Japan, UN turn over 462 houses in Marawi City
The Japanese government and the United Nations Habitat (UN-Habitat) turned over 462 permanent houses in Marawi City five years after the siege that displaced thousands of people.
Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koshikawa Kazuhiko virtually attended the recent ceremonial handover of the housing units.
“Japan’s support to Mindanao will go on. Japan will continue its support to the Philippine hovernment, both to the current and next administration, for furthering progress in the Mindanao Peace Process and development. We greatly hope we can keep working together to achieve a better tomorrow”, the envoy said.
This is the final phase of the P500-million grant by the Japanese government in support of the UN-Habitat Philippines’ program to provide core shelters and livelihood support for those affected by the Marawi incident.
“As the final phase of the project between the Government of Japan and UN-Habitat Philippines, 462 permanent houses located in Barangay Patani were turned over to beneficiaries who had been displaced during the 2017 Marawi Siege,” the Japanese Embassy in Manila said.
The first phase of the project was completed with the turnover of 109 permanent houses located in Barangay Dulay West on February 25, 2021.
The place is now called Hadiya Village. Hadiya means gift.
The second phase of the project was completed with the turnover of 170 permanent houses in Darussalam Village (Barangay Dulay Proper) and Pamayandeg sa Ranaw Residences at Dansalan (Barangay Gadongan) on July 22, 2021.
An additional 109 permanent houses were also turned over in these areas on March 3, 2022.
The third phase of the project provided 150 permanent houses in Brgy. Kilala on October 15, 2021.
The project totaled to 1,000 houses handed to those displaced by the Marawi siege.
Also with the Japanese envoy were Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM) Chairman and Department of Human Settlements and Development (DHSUD) Secretary Eduardo D. Del Rosario, Marawi City Mayor Majul Gandamra, UN-Habitat Regional Representative Mr. Atsushi Koresawa, United Nations Resident Coordinator in the Philippines Mr. Gustavo Gonzales, UN-Habitat Philippines Country Programme Manager Christopher Rollo, and Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC) President Arnolfo Ricardo Cabling.
The five-month armed confrontation between government forces and pro-ISIS militants in Marawi in 2017 displaced 98 percent of the total population of the city, as well as residents from nearby municipalities.
The residents were compelled to leave due to severe food shortage and constriction of local economies.