Gov’t readying Marawi rehab plan

AP

DAVAO CITY – The government is already preparing a comprehensive, multi-year plan to rebuild and rehabilitate war-torn Marawi City, Malacañang said Friday.

“The Duterte administration is now preparing a multi-year, comprehensive Marawi reconstruction plan,” presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said.

At least P10 billion will come from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) while the rest will be sourced from the national budget, Abella quoted Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno as saying.

Abella said a multi-agency task force will be convened to assess the situation.

Abella said funds from Pagcor will be used for presidential financial assistance while social welfare assistance to Marawi survivors will come from the national budget.

State-owned Land Bank of the Philippines and Development Bank of the Philippines may also open loan facilities for Marawi entrepreneurs, Abella added.

For families of soldiers and policemen killed in the fighting, Abella said the government will provide housing through the National Housing Authority.

The government will also shoulder the education of up to two children of soldiers or policemen killed in Marawi, Abella said.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has already deployed military engineers and equipment to help in the rehabilitation of Marawi as ordered by AFP chief Gen. Eduardo Año.

In this Friday, June 9, 2017, photo, evacuees walk along a deserted area of town in Marawi city, southern Philippines. Nearly every day for the past three weeks, the Philippine military has pounded the lakeside town of Marawi with rockets and bombs as it tries to wipe out militants linked to the Islamic State group in some of the most protracted urban combat to hit this volatile region in decades. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Military engineering units and personnel will help other government agencies in the proposed rehabilitation once the last Maute Group terrorists are neutralized or driven away.

“They are preparing already,” said military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla. “There are already engineering personnel in the area… They are readying for the rehab.”

Padilla could not quantify the personnel and equipment so far deployed but estimated at least two engineering battalions would be required.

In the fourth week of the conflict which started May 23, a total of 258 Maute Group terrorists have been killed along with 65 troops and police officers, and 26 civilians.