TASK Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM) Chairman Secretary Eduardo D. Del Rosario prodded residents of this war-torn city to strive for peace and ensure that terrorism and violence will never struck again, saying that economic development can only thrive in a peaceful environment.
Del Rosario made the call while he was in Marawi City over the weekend where he led officials in commemorating the third year anniversary of the liberation of the only Islamic City in the country from the clutches of Deash-inspired terrorists.
“Peace is key to achieving progress and development in our beloved Islamic City,” stressed Secretary Del Rosario, who also heads the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).
“Investments will definitely come in with the existence of a peaceful environment,” the TFBM chairman added, as he reiterated President Rodrigo Duterte’s commitment to make Marawi City “rise again” by completing its rehabilitation until December 2021.
Joined by Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Gilbert Gapay and other officials, the TFBM Chairman led the inauguration of the newly-constructed Banggolo Bridge and the groundbreaking ceremony for the Bato Mosque, two of the key activities marking the commemoration.
Banggolo Bridge, whose importance was underscored by military officials during the five-month battle against the militants in 2017, was among those damaged during the war. It was briefly controlled by pro-ISIS terrorists before it was retaken by government forces.
On the other hand, the Bato Mosque was among the places of Islamic worship also damaged or destroyed during the battle. All in all, at least 30 destroyed mosques are going to be constructed in Marawi City by the TFBM in collaboration with private developers.
The TFBM Chairman noted that the construction of the Banggolo Bridge by the Department of Public Works and Highways was finished “ahead of time.”
“One by one, it would be completed like a jigsaw puzzle,” Secretary Del Rosario said, referring to the completion of the bridge and to all the lined up projects needed to rehabilitate Marawi City.
While in Marawi City, the TFBM Chairman also led or attended other activities that included a visit to the other ongoing projects within the Most Affected Area (MAA), inspection of the MAA-wide construction of road networks, permanent housing sites, holding a dialogue with homeowners in Barangay Kilala in the city and witnessing the groundbreaking event for the construction of the Raheeman Cooperative Building located inside the campus of the Mindanao State University.
“We, at the TFBM, re-commit ourselves to transform the Marawi rehabilitation as a catalyst for growth and sustainable development, a model for good governance and a template to achieve a peaceful environment ,” vowed Secretary Del Rosario.
