Duterte affirms commitment to rebuild Marawi

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (ROBINSON NIÑAL JR./PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO)

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte has affirmed his commitment to rebuild Marawi City and to help the people affected by a five-month fighting get back on their feet.

In a Palace briefing on Tuesday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the President made the commitment during Monday afternoon’s Cabinet meeting in Malacanang.

“The President affirmed that he will rebuild Marawi,” Roque said.

Roque said Task Force Bangon Marawi head and housing czar Eduardo del Rosario reported that the cost of rebuilding Marawi would reach at least PHP50 billion.

“He (the President) committed that he will find funding sources for this PHP50 billion although in the 2018 budget, PHP20 billion is already appropriated for this purpose,” Roque said.

Meanwhile, Roque said President Duterte had given an instruction to conscript into the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police at least 4,000 Maranaos affected by the fighting in Marawi.

The instruction was given to the Presidential Adviser on Mindanao Affairs, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Presidential Adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers, according to Roque.

During last week’s Bangon Marawi press briefing, Del Rosario announced that a total of 800 transnational shelters had already been turned over to internally displaced people (IDPs).

Government agencies have also provided livelihood supports such as sewing machines, woodworking or carpentry tools, sari-sari store start kits, hauling vehicles, mobile rice mills, and electronic tool kits.

A total of 50 units of non-motorized fiberglass bancas were also distributed to the residents affected by the conflict perpetrated by the Maute and Abu Sayyaf terrorists.

Based on the latest Post-Conflict Needs Assessment report, the total damages wrought by the Marawi siege to agriculture and infrastructure has reached PHP11.61 billion while total losses in opportunity is over PHP6.6 billion.

Del Rosario said the National Economic Development Authority was preparing the comprehensive rehabilitation and reconstruction plan which would be out by March for Marawi City.

He said five big real estate developers had already expressed interest to rehabilitate the 250-hectare area heavily damaged by the fight in Marawi.