Lorenzana, Esperon now talk of rehab for Marawi

MARAWI City–The war is not over but Defense  Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon were talking about rehabilitating Marawi on Day 17 of the clashes with the terrorist Maute Group here.

“We are preparing the rehabilitation program for Marawi once we clear the last pocket of resistance. We would like Marawi to go back to normal,” Lorenzana said as he addressed the troops and the media at Campo Ranao on Thursday.

“Papasok na construction dito, construction brigades, Amry, DPWH (Department of Public Work and Highways (DPWH),  We’ll bring in whole government here to rehabilitate, reconstruct, recover Marawi City para mas mabilis (to make it faster).”

National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon noted that there is a “small resistance point right now” from the Maute Group “and that is almost over.”

Esperon said he looks forward to “rehabilitating Marawi and the environs,” adding that Marawi is “really a beautiful Islamic City and whether or not it is Islamic, it is a beautiful Filipino city we should all be proud of.”

“Let us breathe life into Marawi City again because this is ours,” he said.

Assemblyman Zia Alonto Adiong, spokesperson of the Provincial Crisis Management Committee, said the provincial government is “taking the followings steps: conduct damage and needs assessment, early recovery plan, and rehabilitation plan.”

Adiong earlier said this is “the first time Marawi City has experienced a crisis this huge. The damage is unparalleled. The human cost is staggering.”

Jesus Dureza, presidential adviser on the peace process, said the Department of National Defense (DND) is in charge of the rehabilitation process for  Marawi.

He said the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process “will handle providing ‘peace lens’ and rebuilding of relationships disrupted by the conflict… promote social cohesion, repairing torn social fabric due to violence.” (carolyn o. arguillas of mindanews)