Senate to conduct hearings on Marawi rehab

By Nora Soriño
Iligan City Bureau Chief

Iligan City — The Senate will conduct hearings on the rehabilitation of war-torn Marawi City “soon.”

Senator Paolo Benigno Aguirre Aquino IV said even with the Senate’s full schedule of hearings, it is important that the rehabilitation of Marawi city must be heard by the Senate, since it is a matter of priority.

“Things like road repairs, social services on the affected folks there, their well-being and safety, budgets and so many other things and how to go about them should be made clear. Also, both short-term solutions on the matter of terrorism and long term ones should be made by the government,” said Aquino.

Among the short term solutions, he explained, is the support to the men fighting in the city as well as the well-being of those affected, adding he understands there are plenty of them in Iligan and surrounding areas.

Even with the classes in the Mindanao State University now being held in Marawi, he said around 6,000 students now are schooling here. There are also others who are studying elsewhere, he added.

“The long-term solution for terrorism would include improvements in the educational system,” said Aquino.

He said the matter on “free tuition” should be pursued, and budgets allocated so that people would feel the government is concerned to their well-being. The Conditional Cash Transfer is a good program and should be continued, he said.

At present, three million families benefit from the Conditional Cash Transfer, Aquino added.

To note, the government, per its press releases, are already in the process of rehabilitarion with a seven-hectare land now being made as the area where temporary shelters will be built on for the displaced persons in Marawi City.

To note too, even if the Army has announced that the war in Marawi City is about to end, on-going air strikes can still be heard,  in this city, specially during mornings.