MANILA, Philippines (Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte has directed concerned government agencies to fast track all necessary preparations in anticipation of the reconstruction and recovery of war-torn Marawi City, as he met officials in Malacanang to ensure the speedy rehabilitation in the area.
The President also assured the various government agencies assigned for the Marawi rehabilitation that he will push for the proper realignment of the country’s budget to cater to the needs of each department in relation to the funding of their rehabilitation plans.
The directive to speed up the Marawi rehabilitation was issued on Wednesday, August 16, as Duterte met with officials from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of National Defense (DND), Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB), National Housing Authority (NHA), Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA), and Home Development Mutual Fund (PAG-IBIG) to discuss the planned rehabilitation phase for areas affected by the hostilities in Mindanao.
During the meeting held in Malacañan, the Chief Executive asserted that the government should be fully prepared to immediately execute the recovery plans for the Islamic City and other affected areas once the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police (PNP) are done with the clearing operations.
Marawi rehab to be purely “civilian endeavor”
He said once all the fighting is done, it would purely be a “civilian endeavor” to rehabilitate the areas.
Before this, he met with Lanao del Sur 1st District Representative Ansaruddin Adiong and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao District 1 Assemblyman Zia Adiong in Malacañan Palace on August 15, 2017. Joining the meeting were Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Eduardo Año, Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar, Education Secretary Leonor Briones, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, and Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo.
The President particularly stressed the need to continuously provide displaced families with their most basic needs, such as food and clean water.
DSWD Undersecretary Hope Hervilla said the distribution of goods in all evacuation centers is still ongoing.
NHA General Manager Marcelino Escalada Jr. meanwhile reported that the construction of temporary shelters will begin in September for internally displaced persons (IDPs). Priority will be given to around 4,900 families living in evacuation centers, NHA noted.
The Trade department, for its part, laid down its own initiatives to rehabilitate the lives of these evacuees.
Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez said the department has already provided livelihood equipment like sewing machines and clothing materials to some evacuees.
The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) also committed to donate 100 more sewing machines for the IDPs, Lopez noted.
For its medium-term plan, the agency already identified specific places in Iligan City that will be converted into temporary marketplaces, where evacuees can place their own stores.
DTI also plans to coordinate with the labor department to conduct job fairs for IDPs.
Prior to the said meeting, President Duterte witnessed the signing of the Deed of Donation (DOD) and turnover of check worth P5 million by actor Robin Padilla to the DSWD. This will be used for the immediate psychosocial intervention for children affected by the Marawi crisis.
(with reports from PCO)