$10-billion rehab fund for Marawi to get another $10 billion — Palace
PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte has increased the allotted fund for the rehabilitation of war-torn Marawi city, which is now at P20 billion from the initial appropriation of P10 billion.
Mr. Duterte made the promise on Tuesday in his speech before evacuees in Iligan City, located some 38 km away from Marawi, where troops are battling Islamic-State (IS)-inspired militants holed up in the predominantly Muslim city. “But this I will promise you, I will set aside initially P20 billion para maumpisahan (for the rehabilitation to start). ’Yung mga mahirap ang unahin ko (Those who are poor will be the first ones to receive assistance),” Mr. Duterte said.
Sought for details, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto C. Abella said in a press briefing on Wednesday that the amount was an “enlargement” of the previously announced appropriation for Marawi.
To be sure, an Executive Order that Malacañang announced early this month called “Bangon Marawi” — a P10-billion proposed blueprint on the restoration of the besieged city submitted by the Defense department — still awaits Mr. Duterte’s signature.
“But the process itself — whether it’s going to be the same or another program, it wasn’t clear but definitely he (Mr. Duterte) did say that he was setting aside that amount — P20 billion,” Mr. Abella said.
Asked about the basis for the hike, Mr. Abella said the new amount of P20 billion is based on “anecdotal reports” on the damages from the clashes.
“Although there’s not a numerical report, it’s based on observation,” the Palace spokesperson said.
According to Mr. Abella, there is no deadline yet for the President’s approval of the Defense department-led rehabilitation plan because “it’s being drawn up.”
“The actual detailed plan that you’re asking for will actually have to be drawn up after things have been properly cleared,” he said.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) earlier said it plans to rehabilitate Marawi “as fast as it can” although it has yet to determine when it can begin rehabilitation and estimate the damage from the warfare.
A comprehensive assessment of the overall cost to infrastructure and the local economy will have to wait until guns fall silent and the dust settles.
The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) government held on June 6 an initial meeting on how it will evaluate what has been destroyed, so it could start drafting a rehabilitation plan.
An initial assessment estimates Marawi’s rehabilitation will extend beyond the term of Mr. Duterte, who is expected to step down by 2022.
Budget Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno recently said that there is no need, for now, for a supplemental budget for the rehabilitation of public and private establishments in Marawi City, adding that response funds under the government budget are sufficient thus far.
The calamity fund for this year has been cut by P21.5 billion while the Office of the President received more than a 600% hike in funding — with Mr. Duterte’s intelligence fund increasing almost five-fold compared with the same appropriation during the time of his predecessor.