A CONSORTIUM of Chinese and Filipino firms would build the “new Marawi” within the 250-hectare “Ground Zero,” the former main battle area in the five-month siege last year.
The proposal of Bagong Marawi Consortium, composed of five Chinese and four local firms and led by China State Construction Engineering Corp. Ltd. “was already selected and negotiation for the terms of reference, costing and project details” was to start April 2 and the Swiss Challenge would be undertaken by first week of May, Housing Secretary Eduardo del Rosario, chair of Task Force Bangon Marawi said on Sunday.
Asked what firms comprise Bagong Marawi Consortium, del Rosario replied, “five Chinese and four local.” He said the group is “led by China State” but “I don’t recall the eight others.”
While negotiations are going on between the developer and technical working group, a team composed of representatives from the local governments of Marawi, Lanao del Sur and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, TFBM and the developer will also conduct “ground consultations (with) all stakeholders” on the second and third week of April, he said.
The team’s output would be incorporated in the negotiation to come up with the final rehabilitation and development plan, del Rosario said.
In March 21, del Rosario presented during a public forum a slide show on the “new Marawi,” the logo on the slides representing his office, the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council: a Marawi with a lakeside promenade, cultural center, resorts, hotels, convention centers, a city green, an eco-corridor, etc.
Asked on Sunday if what he presented on March 21 was already the proposal of the consortium, del Rosario replied, “Yes.”
Although the perspectives he showed looked impressive, many of the residents who attended the forum asked questions like “Where is the Meranaw there?” “Whose perspective is this?”
They also sought answers to questions that had been bugging them in the last 10 months: Can they go back and rebuild their homes and shops? What about compensation? reparation, etc..
On the eve of a rally in March, the Ranaw Multi Sectoral Movement issued an open letter of appeal to President Duterte to grant the Meranaws their right to rebuild Marawi City as they rejected the proposed rehabilitation plans “being imposed upon us.” (carolyn o. arguillas of mindanews)
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