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Courtesy of Philippine Star

Marawi is on its way to recovery. As the efforts continue to revive Lanao Del Sur’s capital after being ravaged by war, private institutions and government organizations are partnering to address the need for water in the area.

As the country’s major private sector driver and coordinator for disaster resilience, the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF) linked with PepsiCola Products Philippines Inc. (PCPPI) to provide the internally displaced people of Marawi with clean and safe water. PDRF tapped PCPPI to provide 12 cylindrical, 20,000-liter water tanks* to various gravely affected barangays across the province. PCPPI will also partner with PDRF to conduct community training on water management and hygiene, as well as initiate various programs for the holistic, socio-psychological recovery of the Maranaos.

In full support of this partnership is Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council Secretary General Falconi Millar, who was present during the signing ceremony.

Millar also serves as Undersecretary of Task Force Bangon Marawi – the inter-agency task force of the government dedicated to the recovery, reconstruction and rehabilitation of Marawi and other affected localities.

“Much has been done by Task Force Bangon Marawi, yet much is still left to be done,” said Millar. “In the evacuation centers, we have 1,248 families as of last week while in ground zero about 10,000 families are living there. There are about 12,000 households who are currently home-based living with relatives, however they still want to return to their households. We are targeting the groundbreaking for the most affected area of Marawi for the last week of June. We are working double time.”

The Undersecretary underlined that PDRF was one of the first to send recovery teams to Marawi, and that with their partnership with PCPPI he sees an evolution of responsible corporate citizenship in the private sector.

“Water is a critical need and a fundamental right,” said Butch Meily, president of the PDRF. “It’s been a year since the siege of Marawi, and until now more than 70,000 families still have to live with the hardship brought about by the war. Today we are even more determined to turn the tide by providing them with the water they direly need.”

*donations are tax deductible in both the Philippines and the United States