AT LEAST 47 sets of heavy equipment donated by China will be sent to Marawi to rehabilitate the city ravaged by the rebellion launched by terrorists affiliated with the Islamic State, an official said Tuesday.
The Marawi siege is expected to end soon as two of its leaders”•Abu Sayyaf head Isnilon Hapilon and Omar Maute of the Maute group”•were killed in a clash with government troops on Monday.
“Through China’s Emergency Humanitarian Assistance Program, we expect seven more equipment to arrive,” Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said.
In other developments:
• Malacañang said Tuesday the liberation of Marawi from terrorists marked the start of rehabilitation efforts following the nearly five-month siege.
“The declaration of President [Rodrigo] Duterte marks the beginning of the recovery, reconstruction and rehabilitation of Marawi,” Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said in a statement.
He called on the public to support Marawi’s rehabilitation.
Officials on Tuesday expressed hope that the Duterte administration will be able to speed up Marawi’s rehabilitation.
They included Reps. Karlo Nograles, Rodolfo Albano III, Ranco Abu and LRay Villafuerte.
“The neutralization of Hapilon and Maute will give government troops the final boost needed to flush out the remaining terrorists in Marawi City. The end of the conflict is near,” said Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles, chairman of the House committee on appropriations.
Villar said the equipment from China included eight sets of soil excavators and wheel loaders, five sets of compactors, five sets of track type tractors, bulldozers, dump trucks, cement mixers and a container van.
Public Works has also accomplished site development works for six areas of transitory houses for the Marawi evacuees.
“The area, which has been developed by DPWH in Barangay Sagongsongan, Marawi City, can accommodate 1,100 families,” Villar said.
“Road concreting will be completed by November this year.”
Public Works is the lead agency for the Reconstruction Committee of the Task Force Bangon Marawi.
“We have ordered all engineers to prioritize the assessment of the area and make sure that all procedures are taken care of even before the on-ground rehabilitation starts,” Villar said.
“Our priority is to make sure that roads and bridges are in place such that there is smooth access to Marawi and its nearby towns.”