Business leaders seek rebuilding of Marawi

The business community expects the rebuilding of war-torn Marawi City to start as soon as the armed-conflict is over, considering that the top terrorist leaders have been eliminated by government troops.

Military authorities said the siege of Marawi will likely be over in the coming days, after Abu Sayaff leader Isnilon Hapilon and Maute group leader Omar Maute were killed during hostage rescue operations early Monday.

"The death of these two terrorists, and hopefully the end of the Marawi crisis, is certainly good for business," Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) outgoing president Perry Pe told GMA News Online on Tuesday.

A days after terrorist leaders Isnilon Hapilon and Omar Maute were killed by government troops during a hostage rescue operations, President Rodrigo Duterte declared Marawi free from terrorist influence.

"Rebuilding should start as soon as possible, and with that comes so many business opportunities," Pe noted.

In a separate statement, the Department of Finance said the  World Bank has confirmed a commitment to work with the Philippine government in helping Marawi City rise from devastation, along with scaling up support for peace-building efforts in Mindanao.

Also, the People's Republic of China donated 47 sets of heavy equipment including bulldozers and excavators, to help rehabilitate Marawi , Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar  announced on Tuesday.

For his part, Makati Business Club executive director Peter Perfecto said the elimination of the terrorist leaders was a welcome development.

"While we should never celebrate the death of Filipino brothers, no matter how far they may have strayed from our shared dreams of a better Philippines, we do welcome what this signals—that we can now start rebuilding Marawi, hopefully in a much better way for our brother and sister Maranaos as well as all other Filipinos who only know Marawi as home," Perfecto said.

Pe noted the death of Hapilon and Maute would eventually restore confidence in the Philippines. "This shows the government resolve and brings confidence back. Hopefully, this converts into foreign direct investments in Mindanao," Pe said.

"It also enhances our relationship with our ASEAN neighbors, in particular Malaysia and Indonesia, since Hapilon was supposed to be Southeast Asia's ISIS caliphate emir, Pe noted.

Businesses hope that the end of war in Marawi will lead to more urgent action to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law without any further delay as this will most certainly help prevent another "Marawi."

"Paths to peace are once again opening up. This time, let us do the right thing, right now, for a just and lasting peace in Mindanao," Perfecto said.

Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry honorary chairman and chief operating officer Donald Dee said economic activity can now resume in Mindanao.

"I hope we can now expect peace and we can expect economic activities to take place," Dee said. — VDS, GMA News