Despite the presence of a few remaining Filipino and foreign terrorist fighters in the newly-liberated city, it is relatively safe to rebuild Marawi, said Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar on Wednesday.
His statement came the morning after President Rodrigo Duterte declared the city "liberated from terrorists," ushering in the beginning of the recovery of the ruined city.
"Relatively, it's already safe to rebuild Marawi," said Andanar in an interview on Unang Balita.
He said the rescued hostages he had talked to on Tuesday told him the number of terrorist forces had thinned out since Friday, when they last talked.
Andanar added that the main battlefield has decreased in size, from three hectares to two as of October 17.
In the outskirts of the city, rehabilitation and trade could begin, he said.
"Sa outskirts ng Marawi, syempre ang laking lugar n'un eh, ay okay na magsimula 'yung rehabilitasyon at kalakalan," said the PCOO chief.
What is not safe to say, on the other hand, is that martial law will be lifted after the presidential declaration of liberation.
"I wouldn't say that. I would leave that to the President," he said, adding there are remaining forces in Basilan and Jolo, Sulu that need to be countered.
Rehabilitation
The government will need P150 billion to rebuild Marawi City. The Office of Civil Defense, together with the Department of National Defense (DND), estimated the overall rehabilitation to cost at least P100 billion up to P150 billion.
Andanar said it is up to Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno to source the funds for the immense project, but that an initial P5 billion has already been allocated for use until December this year.
The PCOO, for its part, has received P30 million to establish a Salam television and radio station for the city, he said.
"At least, in terms of communicating the message of government ay magkakaroon po ng sariling TV at stasyon ang siyudad ng Marawi," he said.
Rehabilitation has already started in some parts of the city, he said, citing the building of both temporary and permanent shelters in certain barangays around the city.
Marawi City's ground zero has to be cleared entirely, said Andanar.
"Talagang wala ka nang mapakikinabangan eh. You have to bulldoze the entire area, 'yung ground zero," he said.
The nearly 360,000 individuals who had been displaced by the fighting may return home once the area is completely free from explosive devices, added Andanar.
"Once that is cleared already, na-mop out na 'yan, then they can already go back," he said.
He said Task Force Bangon Marawi will hold a meeting later in the day to discuss recovery efforts for the city, which endured armed fighting for almost five months. —Nicole-Anne C. Lagrimas /KG, GMA News
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