A total of 256 internally displaced persons from Marawi’s Most Affected Areas attend their mass graduation ceremony on October 25, 2024, marking the completion of their skills training. (Norjana Malawi/BIO)
MARAWI CITY — A new batch of 256 internally displaced persons (IDPs) officially finished intensive skills training programs designed to help rebuild Marawi City’s Most Affected Areas (MAAs). Each graduate received a training allowance, a toolkit specific to their skill area, and a certificate of completion during the commencement ceremony conducted in this city on October 25, 2024.
“You [IDPs] are our true partners in rebuilding MAAs,” stressed Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education-Technical Education and Skills Development (MBHTE-TESD) Lanao del Sur Provincial Director Asnawi Bato.
“With our combined efforts and the skills you’ve gained, we can sustainably rebuild Marawi together,” he added.
This is the second group to complete the program in 2024, following an initial batch of 250 graduates earlier this year.
The skills training, a component of the Marawi Rehabilitation Program’s (MRP) Construction Materials Assistance (CMA), aims to equip a total of 1,500 IDPs affected by the 2017 Marawi siege. Under this, MRP partnered with MBHTE-TESD to train the beneficiaries either in carpentry, masonry, or electrical maintenance—skills vital for rebuilding their homes and communities.
For this batch, a total of nine (9) training centers were tapped to teach the IDPs in their respective skill areas. To deepen their learning, the trainees engaged in hands-on activities that put their skills into practice.
“Marami na ang pagbabago na nakita naming simula noong naitatag ang BARMM. Ang training namin na ito ang isa sa makakapagpatunay na hindi natatapos sa ayuda ang mga tulong na natatanggap naming mga IDP mula sa Bangsamoro Governments,” said Monib Batuampar Jr., one of the graduates.
[“We have seen many changes since the BARMM was established. This training is proof that the assistance we IDPs receive from the Bangsamoro Government goes beyond just relief aid.]
The rehabilitation of Marawi is part of BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim’s 12-Point Priority Agenda and with the program continuing to roll out, Marawi’s rebuilding efforts are set to benefit from a skilled local workforce.
The Program Steering Committee (PSC) of the MRP, led by its Chairperson, Deputy Chief Minister for Mainland Ali Solaiman, and PSC Spokesperson MP Marjanie Macasalong, was also present during the event. (Norjana Malawi/BIO)
