Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM) chairperson and Housing Secretary Eduardo del Rosario. (File photo)
MANILA – Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM) chairperson and Housing Secretary Eduardo del Rosario said on Friday the target completion of the Marawi rehabilitation remains on track amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic in the country.
"Yung pondo para sa Marawi rehabilitation ay wala tayong pagbabago (The funds for Marawi rehabilitation remain intact) and with regards to the timeline, we will inform and coordinate with government agencies and their contractors that they will have to double-time," del Rosario said, in response to Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa’s question during a virtual Senate hearing of the committees on finance and economic affairs.
"Hindi ba apektado ang budget ninyo, particularly 'yung 2020 budget natin? Wala bang nabawas doon at na-realign para sa response ng Covid-19? (Has your budget been affected, particularly the 2020 budget? Did you make any deductions or realign funds in response to Covid-19?)," asked dela Rosa, who is also the chairperson of the Senate Special Committee on Marawi Rehabilitation.
Del Rosario said the coronavirus pandemic did not affect the rehabilitation efforts in Marawi City.
"We can meet the target," he said, noting that there were no deductions made in the rehabilitation budget to respond to the health crisis.
Del Rosario assured that the targeted timeline for the Marawi rehabilitation will be completed by December 2021.
Del Rosario earlier said in a statement, the construction works and other infrastructure projects will resume by July 2020, following President Duterte's approval of the release of the PHP3.56 billion budget for Marawi projects.
"I want to assure everyone that TFBM is on top of the rehabilitation efforts and I am optimistic that we can meet our target of completing the major projects by December 2021," del Rosario added.
The TFBM was created under the administrative order No. 3 issued by President Rodrigo Duterte on June 28, 2017, to facilitate the rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in Marawi.
It also seeks to help displaced families to recover from the tragedy brought by the Marawi siege in May 2017. (PNA)
