devices and booby traps were still a hazard.

In Central Marawi, the scene of major fighting, structures remained battle-scarred, while the Banggolo and Raya Madaya Bridges which lead into the city remained heavily guarded.

Nevertheless, Mayor Majul Gandamra emphasized that government efforts to rehabilitate the city were still in place.

"Naunawaan natin 'yung sentimyento ng mga kababayan natin," said Gandamra. "Dapat din po nating i-consider 'yung mga developers at 'yan po ay hindi puwedeng kaagad-agad."

US Ambassador Sung Kim visited Marawi during the turn-over of aide from the US government under their Marawi Response Project, and pledged additional funds of over P1 million.

‘Slow’ progress

Several IDPs claimed that they had not received relief goods from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in over two months. They were thus forced to rely on private feeding programs and borrowing money from relatives.

Among these IDPs was Nurhani Ali, whose family was on their fifth day without a source for water. This family with nine children was staying in a temporary home with a leaky roof and a broken-down bathroom.

"Ang gusto namin dito, livelihood. Kasi nawala na 'yung relief namin," Ali said.

Meanwhile, student groups and Maranao leaders protested the slow rehabilitation efforts and the lack of support.

Some of the displaced also asked they be given the chance to do the rebuilding themselves.

"Ni isang bato, walang nagalaw sa sinasabi nilang rehabilitasyon. Pabalikin kami, kaya naming gawin ulit 'yung bahay namin," a resident said. — Margaret Claire Layug/DVM, GMA News