Beware of ‘crooked politicians’ when rebuilding Marawi

The government, through the Department of Public Works and Highways, is reportedly formulating a ‘master plan’ to rebuild, reconstruct and rehabilitate’ Marawi City once the fighting ends there.

That is very good news for the thousands of residents of the city, many of whom had fled to neighboring towns and cities because of the fighting between government troops and the Abu Sayyaf-Maute terrorist group combine that led to the destruction of their homes and loss of lives of relatives.

Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said the administration would avoid the mistakes that were committed when the government rebuilt communities in Eastern Visayas devastated by Supertyphoon “Yolanda.”

The government, reports said, will allot P20 billion for that purpose, and I hope that local and national politicians from Mindanao will not be taking advantage of their positions to corner contracts and exact kickbacks from the effort.

It would take years, if ever it would be implemented, before the “master plan” can be finally completed. And I hope that our soldiers and police force would be present before and during the rebuilding and rehabilitation of Marawi City to keep watch against terrorists and at the same time prevent crooked politicians from taking advantage of the situation.

When the government rebuilt communities in Eastern Visayas devastated by Yolanda, politicians from the region dipped their hands into every project, lobbying to have their favored contractors bag contracts, resulting in substandard homes and facilities.

I hope that the President and Secretary Villar will tap the AFP and the PNP to monitor and denounce crooked politicians who will take advantage of the situation when the ‘master plan’ to rebuild Marawi City starts.

DANA R. DEL ROSARIO, danadelrosario2@gmail.com