Philippine government emerged victorious in the five-month-long armed conflict in Marawi, Lanao del Sur.
While this triumph is celebrated by the whole nation, aftermath of the battle left residents with broken homes and put their livelihood in disarray.
Marawi local government unit released a directive to the displaced residents; which prevents them from going back to their homes in ground zero in the next two to three years.
In response to this problem, President Rodrigo Duterte and his administration tasked the National Housing Authority (NHA) to build shelters for Marawi siege displaced indigenous people.
Per NHA General Manager Marcelino P. Escalada Jr. they are tasked to build temporary and permanent shelters. NHA is projected to build 6,400 temporary shelters and 2,700 permanent shelters.
Temporary shelters are comprised of 6 areas, wherein area 1 is halfway completed. NHA targets to at least complete 50% of each area in the relocation site. The whole housing units are expected to be completed by 2021.
These shelters are located 3.7 KM away from ground zero where the main battle happened during the conflict.
As of now, 500 housing units are completed and to be turnover on January 30. An event the president is expected to attend.
By March 2018, 1,500 housing units are expected to be completed and awarded to Marawi residents.
This site has a 24/7 electricity capability while the water supply, as of this writing, is limited to selected parts of the relocation site.
However, GM Escalada stressed that he had already instructed their engineers and architects to improve the pipelaying in the site.
The water supply was provided thru the help of Filinvest as the company’s compliance in socialized housing projects.
GM Escalada also boasts that this relocation site features open spaces where Marawi residents can rebuild their livelihood and daily commerce. These open spaces are intended for a wet and dry market, terminal, etc. (Ehlorra Mangahas)
