Palace: Marawi rebuilding to be completed within Duterte's term

Marawi City, which was devastated during the 2017 battle between government forces and the Maute terrorist group, will be rebuilt within President Rodrigo Duterte's term, the Palace said Monday.

Four years since the bloody five-month siege Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque expressed confidence that the target would be met.

"Ang pangako ni President babangon muli ang Marawi sa kanyang termino. The target can be met," Roque said in a Palace briefing.

(The President promised Marawi City will rise again during his term.)

"The rehabilitation and repair of Marawi City will be completed at the end of the term of the President," Roque repeated.

The President's term will end on June 30, 2022.

Roque said the government looking to present a progress report on the repair and rehabilitation of Marawi City by next month.

Roque, however, could not say if the Palace would support the proposed Marawi Compensation bill which will grant remuneration for residents who were affected by the Maute siege.

"I haven't seen the bill, but that would really depend how much funding will be needed for that," Roque said.

Roque, however, stressed that the government had allocated enough resources to enable Marawi City to recover.

"Bilyon bilyon na po ang ginagastos ng gobyerno sa rehabilitation at rebuilding ng Marawi," he added.

(The government has been spending billions on the rehabilitation and rebuilding of Marawi.) — DVM, GMA News