Legarda Lauds Military Troops; Urges Early Rehabilitation for Marawi

Senator Loren Legarda today commended the brave and gallant efforts of the soldiers and personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), which led to the killing of the terrorist leaders Isnilon Hapilon and Omar Maute; and urged authorities for the immediate rehabilitation of the war-torn city of Marawi.

“The fallen and living soldiers of our military are testament to the courage and resilience of our Filipino spirit. They are heroes in their own right who have protected us against the evils of our society. We thank these brave men and women who risked and sacrificed their lives for peace and order in our communities,” Legarda said.

“As the dust settles and once law and order are restored, I encourage all agencies to extend the maximum assistance this government can provide in the most urgent manner as possible. I am one with the many Filipinos who are calling for the immediate rehabilitation and restoration to normalcy within Marawi City,” she added.

The Senator said that, while the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has already allocated P5-billion for this year, more funds have been allocated for the quick recovery and rehabilitation of the City under the proposed 2018 National Budget.

Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, said that aside from the budget under the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (NDRRM) Fund for Marawi’s rehabilitation, the Senate also introduced additional funding to ensure quick recovery of the whole community.

“In light of Marawi City’s current situation, we are making available Ten Billion Pesos of the NDRRM Fund for 2018 for the city’s quick recovery, reconstruction, and rehabilitation,” she said.

“We are also making available a 500-Million-Peso subsidy for a loan facility for Marawi residents, under the auspices of the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), to enable them to reconstruct their damaged houses,” she added.

Legarda explained that, under a special provision in the 2018 General Appropriations Bill (GAB), it is specified that such loans will be free of interest, but the loanable amount shall not exceed Two Million Pesos per household and the LBP may charge the borrower the administrative cost incurred in processing the loan.

Legarda also said that, as the Senate restored the One Billion Pesos budget of the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) Shared Service Facilities (SSF) Project, 50 Million Pesos of the fund will be allocated for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) affected by the war in Marawi.

Moreover, the Senator also provided additional Five Million Pesos for the cultural mapping that will be done by the Mindanao State University (MSU) to preserve the intangible and tangible heritage left amid the war in the city.

“It is saddening that the war in Marawi has affected Bangsamoro heritage, with precious artifacts and heirlooms in affected homes and heritage structures destroyed. We need immediate intervention so that the next generations would not be deprived of knowledge about this rich heritage. The process itself and the output of the cultural mapping can help in the psychological healing of the affected populace and in strengthening our cultural bonds with our fellow Muslim Filipinos,” she said.

“These budgets go with our fervent prayer that we may immediately see hope, dignity, and peace restored in Marawi City and other affected areas,” Legarda concluded.