Gov’t remains confident Marawi City will be rebuilt before Duterte steps down
THE PRESIDENTIAL Palace on Monday expressed confidence that the war-ravaged city of Marawi in the southern Philippines can be rebuilt before President Rodrigo R. Duterte steps down in 2022.
Despite delays, the President can still fulfill his promise of rehabilitating Marawi four years after a five-month battle between government forces and local terrorist groups allied with the Islamic State left the city in ruins, his spokesman Herminio “Harry” L. Roque, Jr. told a televised news briefing on Monday.
“We have roughly a year bago po matapos ang termino ng Presidente (before the end of the President’s term) and I think the target can be met,” he said.
Speaking before Marawi residents last year, the President said rebuilding the war-torn city was not an “easy task,” noting that the clearing of explosives delayed the process in the initial stage.
He said it might take some time “before we can really reach the ideal place that we would call home.”
The President assured that the government has the funds for the city’s rehabilitation. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza
