Would Bongbong prioritize Marawi rehab? ‘Tinatapos na ni Pangulong Duterte’

VALENCIA CITY, Bukidnon — Former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. did not directly respond if the rehabilitation of Marawi City will be among his priorities should he win the presidency in Eleksyon 2022.

“Ginagawa na ‘yun. There's no need… tinatapos na ni Pangulong Duterte,” Marcos said when asked during an ambush interview after the inauguration of BBM-Sara UniTeam headquarters in Valencia City.

(It's being done. There's no need...President Rodrigo Duterte is finishing it.)

Marcos had campaigned in Marawi City earlier in the day before proceeding to Bukidnon.

Marawi suffered severe damage during the months-long battle for the city between government forces and the ISIS-inspired Maute Group in 2017, and has been undergoing rehabilitation and reconstruction ever since.

Earlier, Department of Human Settlement and Urban Development chief Eduardo Del Rosario said 95% of the rehabilitation work in the war-torn city would be finished by the end of Duterte’s term on June 30.

Del Rosario had said around 1,500 families in the city’s most affected areas will only begin rebuilding their homes this year.

Marcos mentioned in a separate interview in Marawi City that fixing the destroyed infrastructure is was really difficult.

“Mahirap ‘yun kaya natatagalan. Pero I’m sure kapag natapos na iyon, we can rebuild structures at maging mas maganda [ang Marawi]…” Marcos said. — BM, GMA News