Gandamra says Marawi rises from rubbles, keeps resilience since 2017 siege

Marawi City Mayor Majul Gandamra stresses that the people in his locality have been resilient and determined to maintain peace and order since the 2017 siege. (Claire R. Gigje/PIA-10/Lanao del Sur)

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur (PIA)--Recalling how the city faced the aftermath of the tragic firefight between the government troop and the ISIS-inspired Maute terrorist group in 2017, Mayor Majul Gandamra underscored that hope has been visibly rising from the rubbles of the war with the citizens continue upholding resilience to maintain the peace and order in their place. 

“Although this was, indeed, a struggle to us, the internally displaced people, especially those who have lost everything in the infamous tragedy, we did stand up slowly but surely because we have no other options but to let life go on and to let ourselves rebuild little by little,” he said. 

Gandamra stressed that as five years rolled by, his city has also journeyed a long way already and has been striving to achieve a progressive and peaceful way of living. 

He underlined that the affected populace have been proactive and determined to learn from the lesson of the siege so that their hard-earned harmony would not be snatched away from them again. 

Highlighting the extensively damaged roads they had to take, Gandamra emphasized the various efforts of their partners which became the contributory factors of their positive gain towards recovery. 

He conveyed how gratified they were by the Philippine government, security sector, generous government of other countries, non-government organizations, concerned civic groups, and even the private citizens who assisted by extending financial grants, goods and expertise to aid in planning for the rehabilitation of their city. 

Notwithstanding the development that is making its way, Gandamra still called on implementing agencies with unfinished and delayed projects to step up their efforts to secure completion in the soonest possible time. 

 

He likewise reiterated the appeal of his people to the national government to implement the Marawi Siege Victims Compensation Act of 2022 by organizing the Marawi Compensation Board.

“Ito ay nang sa ganoon ay magsimula na ang paggulong ng proseso at maibigay na natin ang mga ayuda na dapat ibigay natin sa mga affected constituents,” said Gandamra.

[This is to start the rollout of the process and give the rightful aid to the affected constituents.] (CRG/PIA-10/Lanao del Sur)