US gives additional P182m for Marawi rehabilitation

May 3, 2018

The United States is providing additional P182 million or about $3.5 million to support the Philippine government’s rehabilitation  in Marawi, which was attacked by ISIS-linked terrorists last year.

US Ambassador Sung Kim said fresh aid has been set for constructing transitional shelters, repair of water and sanitation facilities, provision of psychosocial support, establishment of safe spaces to protect women and children from exploitation and violence.

The new assistance, he said, will help almost 58,000 internally displaced people in Marawi and surrounding areas and is expected to jumpstart the local economy thru income-generating activities, he added.

“Today’s announcement brings the total US government contributions to the Marawi humanitarian response to nearly P1.4 billion or $26.4 million,” Kim told journalists at the US Embassy in Manila.

“US assistance is directly used to support ongoing emergency relief operations as well as longer term stabilization and rehabilitation for Marawi City and surrounding areas. This is a very important work and we hope to do more in the coming years,” he said.

The Philippine military liberated Marawi from the ISIS-linked groups, who attacked the city in May 23, 2017.

Nearly 1,000 people, including many militants, have been killed in months of fighting, while thousands have been displaced.

President Rodrigo Duterte has declared martial law in Mindanao to address the attack in Marawi, the worst crisis he has encountered since he assumed the presidency in June 2016.

US special forces provided technical assistance and enemy surveillance to Filipino troops in Marawi.  DMS