Marawi rebuilding to cost P75 billion

MANILA, Philippines — About P75 billion is needed to rebuild Marawi City and other areas ravaged by clashes between government troops and Islamic State-linked terrorists last year, an official said yesterday.

Housing chief Eduardo del Rosario said the cost of rebuilding the 24 barangays within the main combat zone is about P17 billion to P20 billion. Another P55 billion is needed to develop other parts of the city and two municipalities of Lanao del Sur. 

“About P70 (billion) to P75 billion, that’s safe for the whole of Marawi City and the two municipalities of Butig and Piagapo,” Del Rosario told reporters in Malacañang.

Del Rosario said the figure may still increase if local stakeholders suggest the construction of additional facilities.

Task Force Bangon Marawi, an interagency body formed to oversee the rehabilitation of the city, has tapped a consortium composed of five Chinese and four Filipino firms to craft a rebuilding plan.

Once completed, the plan would be published so it could be subjected to a Swiss Challenge, wherein other companies are invited to submit better proposals. 

The government aims to choose the winner in the Swiss Challenge on May 31 and to conduct the groundbreaking on June 7 this year. It aims to complete the project in the last quarter of 2021.

Del Rosario said the government has set 16 minimum development requirements for the rebuilding efforts. These are:

• debris management;

• site development plan;

• development of 250 hectares of land;

• concrete improvement and expansion of existing roads;

• development of both sides of the Agus River and Lanao Lake into parks;

• provision for underground utilities like water, power and telecommunications;

• vertical development in accordance with the National Building Code, and

• centralized drainage system that will lead to a sewage treatment plant.

Del Rosario said all stakeholders would be consulted in the crafting of development plans. – Lino dela Cruz