PRESIDENT RODRIGO R. Duterte has signed Administrative Order (AO) no. 3 creating an interagency task force for the revival of the besieged Marawi City.

Signed by Mr. Duterte on June 28, the AO directs the formation of task force “Bangon Marawi” that will be headed by Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana as chairperson and Public Works and Highway Secretary Mark A. Villar as vice-chairperson.

The AO spells out the functions of the newly-formed body, which include the deployment of a quick response team as well as the assessment of “post-conflict needs” of civilians affected.

The AO also commands the members of the body to organize themselves into sub-committees that will focus on reconstruction, housing, health and social welfare, business and livelihood, and peace and order.

Moreover, the task force is mandated to facilitate and oversee the construction of temporary shelters for displaced civilians and coordinate the “immediate” restoration of public utilities.

“The chairperson is hereby directed to consult with Muslim leaders in the rehabilitation of predominantly Muslim localities,” the document read in part.

“The resources needed for the implementation of this Order shall be sourced from available funds of the member agencies of the Task Force and such other appropriate funding sources as the Department of Budget and Management may identify,” it added.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte last month promised to increase the allotted fund for the rehabilitation of war-torn Marawi city, which is now at P20 billion from the initial appropriation of P10 billion.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) earlier said it plans to rehabilitate Marawi “as fast as it can,” although it has yet to determine when it can begin the rehabilitation and estimate the damage from the warfare.

“We are now preparing the mechanism to go into rehabilitation and recovery as soon as the fighting stops in Marawi,” Mr. Lorenzana said in a press briefing on Monday.

“We already have one engineering brigade, Army brigade, always on standby who will go there immediately once the fighting stops to start rebuilding the infrastructure of the city… and rebuilding of houses, buildings of the government,” he added.

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has so far released a total of P662.5 million for the government’s response operation for civilians affected by the ongoing battle in Marawi.

In her press briefing at Malacañang in June, Social Welfare Secretary Judy M. Taguiwalo disclosed that the said fund allotted by the DBM to her department as of June 6 will be used to buy food and non-food items for the evacuees.

Meanwhile, Mr. Lorenzana said the US has pledged to help restore Marawi, adding that Mr. Duterte and US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Y. Kim will discuss Washington’s aid in a meeting at Malacañang on Monday.

“We do not know if they (US) are going to help in kind or in funds or whatever,” the Defense chief said. — Ian Nicolas P. Cigaral

A displaced woman using an American flag as a scarf lines up to receive food from the government in Baloi, Lanao del Norte. — REUTERS

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