CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Several civil society organizations (CSOs) in Marawi City on Thursday renewed their call for Congress to pass the Marawi Compensation Bill as the last State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Rodrigo Duterte nears.
Ding Cali, convenor of the Kalimudan sa Ranao Foundation, Inc., said four years since the Marawi siege in 2017, he appealed to the President to request both the House of Representatives and the Senate to certify the bill as urgent in order for affected residents to have additional investment and savings in rebuilding their lives.
"Four years (after the siege) was hard. Are the Meranaw able to save, are they alright? Not yet. Then there's the (Covid-19) pandemic. It's true that Meranaw people are good in doing businesses, but at this time, one year into the pandemic and people wanted to go back (to their houses). They don't have funds yet, everyone has made sacrifices," he said during the "Alerto Bangsamoro" radio program at DXMS Radyo Bida.
Prof. Noni Lao, representing the Lanao del Sur Peoples Council, said even if Duterte would not certify the bill as urgent, or mention it in his last SONA, their organization would join other CSOs in convincing government officials to expedite its passage.
"We still have to proceed and pursue our advocacy for the rights of the IDPs (internally displaced persons). Even whatever the means, like dialogues, and other gatherings. There is BARMM (Bangsamoro government), the LGUs (local government unit) we can appeal not forget the compensation bill," she said.
Several compensation bills have been filed before the House and the Senate since 2018, the recent was House Bill 7502 filed by Lanao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Mohamad Khalid Dimaporo. (PNA)
