DTI says it is boosting efforts to support Marawi IDPs

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said on Thursday it has intensified its efforts to help Marawi City residents returning to the devastated city.

In a statement, the DTI said its interventions have been lined up and planned since July this year.

These include distributing starter kits to internally displaced persons (IDPs) and turning over a P1.2-million mini rice mill and a P1.1-million Kia Bongo dropside truck to Macnan Ramos, chairman and representative of the United Marawian Agri Product Marketing Corp.

Twelve co-operators shall receive similar support. The machines are meant to support rice areas in Marawi City.

"Five of these co-operators will receive the mobile mini rice mill while 11 units of Kia [Bongo dropside] truck will also be distributed among selected co-operators. Rice areas of the Municipality of Masiu, Maguin, Poona, Wato Balindong, Lumba Bayabao, Bayang, all of the nearby municipalities and the entire province of Lanao del Sur will benefit from these," the DTI said.

The DTI's Small Business Corp. also awarded Pondo sa Pagbabago at Pag-asenso (P3) loan cheques to support the IDPs' livelihood initiatives amounting P10,000 payable for six months.

DTI said it has assessed and evaluated 24 who will be the first batch of P3 loan recipients. Another 13 beneficiaries will receive the same amount in the second release.

The beneficiaries will no longer have to shoulder interest rates but will pay a P75 service charge, the DTI said.

Interventions implemented by the DTI include garments making, food vending, price monitoring, marketing assistance, rolling stores, support to skilled workers and provision of sari sari store kits.

The DTI also turned over 25 sewing machines, eight units of woodworking or carpentry toolkits, four sari-sari store starter kits, and three electronic toolkits to returning IDPs.

Marawi has 96 barangays, of which 21 were not seriously affected by the five-month conflict between government troops and the Maute terrorists. The residents of the remaining 75 barangays have to wait for the government’s go signal before they can return.

At present, 27 barangays have opened through three "Kambalingan" events done monthly since October, said the DTI. — BM, GMA News@gmanews.tv>