550 transitional shelters to be awarded to Marawi IDPs

Photo taken a day after the Marawi Siege began on May 23, 2017. (Agency)

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur: 550 families displaced by the Marawi Siege are scheduled to transfer to temporary shelters in Boganga village, this city on Thursday, officials said.

Assistant Secretary Felix Castro Jr., Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM) Field Manager, said families to transfer are those living in evacuation centers in Lanao del Norte and selected parts of Lanao del Sur.

He said the 550 units are a part of the 1,500 transitional shelters being constructed by the Task Force through the National Housing Authority (NHA) in a 15.95-hectare in Boganga.

Another 1,500 shelters will also be built in Barangay Rorogagus, Castro said. Each transitional shelter unit has a floor area of 24 square-meters with partitions, kitchen sink, restroom, and a rainwater catchment area.

He said TFBM is expediting the construction of transitory shelters to free the displaced families from crowded evacuation centers with the objective to transfer IDPs living in evacuation centers outside first before those who are home-based.

Home-based refers to those living in houses of their relatives or renting.

Castro said a technical working group headed by the local government of Marawi is in charge of identifying beneficiaries coming from the 24 most affected barangays by the siege based on criteria it has set.

As of press time, tens of thousands of IDPs are still living in evacuation centers and tents. (MNY/RSP)