Marawi rehabilitation now 65% complete —task force

The rehabilitation of war-torn Marawi City is 65% complete, a Cabinet official said Tuesday, as the government sticks to its target to finish the projects before the end of President Rodrigo Duterte’s term in June 2022.

Marawi was destroyed following five months of fighting between government troops and ISIS-inspired Maute rebels in 2017. The rehabilitation project broke ground in October 2018.

“The projects will be substantially completed by December and everything will be completed within the term of the President,” said Task Force Bangon Marawi chairperson Eduardo del Rosario at the Laging Handa briefing.

Del Rosario, who is also Duterte’s housing secretary, visited the city recently for the fourth anniversary of the deadly siege.

During his visit, he spearheaded the inaugurations of key facilities and groundbreaking ceremonies for the construction of school buildings, a convention center, and the Sarimanok Sports Stadium in the former battle area.

More than P22 billion had been released by the government for the reconstruction of the city, del Rosario told the Commission on Appointments last September. -MDM, GMA News