MILITARY operations against the Maute terror group in Marawi City continues to rage on.
After four weeks of clashes, the conflict has claimed the lives of 59 soldiers, three policemen, 26 civilians, 257 Islamic State (IS)-linked gunmen. More than 300,000 have fled the city while 200 were left behind, either trapped or captured as hostages in the battle zone.
The damage wrought by the siege to properties and infrastructures has already reached more than P300 million. Marawi City Mayor Majul U. Gandamra also cited the adverse effects of the crisis to its residents such as displacement, loss of livelihood and educational opportunities, damage to properties, health and environmental hazards, trauma, divide and renewal of mistrust.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) has reported that 69,296 families or 338,536 persons have been displaced by the armed conflict.
Given the extent of the damages and the number of people affected, the national government must now focus on rehabilitation and peace-building efforts.
National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) executive director Ricardo Jalad vowed that rehabilitation will begin as soon as terrorists are flushed out form the city. Jalad added that it would be faster compared to the recovery efforts after super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) devastated the Visayas in 2013.
“Right now, we are still focusing on the response. We will do that as soon as Marawi is cleared. We will deploy rapid damage and needs assessment teams,” Jalad said.
Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said the national government allocated P10 billion for the rehabilitation of Marawi under the “Bangon Marawi” program.
Under the program, affected persons could avail emergency shelter assistance for the repair of the homes and cash-for-work and livelihood assistance.
While it is readying government efforts, Malacañang called on Filipinos to unite as a nation amid the ongoing hostilities in Marawi led by the Maute group, which have left scores dead, including government troops and innocent civilians.
“Our sovereignty is being confronted and I believe it’s time to set aside petty politics and the things that separate us. It’s really high time and I believe it’s a call to the Filipino nation to be able to stand together as one,” Abella said.
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Spokesperson Brigadier General Restituto Padilla Jr. described the conflict in Marawi City as a “fight between good and evil.”
“We must all work together, issue out a united and collective public condemnation of all these things that are happening in Marawi now and join hands together in resisting the entry of this evil force because this is no longer a simple matter. It’s already a fight between good and evil and you must all realize that by now,” he said.
The late Sir Winston Churchill once said that “if the human race wishes to have a prolonged and indefinite period of material prosperity, they have only got to behave in a peaceful and helpful way toward one another.”
Misconstruction and cross-cultural ignorance are among the main causes of war. While modernization demolishes geographical barriers and moves the world toward amalgamated economy, clashes among cultures can have a damaging impact on world peace. (AJPress)
