Poe proposes P5 billion additional Marawi rehab fund

At first glance, the endless rows of devastated buildings could be the aftermath of a great earthquake. But the punctured, bullet-riddled walls tell the true story of the Philippines’ longest urban war. / AFP PHOTO / TED ALJIBE

Senator Grace Poe has pushed for an additional P5 billion fund to “help bring back to life” the war-torn Marawi City.

“After the conflict, we want to see rising a stronger, better Marawi,” Poe said in a statement on Sunday.

Poe, a member of the Senate special committee on Marawi that oversees the government’s rebuilding initiatives in the war-torn area, proposed that the P5-billion “Bangon Marawi Fund” additional fund be included under the Unprogrammed Appropriations of the 2018 General Appropriations Act, which is being deliberated in Congress.

The amount is on top of the P20 billion to be released within three years by the government for the reconstruction and rebuilding of the city.

“Maraming buhay ang nalagas, nasira ang komunidad at nawalan ng tirahan ang mga residente doon. Hindi matatawaran ang sakripisyo at mahabang panahong ginugol ng militar sa pagtugis sa mga terorista,” Poe said.

“Tiyak na makatutulong ang dagdag na pondong ito upang maisakatuparan ang programa ng pamahalaan para sa pagbangon ng Marawi at para na rin sa mas mahigpit na seguridad sa lugar,” she added.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier declared that Marawi City has been liberated from the Islamic State-inspired Maute group following the deaths of its leaders, Isnilon Hapilon and Omar Maute. But the martial law in the city, as well as the entire Mindanao, is yet to be lifted.

The government, according to Poe, has allocated P5 billion for the post-conflict plan of the war-torn city in 2017, which would be sourced from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund.

An additional P10 billion will be released in 2018, while the budget allocation for 2019 would be estimated based on the remaining needs of the plan, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said, Poe said.

READ: Senate finance body eyes P10B of NDRRM budget for Marawi rehab

The government is also studying the possibility of a P30-billion bond float starting next year to help augment the funds for the city’s recovery, the senator added. /je