NHA turns over 550 shelters to displaced families in Marawi

MARAWI CITY - The National Housing Authority (NHA) has turned over 550 units of transitory shelters at Barangay Boganga here to families who lost their homes during the five-month war between government forces and Islamic State-inspired armed groups in Marawi City in 2017.

The first batch of beneficiaries, consisting of 206 families, had settled into their units after the turnover ceremony last week.  The NHA said the remaining units will eventually be occupied by the beneficiaries identified by the local government unit of Marawi, while the NHA continues to build more.

Called the 'Lake View Shelter,' the transitory relocation site in Boganga is the second temporary relocation site for the displaced families, particularly those from the 250-hectare most affected area (MAA), who have stayed in the different evacuation centers in Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur since the start of the Marawi siege.

The first one is the 'Bahay ng Pagbabago' in Barangay Sagonsongan where the government built 1,052 temporary shelters that are already being occupied by the beneficiaries.

Located also inside the Sagonsongan is the 'Angat Buhay Village,' initiated by Vice President Leni Robredo's 'Angat Buhay Foundation,' consisting of 60 housing units.

The NHA said 1,500 transitory shelter units will be built in Boganga and Sagonsongan before March this year, and about 300 additional units will be turned over to the next batch of beneficiaries.

"Tuloy-tuloy po ang pagbibigay ng (transitory shelter) units hanggang sa ma-occupy ang 550 units, at sa darating na Marso ay muli kaming magbubukas at magtu-turn over ng 250 to 300 units pa po para sa mga kapatig nating nasa mga evacuation centers pa (We will continue to turn over transitory shelters until all 550 units are occupied, and by March we plan to open another 250 to 300 units for families still living in evacuation shelters)," said NHA Director Roderick Ibanez.

Started in August last year, the housing agency finished the first 500 units in less than five months.

Salima Ampaso, a former resident of Barangay Datu Naga inside the MAA, said she was relieved when she was included in the first batch to receive transitory housing in Boganga.

"Mainit sa evacuation center, wala kang privacy.  Di ka makagalaw para maghanapbuhay dahil walang magbabantay sa tent mo, sa anak mo dahil nag-alala ka sa safety niya (It is hot in evacuation shelters, there's no privacy.  You can't move to find a living because no one will watch over the tent, and you worry about your child's safety)," she said.

Although it took almost two years before she and her fellow evacuees to be relocated, Ampaso said it was worth the wait.

Task Force Bangon Marawi explained that it prioritized those who are still living in the evacuation centers outside Marawi City to be transferred to transitory shelters.

Ibanez said about 800 families are still living in the evacuation centers, some of them in the Sarimanok tents in Barangay Poblacion. [Divina M. Suson, PNA]