P15-B ‘Marshall Plan’ for Marawi readied

The Duterte administration is spending P15 billion to rebuild war-torn Marawi City, according to Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel, a member of the House of Representatives appropriations committee.

“President Duterte is absolutely determined to reestablish and renew Marawi, and we are all for it. This is our ‘Marshall Plan’ for the city,” he said, referring to the initiative to revive Western Europe after World War II.

“All of the city’s damaged structures will be restored, including homes, schools, places of worship, hospitals, public markets, roads and bridges. The city’s electricity, water and telecommunications services will also be fixed and improved,” he added.

Pimentel noted that the proposed P3.8-trillion 2018 budget includes P10 billion for Marawi. “This is on top of the P5 billion already available this year.”

He also said the P10 billion would come from the proposed P25.5-billion 2018 national disaster risk reduction and management fund, not from the Philippine Gaming and Amusement Corp. as previously reported.

The fund is “for aid, relief and rehabilitation services to areas affected by manmade and natural calamities, and the repair and reconstruction of permanent structures, including other capital expenditures for disaster operation and rehabilitation activities,” he explained.

Meanwhile, Makati Rep. Luis Campos Jr. said the 2018 budget also includes P2.9 billion for free Internet access in 5,308 sites.

The money is part of the Department of Information and Communications Technology outlay.

Campos has been pushing for faster and greater public access to the Internet.