Public Works Secretary Mark A. Villar announced the arrival of 47 sets of heavy equipment from China that will be used to speed up the recovery phase of Marawi City.
The heavy equipment arrived at the Port of Iligan City this week. “Through China’s Emergency Humanitarian Assistance Program, we expect seven more equipment to arrive,” Villar noted.
The sets of heavy equipment from China include:
■ Eight sets of excavators;
■ Sets of wheel loaders;
■ Sets of compactors;
■ Sets of track-type tractors;
■ Sets of bulldozers;
■ Sets of dump trucks;
■ Sets of cement mixers;
■ Unit of container van.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has also accomplished site-development works for six areas of transitory houses for Marawi siege evacuees.
“The area, which has been developed by the DPWH in Barangay Sagongsongan, Marawi City, can accommodate 1,100 families,” Villar noted. “Road concreting will be completed by November this year,” he added. The DPWH is the lead agency for the Reconstruction Committee of the Task Force Bangon Marawi.
“We have ordered all engineers concerned to prioritize the assessment of the area and make sure that all necessary procedures are taken cared of even before the on-ground rehabilitation starts,” Villar added.
“Our priority is to make sure that roads and bridges are in place such that there is smooth access of Marawi and its nearby towns,” he added.
Assistance to evacuation centers, such as improvement of roadways, installation of water-supply system, latrines, communal kitchens and other related matters, were consistently being provided and monitored by the DPWH.