Gov’t welcomes private firms’ support for Marawi rehab

The NEDA official further said that as of Oct. 28, there were 77,170 families or 353,921 individuals displaced. (Pixabay photo)

MANILA— The government welcomes private sector support in its rebuilding efforts in war-stricken Marawi City, as it prepares a preliminary programming for the PHP5-billion fund earmarked for the reconstruction and repair until the end of the year.

“Whether the national government welcomes private contributions, the answer is definitely,” Adoracion Navarro, Undersecretary for Regional Development of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), said Tuesday.

Navarro said a forum with an organized group of private firms would be conducted this Friday wherein they would identify what they could offer for rehabilitation and recovery of Marawi City.

She bared the human recovery needs assessment for the internally displaced persons (IDPs) of Marawi City had been completed.

“Field validation for damage and loss assessment in areas already cleared by the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines); 49 of 96 barangays surveyed and data (are) being analysed,” she said.

The NEDA official further said that as of Oct. 28, there were 77,170 families or 353,921 individuals displaced.

“Most are home-based; others are in the 69 evacuation centers located in Lanaodel Norte and Lanao del Sur,” Navarro said.

“The timetable for finishing the PCNA (post-conflict needs assessment) really depends on the Armed Forces clearance on remaining uncleared barangays and also the speed in which the Office of Civil Defense can do that,” she added.