CRRDPM: Treading the Long and Winding Road ?

MASIDING NOOR YAHYA

Iligan City | January 7, 2018

Observers expressed concern on how the Comprehensive Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Development Plan for Marawi (CRRDPM) is being undertaken. 

One prominent lawyer present in a forum held at a function hall room here last December 26, 2017 said in a post he titled THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD in his facebook account "Inno Mangaday" that the process is circuitous and inherently delaying.

"Ordinarily," he said, "the responsive approach to a calamitous event is by adhocracy, by a task force and/or technical working groups tasked to perform a special act by bypassing the delay-laden bureaucracy. It's ideally a short-circuit approach to enhance immediate response."

Another journalist invited to cover the event said if this is the way it is going on, it will take more time before they can finish the plans. 

Frank E. Dosdos, Jr., a veteran broadcaster and newspaper reporter said participants cannot agree on many points as they are insisting their own desires especially those affected in the Ground Zero.

The three Maranao cabinet secretaries presented the Plan to more than 20 Maranaos who attended the forum last December 26 including Sultan Nasser D. Sampaco, chair of Marawi Sultanate League; Sultan Camid Gandamra, Marawi City administrator; Sultan Monching Macabando of Marinaut, among others.

Secretaries Abdullah Mamao, Guiling Mamondiong and Abul Khayr Alonto presented the CRRDPM for comment and review before they will finally submit it to Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM) and National Economic Development Authority (NEDA).

The CRRDP is an integration of the plans of the City Government of Marawi, the Provincial Government of Lanao Del Sur, the Regional Government of Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao  and Mindanao State University.

It is understood that previous consultations on this plan has been conducted a couple of times among stakeholders.

"I am smelling a tug-of-war within President's men and turfing inside the TFBM," said Inno Mangaday, adding that, "Believe me, tug-of-war and/or turfing are worst than the delay caused by the bureaucracy."

He said: 

"If Kambalingan is not excused from the delay caused by turfing and tug-of-war, the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Marawi will not only be delayed but it will be overtaken by similar calamitous events. God forbids. 

"The Philippines is not known for efficiency and responsiveness in addressing calamities. It is known for construction of bridge-to-nowhere. TS Vinta will augment the delay... 

"So, let's whistle our way in traversing the long and winding road bounded by a bridge-to-nowhere. I hope I will be wrong now." (RSP)