VICE President Leni Robredo has called on President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration to work faster in rebuilding Marawi, as millions of donations remain untouched two years after the siege.
Robredo underscored anew the importance of transparency and speed in the rehabilitation work, as fear and speculations are fueled while thousands of residents are kept in the dark over their city’s recovery.
“Napakaraming gustong tumulong, pero sa dami ng gustong tumulong, dapat yata iyong pamahalaan iyong manguna dito,” said Robredo in a statement over the weekend.
She noted that the government must initiate the rehabilitation activities to inspire and encourage other possible donors to help in the rebuilding of Marawi City that was heavily damaged after the five-month long armed conflict between Armed Forces of the Philippines and terrorists.
“Ngayon tinitingnan ko naman iyong mga report ng mga team namin on the ground, iyong provincial government saka iyong city government, marami na din namang tuloy-tuloy na programang ginagawa. Pero iyong pinaka-simbolismo kasi na may nangyayari, iyong Ground Zero. Hanggang wala pang nangyayari sa Ground Zero, parang iyong impresyon wala pang nangyayari talaga,” she added.
Robredo issued the comment after a Commission on Audit (COA) report flagged that the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) had spent only P10,000 of the P36.9 million of donations for Marawi, which suffered heavily under a months-long firefight.
The COA also noted that the OCD has released only P40.98 million of P135.39 million of donations that the agency received for the survivors of Super Typhoon Yolanda, which wreaked havoc over parts of Visayas in 2013.
“Siguro kailangang ipahayag kung ano iyong problema. Ano ba iyong nakakabagal ng paggastos ng pera? Kasi nandiyan iyong nangangailangan, nandiyan iyong pera, pero bakit sobrang bagal?” she said.
Robredo reiterated that the administration must listen to the voice of the residents who were affected by the siege -- a move she has been pushing for over the past couple of years.
During her most recent visit to Marawi, where her office launched the Ahon Laylayan Koalisyon launch in April, Robredo said she heard the concerns of residents and sectors who are lamenting the slow rehabilitation of their city.
Under Robredo’s leadership, the Office of the Vice President has been assisting Marawi, with the help of private partners under its Angat Buhay program. Even with limited resources, the office and its partners built the Angat Buhay Village, which provided transition shelter for displaced residents.
The OVP’s Angat Buhay program is also working on providing livelihood opportunities for those affected by the siege.