Gov’t to prioritize houses, not business establishments in Marawi

Earlier, Duterte commended the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) for building resilient housing units for the victims of Marawi siege in 2017. (File Photo: Task Force Bangon Marawi/Facebook)

MANILA — The government will prioritize the reconstruction of houses and hospitals for the people of Marawi and not business establishments destroyed during the 2017 Marawi siege, Malacañang said on Monday.

This after President Rodrigo Duterte, last week, said he is not keen on funding the reconstruction of the buildings of rich residents, particularly businessmen, in Marawi City since they have “lots of money.”

“Marami man ‘yang pera ‘yang mga tao diyan (Those people have a lot of money). Every Maranao, there is a businessman, kasali na ‘yangshabu (including shabu). May pera sila (They have money),” Duterte said during a situational briefing in San Fernando City, Pampanga on April 23.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo assured that government has enough funds for the rehabilitation of Marawi but had to prioritize people’s needs.

“Meron naman talagang funds ang Marawi. Pero hindi iyong para sa mga negosyo nila (We really have funds for Marawi. But it’s not for their businesses),” Panelo said in a Palace briefing.

“Ang priority siyempre iyong mga tao, sa tao tayo, iyong mga nawalan ng mga bahay doon, iyong mga may sakit doon . Hindi iyong ire-rebuild natin iyong mga building nilang nasira, hindi iyon siyempre ang priority (Our priority will be the people, the ones who lost their homes, the ones who are ill. Not the rebuilding of damaged business establishments, of course that won’t be the priority),” he added.

Panelo, however, said businessmen, particularly small and medium enterprises (SMEs) were still free to loan money from the government.

“Sa ngayon, sila muna. Iyon ang sinasabi ni Presidente. Later on siguro kung hindi mo kaya, oh di mag-loan ka sa gobyerno (For now, it’s up to them to spend for reconstruction. That’s what the President said. Later on, perhaps if they can’t afford it anymore, they can loan from the government),” Panelo said.

Asked what prompted Duterte to make this declaration, Panelo said the President simply did not want businessmen to expect that government will spend for the reconstruction of their buildings immediately.

“Siguro sinasabi niya lang priority para hindi umasa. Kasi baka naman umaasa sila kaagad na pati gobyerno ay itatayo iyong building nilang nasira (Perhaps he is saying his priorities so that they don’t keep their hopes up. Because they might be expecting that government will spend for the reconstruction of their damaged buildings),” Panelo said.

Earlier, Duterte commended the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) for building resilient housing units for the victims of Marawi siege in 2017.

“The thing I admired most was the speed that you built the houses in Marawi,” Duterte said.

Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM) chairperson and housing czar, Eduardo del Rosario has repeatedly assured the public that there is “no delay” in the target completion of the rehabilitation of Marawi City.

He said the government is still “on target” with respect to its timetable for completion of the rebuilding of the war-torn city by December 2021.