OFFICE OF SENATOR RONALD "BATO" DELA ROSA
SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON MARAWI CITY REHABILITATION
21 September 2021; 10:00AM
OPENING STATEMENT

Magandang umaga sa ating lahat!

After more than a year since our public hearing in Iligan City and site inspection in Marawi City, I would like to welcome again everyone to this hearing of the Special Committee on Marawi City Rehabilitation.

Marami na ang nangyari sa ating bansa dulot ng pandemya. Ilang buwan na tayong naka-lockdown at napasailalim sa iba't-ibang quarantine restrictions. Hanggang ngayon ay patuloy ang pagtaas ng kaso ng mga nagkakasakit dahil sa Delta variant. Ilang kababayan na natin ang nagkasakit, namatay, nawalan ng mahal sa buhay, nagutom, nawalan ng negosyo at kabuhayan dahil sa COVID-19 virus.

As they say, although we are we are in the same storm, definitely we are not in the same boat. Our brothers and sisters in Marawi City have survived a war. Now, I am hopeful that we will survive this pandemic together.

Today, we want to hear not only the status of the Marawi Reconstruction effort of the government but most importantly the condition and situation of our kababayans in Marawi City, most specially the internally displaced persons (IDPs).

It has been four years since the war. More crucial than ever, we must now expedite the government's program of rebuilding the war torn city. Sec. Del Rosario time and again promised to finish the rehabilitation by December 2021. I trusted his words. Three months before the end of the timeframe of the Task Force, I am eager to hear the updates of the ongoing rehabilitation of the city.

Before I end, I am elated to inform the body that the Marawi Compensation Bill that we promise is now set for hearing under the Committee on Finance in the next few days. We will work double time to pass this measure for the people of Marawi.

I now recognize my fellow senators if they have any opening statements.