Remarks for the Ceremonial Signing
of Grant Agreement for Marawi
May 15, 2018
(Greetings)
On behalf of the Philippine Government, I express profound gratitude for the generous support by the Government of Japan to the great task of rebuilding the City of Marawi. Large parts of this beautiful city by the lake were heavily damaged last year after ISIS-inspired armed militants tried to forcibly occupy it.
The grant program we formally signed today amounts to 2 billion yen (or about 18.66 million US dollars). It will be used as budgetary support to finance projects and activities under the Bangon Marawi Comprehensive Rehabilitation and Recovery Plan (BMCRRP). The Plan was finalized last month under the leadership of Chairperson Del Rosario.
We are in continuing discussions with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) about the possible projects for which we intend to draw from this grant. We are looking to fund several components of the infrastructure projects identified by the BMCRRP.
It must be highlighted that this is the fourth grant so generously and so promptly extended by the Government of Japan after fighting in Marawi ended.
The total assistance from the Government of Japan for Marawi’s relief and rehabilitation is estimated at 36 million US dollars. The first grant was in July 2017, wherein the Government of Japan has extended 2 million US dollar-worth of assistance to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and UN World Food Program’s relief operations in Marawi.
The second grant was offered last November 2017 during the ASEAN Summit Meeting amidst the ongoing City clearing operations by our troops. It was intended to support the procurement and importation of heavy equipment to be used in the clearing operations and rehabilitation of Marawi City. The 27 units of heavy equipment worth about 5 million US dollars were turned over to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on March 15, 2018. The excavators, bulldozers, and trucks are now in extensive use in Marawi.
In March 2018, an exchange of notes amounting to 1.1 billion yen (roughly 9.8 million US dollars) was signed between the Government of Japan and UN-Habitat to support the provision of core shelters and livelihood training for the displaced Maranao families.
In addition, the ongoing feasibility study for the proposed Road Network Development Project in Conflict-Affected Areas of Mindanao, which includes road components in Marawi City, is currently being financed through a JICA grant.
As of April 2018, the Philippine Government has identified 902 Priority Projects and Activities (PPA) for the rehabilitation and recovery of Marawi City and its surrounding areas. All of these have an estimated cost of 55 billion pesos. Forty-seven percent of the funding for these projects will be drawn from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Project Fund. Other sources are the National Government through various agencies, ARMM Regional Government, City Government of Marawi, NGOs, development partners, and the private sector.
We are considering holding a pledging session similar to what was done after Typhoon Yolanda struck.
Meanwhile, as we respond to the most immediate needs for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Marawi, we thank the Government of Japan for its immediate response. We are extremely grateful for the empathy and sense of urgency that made these grants possible.
I would like to assure the ambassador and the chief representative of JICA that we are very keenly aware that these funds come from the taxpayers of Japan, and that we will honor them by not wasting those funds.
Thank you very much.
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