P5-B budget alloted for Marawi rehab in Q4 2017: Lorenzana

FILE: Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana (PNA Photo)

MANILA — The government has allotted PHP5 billion budget for the rehabilitation of the war-ravaged Marawi CIty for the last quarter of the year, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana confirmed Thursday.

“The budget from October to December is PHP5 billion.The bulk will go to support the displaced persons (PHP3.4 billion), the rest is for building of temporary housing, clearing and rehab of roads, bridges and other infrastructure. For next year, we are batting for about PHP20 billion which would include construction of destroyed structures and rehab of partly damages homes,” Lorenzana said.

For his part, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson, Brig.

Gen. Restituto Padilla, said urban planners recommended a total rebuilding of destroyed structures in the city.

“Ang rebuilding ay mula sa scratch ay aayusin mo. Yung rehabilitation ay yung pwede pang ayusin, aayusin mo. Ang recommendation ng karamihan ng mga urban planners ay i-flat na, bago na lahat. Pero yung mga mosque doon hindi mo pwedeng galawin kasi ayos pa naman eh yun ire-rehab (Rebuilding means you have to start building from scratch. Rehabilitation means you can refurbish what is slightly damaged. Most urban planners recommended to flatten everything, it means all is new. But you cannot touch the mosques there because these are still intact, these can just be rehabilitated),” he explained.

Padilla noted that they are still waiting for the assessment of engineers from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) regarding the rebuilding procedure.

Earlier, Lorenzana said the rehabilitation at Marawi City is aimed at repairing and ensuring that all infrastructures, bridges, streets, and other facilities, are cleared and put in running order as quickly as possible, to expedite the rehabilitation of the city, including its business district.

Houses not damaged in the fighting, will be quickly returned to the evacuees as soon as possible.

“Then, we will (open) stores and deploy Department of Trade Industries’ rolling stores, to ensure that returning evacuees will have sources to acquire their supplies and other daily needs,” the defense chief said.

Temporary homes are also in the pipeline for residents those homes were damaged by the fighting that started on May 23 when government forces made a foiled attempt to arrest Abu Sayyaf leader and ISIS “emir” Isnilon Hapilon.

“As soon as the last shot is fired, the rehabilitation phase will start immediately. All available engineering equipment are there, including (those of) the Department of Public Works and Highways,” Lorenzana stressed. (PNA)