Fifty-two-year-old Johary Naga Pacasum has lived for years in a temporary shelter – long enough that he has given up hope that he and his family can return to their ancestral home in what is called the Marawi siege’s “Most Affected Area.”
Showing his documents, Pacasum said these were his application papers for compensation promised by the government to Marawi residents whose houses were destroyed, and who were driven out during the five-month battle to retake the Muslim-majority city from the ISIS-inspired Maute Group.
Pacasum said he filed his application with the MCB two years ago, but it has remained pending along with thousands of others.
“I literally have given up hope to return. Even BARMM (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) could not help us. They are busy with their problems,” Pacasum said.
Data from the MCB showed that as of September, only 1,455 claimants had been paid out of the 14,495 residents who have come forward to file their claims since the government agency was established in 2022, when the Marawi Siege Victims Compensation Act was signed into law.
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The MCB was formed to handle the payment process for thousands of Marawi residents.
MCB spokesperson Johary Lumna said the board has paid P2.447 billion to 1,465 claimants whose applications were processed and approved for payment.
Lumna said the bulk of the P2.447 billion was paid to 65 death claimants, followed by claimants including renters and sharers whose houses were destroyed or damaged during the fighting.
The business sector, including schools that were destroyed, will be given last priority for payment.
He said the compensation law, or Republic Act No. 11696, and its implementing rules and regulations were amended in June, detailing how compensation for private properties would be made.
Lumna said that under the revised IRR, compensation for private properties demolished during the Marawi Recovery, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Program – including those destroyed during the search for unexploded ordnance – will be transferred to the National Housing Authority (NHA).
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He said 3,388 claimants from barangays Datu Naga, Datu sa Dansalan, Dansalan and Sabalamanaw would be affected and have their claims transferred to the NHA.
“That would lessen our workload but this would become a problem because most residents do not trust NHA,” Lumna said.
But for Pacasum, the waiting has become too much to bear. He wants the MCB to hand out compensation money in lump sum to claimants like him.
He said he and his wife and five children struggle daily to survive at a temporary shelter in Area 6A in Barangay Sagonsongan, Marawi City.
“Profits in our small sari-sari and bakery store could barely feed my family. I always look for odd jobs to give us extra money,” Pacasum said. – Rappler.com
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