Marawi ‘ground zero’ untouched by rehab efforts year after siege —mayor

One year after the Marawi siege that left the city in ruins, the main battle area has remained untouched by rehabilitation efforts, a local official said Wednesday.

Marawi City Mayor Majul Gandamra told Super Radyo dzBB on Wednesday that clearing operations at ground zero is ongoing and reconstruction effort is expected to begin early next month.

"Unti-unti nang bumabalik sa normal ang buhay ng mga taga-Marawi, lalo na sa 72 barangays, except yung sa center ng giyera... sa 24 barangays na may clearing operations.  Hindi pa napasok ng rehab efforts," he said.

Gandamra made a quick assessment of the situation on the ground on the sidelines of the commemoration activities on the first anniversary of the Marawi war that erupted on May 23, 2017 and considered to have ended five months after with the declaration of cessation of combat operations on October 23, 2017.

Also Gandamra said that the lives of residents of the 72 barangays in the city are on the way to normalcy. But clearing activities for explosives and materiel left by the war have held back rehabilitation efforts of the remaining 24 barangays in the battle zone.

Asked to comment on the resurgence of recruitment activities by the Maute and other extremist groups, the mayor said there are reports but the military and the police have countered extremist activities with livelihood and skills training programs.

He expressed hopes that within two weeks or early in June, the groundbreaking for the rehabilitation of the main battle area would take place.

But Gandamra pointed out that government intervention, which began with the "liberation of Marawi," has continued in the form of relief operations, livelihood, and skills development training programs.

Also he said that Marawi City will launch the Brigada Eskuwela in time for the June 4 opening of classes. —LBG, GMA News