Vice President Leni Robredo urged the government to finally end “3 years of inaction and neglect in Marawi,” which continues to be in ruins since the May 23, 2017 siege on the city.
In a statement on the 3rd anniversary of the Marawi siege, Robredo expressed that “to this day, the city lies in ruins, and its people’s lives are frozen in time” as many residents continued to live in temporary shelter communities long after the battle.
“Three years of inaction and neglect in Marawi is a thousand days too long. We call on all concerned agencies to accelerate their actions while exercising full transparency,” she said.
Robredo, “Marawi is not merely a tragedy to be remembered; it is an ongoing problem that needs to be solved.”
Most importantly, she emphasized the vulnerability of Marawi residents as the country faces the threat of coronavirus pandemic.
“Let us also remember that temporary shelter communities pose an even more profound challenge given the virality of COVID-19. Any outbreak in these tightly-packed communities will increase the risk for all of us, and affect a public health system that is already under tremendous strain,” Robredo added.
On May 23, 2017, local terrorists in alliance with the Islamic State (IS or ISIS) laid siege Marawi City, prompting a military operation that lasted for 5 months and turned the city into a ghost town.
The led to the imposition of martial law in Mindanao until December 31, 2019, which aims to aid in the rehabilitation efforts.
In March 2019, Task Force Bangon Marawi promised that the displaced residents would be able to return home by September 2019.
