With government still unable to fulfill its pledge for the swift rehabilitation of war-ravaged Marawi City, displaced residents who were forced to live in temporary shelters have become desperate to return to their communities.
Speaking through their leaders, the Marawi siege victims lamented that they have suffered a four-year lockdown in the rehabilitation centers yet there remained a snail-paced effort on the part of the Task Force Bangon Marawi to help them.
Anak Mindanao Partylist Rep. Amihilda Sangcopan backed their call as she urged the TBFM to fasttrack the projects lined up to allow the affected Maranaws to lead normal lives four years after being forced out of their homes following the forced takeover of the city by Maute terrorists.
Sangcopan lamented that the expected completion or substantial accomplishment of the effort to rebuild the city has become a “moving target.” The lady lawmaker also batted for the revival of the Sub-Committee on Marawi Recovery and Reconstruction under the Committee on Disaster Resilience, saying the legislative body can help nudge into action the TBFM and other government agencies tasked to help Marawi City.
On Monday, June 1, Sangcopan presented leaders of the displaced Maranaws in a press briefing.
Drieza Liningding, chairman of the Moro Consensus Group, said the TBFM has guaranteed 65 percent completion of the project this year.
“But what they say is a statement of deception, ground breaking pa lang ang nangyayari (they are still in the ground breaking stage.” he said.
Ding Cali, a resident, revealed that life in the evacuation centers have turned miserable by the day.
“The septic tank is now full, we lack water, we lack medical services,” Cali said.
Sangcopan said that originally, the TFBM assured the Committee on Disaster Resilience that evacuees may already be allowed to enter their communities last July, 2019.
“Ngunit base sa isang interview ngayong buwan, sinabi ni Sec. Del Rosario na siyang ding Chairman ng TFBM na sa darating na Oktubre pa po sila maaaring bumalik sa kanilang mga bahay. ( But based in an interview this month with Secretary Del Rosario who is the TFBM, the residents can return to their homes this coming October,” she disclosed, referring to Secretary Eduardo Del Rosario of the Department of Human Settlement and Housing Development.
“Pabago-bago po ang timeline. Pabago-bago po ang commitments sa ating mga kababayan (The timeline keeps of changing. Their commitments to our people also change),” said the administration lawmaker.