PUBLIC Works Secretary Mark Villar said Thursday that there will be no repetition of the past administration's alleged slow rehabilitation and rebuilding efforts in areas affected by super typhoon Yolanda.
Villar said the government, upon the "clear" instruction of President Rodrigo Duterte, is committed to providing immediate assistance for the victims of armed conflict in Marawi City in Lanao del Sur province.
He said the government is ready to mobilize all the resources of all concerned government agencies to ensure that Marawi City’s rehabilitation “will be done at the soonest as possible time.”
"We’ve already seen the mistake from the past and we will not repeat that,” Villar said.
The administration of President Benigno Aquino III had earned criticisms for providing delayed assistance to families affected by super typhoon Yolanda that struck Visayas region in 2013.
Amid the ongoing battle between security troops and Islamist terrorists in Marawi City, the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte has vowed to channel P20-billion fund for the rehabilitation and recovery program for the war-torn city.
Villar said the government has already prepared a master plan drafted by experts, in order to rehabilitate Marawi City through short, medium, and long-term measures.
"The President wants to implement the rehabilitation very quickly so we’ve been preparing for this over the past few weeks. And the master plan is currently ongoing so when we rebuild Marawi, it will be based on master plan," he said.
"With the rehabilitation efforts, we have short to medium, and then there’s of course, the long term," he added.
The death toll on the Marawi siege has climbed to 422, as of June 28. The fatalities include 44 civilians, 303 terrorists, and 75 government troops. (VoxPop Philippines)
