‘Marawi battle zone debris clearing halfway done’

MANILA, Philippines — The clearing of debris in Marawi’s battle zone is halfway done, according to the Task Force Bangon Marawi. 

“We are now in the debris management, which is 50 percent (complete). By November, we would have cleared all unexploded ordnances and debris that need removing,” Task Force Bangon Marawi chairman and Housing Secretary Eduardo del Rosario said yesterday. 

“Some vertical infrastructure projects will commence in the fourth quarter. Our target completion is December 2021,” Del Rosario added. 

He said the task force made progress despite the charges filed before the Office of the Ombudsman against him and other officials as well as debris-clearing companies due to supposed delays in rehabilitation efforts. 

Del Rosario said affected residents could not return to their barangays until the unexploded bombs and debris have been extracted. 

“In the interest of general public safety we could not allow them. From time to time we are getting big bombs. If those explode, hundreds would be adversely affected,” he said, citing the recovery of a 260-pound unexploded bomb on Saturday.