President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has ordered the opening of the Marawi City General Hospital (MCGH) by August to restore essential healthcare services in the war-torn city.

“We are giving the contractors and all the government agencies a deadline of August to open the hospital so it can start serving the public,” Marcos said during his visit to various rehabilitation sites in Marawi City on Monday.

The President noted significant progress in Marawi’s post-war reconstruction nearly seven years after the 2017 siege, with several key facilities now nearing completion, including the MCGH — a 100-bed Level 1 healthcare facility.

Dr. Sulpicio Henry Legaspi Jr., Director IV of the Department of Health (DoH), briefed Marcos on the hospital’s capabilities, ongoing works, and remaining requirements to be fully operational.

The President said that while the hospital already has power, a standby generator is needed to guarantee uninterrupted service.

The facility is a critical component of the government’s effort to restore essential health services in the most affected areas of Marawi following the conflict.

According to Legaspi, the construction is in its final stages and is expected to be fully completed by September. The preparations include recruiting and training hospital personnel.

The project, implemented in two phases, will serve over 207,000 residents of Marawi and nearby towns of Lanao del Sur and decongest the overburdened Amai Pakpak Medical Center.

Phase 1, which involved site development, was funded with ₱51.98 million from the Office of the President and completed in September 2022. Phase 2, covering building construction, began in June 2022 with a ₱293.6 million budget.

Final works—including painting, plumbing, electrical, and mechanical installations—are ongoing on all three floors and ancillary facilities. The DoH–Center for Health Development Northern Mindanao (CHDNM) is overseeing the project.

More projects underway

Apart from the MCGH, Marcos inspected other ongoing projects, including the Marawi City-Dansalan Integrated School, the Marawi Port, and Temporary Learning Spaces (TLS) in Barangay Sagonsongan.

The President emphasized the need to sustain the rehabilitation efforts: “We have to continue the work to restore essential services for our people here,” he said.

At the Marawi Port, he highlighted its strategic importance serving 18 municipalities around Lake Lanao. He also announced plans to build additional ports to improve connectivity in the region.

Efforts are also underway to resolve water supply issues, with the government coordinating with the Department of National Defense to address infrastructure challenges.

Marcos acknowledged that challenges remain but stressed that the progress so far reflects the government’s commitment to long-term recovery.

Focus on education, digital access

Marcos also led initiatives to expand digital learning access in Marawi, particularly for students in conflict-affected and remote communities. He visited Barangay Sagonsongan to check on TLS facilities serving more than 720 students from five displaced schools.

During his visit, Marcos oversaw the installation of a Starlink internet unit that he personally donated to provide reliable internet for teachers and students.

He pledged to donate more Starlink units to four remote schools: Bangon Elementary School, Bacarat National High School, Angoyao National High School, and Cabasaran Primary School.

Along with internet access, the Office of the President distributed school bags and supplies to all TLS students.

Malacañang said the deployment of Starlink to underserved schools forms part of the administration’s broader push to close the education gap in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.

The Marawi rehabilitation program remains one of the Philippines’ most complex post-conflict efforts, focused on rebuilding infrastructure, homes, and public services following the devastating five-month battle between government forces and the Maute terrorist group in 2017.

The conflict, which erupted on 23 May 2017, left more than 1,100 dead and large portions of the city in ruins.