MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur (PIA)--The United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat) Philippines has been applauded by its government and private partners, seeing its initiatives as a success of the rehabilitation program here.
This, as the organization, capped its stay in the city after almost five years of implementing its project that has constructed a thousand permanent homes and provided livelihood.
Marawi Sultanate League (MSL) Chairman Sultan Nasser Sampaco underscored that the 2017 siege and its impacts might not be forgotten but the collective responses, gestures, comforting words, and emotions of many groups like the UN-Habitat with the guidance of the Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM) and the city government would give ease to their hardship.
As we begin a new episode of our history, they showed us the real meaning of recovery. It is always an opportunity with varied approaches to improve the past,” he said.
The MSL chairman also emphasized that the initiatives of the UN-Habitat signified a historic opportunity that they could not afford to pass up as it ensured a broad and lasting rise of prosperity for all of the residents.
Sampaco expressed that uncertainty might have continued to reign but for the first time in a long time, they felt like they could reasonably contemplate the future, and with this, they would always remember it as strong as the project they had for the city.
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Marawi Sultanate League Chairman Sultan Nasser Sampaco stresses that the UN-Habitat did not only give houses and livelihoods but also hopes to rise again. (Jason Casas/PIA-10/Lanao del Sur) |
TFBM Field Office Manager Felix Castro Jr. also stated that they have all caught the struggles the organization had to undergo to accomplish its mission.
He stressed that the UN-Habitat strived to overcome the challenges and as a payment, the beneficiaries should accordingly promise that they would love the houses and livelihood given to them as these were products of the sweat and blood of the organization.
“Balang araw na sila ay papasyal dito, makikita nilang lumago ang mga negosyo at [One day, when they come here, they will see that your businesses have progressed and] Marawi is much better than before. Iyan lang ang sense of fulfillment nila na [That is there only sense of fulfillment that] after all those years, they have been part of the rehabilitation of Marawi,” said Castro.
National Housing Authority (NHA) Marawi Project Management Office Deputy Head Engr. Aliacbar Lomigis, on the other hand, highlighted how the UN-Habitat has been their good companion in building abodes with the latter’s housing project also constructed at Pamayandeg sa Ranaw Residences at Dansalan Phase 1 in Barangays Kilala and Mipantao Gadongan, the same place where the NHA built their own sets of permanent shelters.
“They have constructed 300 housing units giving 300 families affected by the 2017 Marawi siege a new beginning and a beautiful home to start with… I formally thank all government agencies and private partners for the rehabilitation, especially the UN-Habitat for the further contribution to rebuilding Marawi,” he said.
Lomigis assured as well that while the organization has already ended its efforts here, the NHA through its assistance in the reconstruction and rehabilitation would make sure that support and services would be continuously delivered to the homeowners of the permanent shelters and other IDPs in the city. (CRG/PIA-10/Lanao del Sur)
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