President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has directed the Office of the Presidential Adviser for Marawi Rehabilitation (OPAMR) to accelerate the rehabilitation efforts in Marawi City, particularly focusing on electricity, water, and housing projects. During a sectoral meeting at Malacañang Palace, Marcos stressed the importance of resolving these key issues to speed up the city’s recovery.
“You seem to have solutions to most of the issues. The installation of power and, more importantly, water—these must be completed as quickly as possible,” Marcos told OPAMR Secretary Nasser Pangandaman Sr., who provided updates on ongoing rehabilitation projects.
Pangandaman noted delays in the Local Water Utilities Administration’s (LWUA) Bulk Water Supply Project due to legal challenges. However, LWUA has committed to completing the project within four months, by the end of 2024.
Marcos also emphasized the urgency of addressing housing concerns for residents displaced by the 2017 Marawi siege. An agreement with private landowners to temporarily use their land for five years has already expired. Marcos tasked Pangandaman with negotiating an extension to accommodate affected families.
In August 2023, Marcos announced that P1 billion had been allocated for the Marawi Siege Victims Compensation Program as part of the 2024 national budget.
The Marawi siege, launched by the Maute Group in May 2017, resulted in months of conflict before the city was liberated in October of that year.