Duterte: Rebuilding Marawi now a race against time

President Rodrigo Duterte said Monday that rebuilding war-torn Marawi city is now a race against time.

"Rebuilding of Marawi is still not yet complete. To Task Force Bangon Marawi, we need to race against time," said the President during his final State of the Nation Address (SONA).

"We need to put in the necessary work to rehabilitate the war-torn city and bring its families back home," added Duterte.

The terrorist Maute Group attempted to seize Marawi but were driven out in a campaign that lasted from May to October 2017.

However, the city was in shambles after months of urban warfare.

Government records released by the Palace on Sunday said that only 18% of the targeted number of permanent houses have so far been built in Lanao del Sur's war-ravaged provincial capital. h

Task Force Bangon Marawi head Eduardo del Rosario, however, said that said the city's rehabilitation was 68% finished in June 2021 from 65% in May 2021. — DVM, GMA News