16th October, 2018
The United States on Tuesday announced the launch of a 25-million dollar programme to improve conditions for people in war-torn Marawi City and neighbouring towns in southern Philippines.
“The U.S. Government shares the concern of the Philippine Government for ongoing economic, social, health, and education needs of the people of Marawi.
“We also shares the concern of the neighbouring municipalities,’’ U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines, Sung Kim, said during his visit in Marawi City.
Some 400,000 residents of Marawi and nearby towns were displaced when Islamic State-allied militants attacked the city in May 2017.
The five-month battle between soldiers and the militants left over 900 terrorists, 47 civilians and 165 government troops dead, and turned houses and buildings into rubbles.
Kim said the three-year Marawi Response Project will offer microloans to address short-term needs and help residents restart businesses in and around Marawi.
He also announced a separate 235,000-dollar programme to train teachers in madrasa education.
The Philippine government has moved the groundbreaking ceremony to mark the rehabilitation of Marawi from Oct. 17 to 28 to make way for President Rodrigo Duterte to attend the event.
A contractor for the first phase of the rehabilitation will clear the centre of the battle and the most devastated area, of debris.
Chairperson Eduardo del Rosario of the task force to rebuild Marawi said that the building of road networks and underground utilities as well as construction of residential and commercial buildings will follow.