MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur (PIA)–The Marawi Compensation Board (MCB) is now exerting its full force as it faces a climbing number of Maranaos and non-Maranaos submitting their applications for the compensation of their ravaged or mutilated properties and those who perished due to the five-month battle here between the government troops and the Dawlah-linked Maute group.
The filing of claims officially started, July 4, 2023, at the barangay complex of West Marinaut village in this city and is bound to close on July 3, 2024.
MCB Chairperson Lawyer Maisara Dandamun-Latiph revealed that as of July 17 this year, about 12,500 individuals had indicated their desire to meet the board’s personnel through an online appointment, while 4,000 came on site to mark their application date.
Moreover, 20,000 applicants are anticipated to endorse their pertinent papers until December this year based on the tallied bookings, wherein an average of 200 to 300 people will be accommodated daily.
The board explained that they opted to enforce an appointment setting to control the influx of claimants and ensure that everyone admitted on the day would be catered to.
Latiph also pointed out that in the government data provided by the Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM) called Kathanor, 17,433 households were registered as siege-stricken and thus expected to file their claims.
Further, under the record of Kathagombalay, or the processing of building permits, 12,500 structures are, accordingly, entailed to be paid after being destroyed or damaged, while other logs show that there are at least 1,000 casualties of the 2017 tragedy.
With the escalating number of applicants, Latiph admitted that they began to encounter various challenges as well, such as in the claims involving personal properties, wherein numerous renters took part in the process and others failed to exhibit substantial evidence, such as receipts of destroyed or damaged assets, police reports, and affidavits thoroughly detailing the incident.
She added that they also dwell on the concern of legal documentation, as some cannot appreciate the value of presenting legitimate prerequisites, especially the affidavits, which are known to be binding due to the details stipulated and the informants signatures therein.
Notwithstanding the struggles awaiting them, Latiph is optimistic that the duration of the claims application will cinch success and that they will realize their prime objective of aiding the war victims cope with the adversities and sufferings.
“This momentous occasion represents a very crucial step towards justice, healing, and restoration of dignity for those affected by the devastating armed conflict. We shall see a ray of hope that Marawi will, indeed, rise and come back to life again. We see hope that people will reclaim their lives, dreams, excitement, and joy,” she said.
Marawi Compensation Board Chairperson Lawyer Maisara Dandamun-Latiph shares in an exclusive interview the struggles her group is encountering amidst the continuing acceptance of claims applications. She is nonetheless positive that they will reap success and provide compensation to all legitimate claimants. (CRG/PIA-10/Lanao del Sur)
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., on the other hand, recognized the year-long compensation process as an effort paving the way for the robustness of the lone Islamic locality of the country.
“The commencement of the filing of the application for the claims reflects the government’s commitment to open the path towards the full revival of this important city,” he said.
Pro-Muslim solons likewise backed the undertaking, maintaining that this would help in the fast recovery of all impacted citizens.
“Alam ko na hindi matutumbasan ng anumang kabayaran ang nawala sa bawat isa sa inyo. Gayunpaman, atin sanang ituring ang kompensasyong ito bilang tugon sa sugat at pagsilip sa kinabukasan ng muling pag-usbong ng Marawi,” said Senator Robinhood Padilla.
(I know that no amount of money can compensate for what has been lost to each of you. However, we see this compensation as one that addresses the wounds and peeks into the future, where Marawi once again moves forward)
The MCB stated that P1 billion worth of initial funding was downloaded by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), which would be utilized to pay the pilot batch of qualified claimants, with the missing and the dead as the priority for this year. An additional budget was also requested to cover more beneficiaries in the next year. (CRG/PIA-10/Lanao del Sur)
