Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 21) — The government has released ₱22.2 billion for the rehabilitation of Marawi as of August, more than three years since the city’s deadly siege.
This is barely half of the total funding requirement for the project which stands at ₱60.5 billion.
Secretary Eduardo Del Rosario of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, said ₱15.5 billion has been released for projects in least affected areas (LAA) and ₱6.7 billion for most affected areas (MAA).
Based on the Bangon Marawi Comprehensive Rehabilitation and Recovery Program (BMCRRP), LAA projects require ₱47.3 billion of funding, while MAA projects need ₱13.1 billion.
Del Rosario, who concurrently chairs Task Force Bangon Marawi, presented the figures in the recent Malacañang briefing, during which he also explained the ongoing construction of horizontal and vertical infrastructure. This is part of the rehabilitation’s second phase, which runs from December 2019 to December 2021.
Among the current projects in least affected sites targeted for completion this year are thousands of transitory shelters, which the task force hopes to be finished by November, and a police station and the Salintubig reservoir by December.
Transcentral roads and permanent shelters, also thousands in number, are also being built and eyed for completion by July and December next year, respectively.
For most affected areas, the task is in the middle of constructing the Marawi Museum, the School of Living Tradition, Peace Memorial Park, Grand Padian Market, a four-storey school building, and 24 barangay complexes from March to June next year.
Earlier this year, Del Rosario noted that while work slowed down amid stricter quarantine measures, he is confident all ongoing projects on the city’s rehabilitation will meet the deadline for completion in December 2021.Barely half of Marawi’s ₱60.5B rehab funding released as of August
