Military engineering brigade accepts Marawi rehabilitation challenge

BALO-I, Lanao del Norte — A newly reactivated Army Brigade is now involved in the massive reconstruction of the Marawi City’s 24-barangay most affected area (MAA), which is now under debris clearing.

According to Brigadier Gen. Ramon Ruiz, commanding officer of the 55th Engineering Brigade based here, the first batch of heavy engineering equipment arrived at Iligan Port on Feb. 1 purposely to help in the rehabilitation and rebuilding of Marawi under the supervision of Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM).

“Our two battalions were already deployed in Marawi helping in the construction of temporary shelters, schools and debris clearing joining the Joint Task Group Builders,” Ruiz explained.

Under “Horizon 2” of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program, the 55th Engineering Brigade will acquire 54 out of 248 assorted units of heavy equipment, which will be distributed on the four other Army Engineering Brigades, Navy, and Air Force Engineers in the country.

The equipment, which have a contract price of P1.56 billion, were formally awarded by the Department of National Defense in a symbolic handover ceremony held at Lapu-Lapu Grandstand, Camp Aguinaldo, in Quezon City last Wednesday with DND Undersecretary Cardozo Luna representing Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, AFP chief-of-staff Gen. Benjamin Madrigal Jr. and deputy chief-of-staff for logistics, Maj. Gen. Pio Q. Diñoso III in attendance.

The army official also assured that just like any other engineering brigades, the 55th Engineering Brigade is capable of helping Marawi rise again.

“Despite our constraints, we do our best in any task that is given to us by our superiors because we are mission-oriented. Whatever we do, we do it to the best of our abilities for our country and for our people,” Ruiz vowed. (pia x)