Following the GRMF Preliminary Assessment Team visit to Marawi City in early August, members of the team met with Philippine Secretary of Defense, Delfin Lorenzana. The purpose of these meetings was to lay out the Foundation's views and discuss potential directions for addressing the risks associated with the difficult rebuilding and resettling process. The Marawi rebuilding process is complicated by safety concerns arising from unexploded ordinance, IED's and booby traps that the military security in and around the battle zone know are present and have been discovering. This is the reason that the central battle area ("Ground Zero" or "Most Affected Area") is still cordoned off a year after the fighting has stopped, impeding the resettlement process.
The initial private meeting was held between Secretary Lorenzana and Foundation executives David Day and Dr. Elizabeth Chan. Subsequently, follow-up meetings were held with Ms. Bing Branigin, the Foundations Director for International Diplomatic and Community Outreach and still another with Advisor Gen.(Ret.) Darryll Wong.