DELA ROSA PUSHES TO FINISH MARAWI REHABILITATION ON TIME

Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa was elated on the effectual efforts to rehabilitate the war-torn Marawi City as he urged the concerned government agencies to go on with the work to meet the timeline set by Malacañang.

In a joint hearing under the Committees on Finance and the Economic Affairs, Friday, Dela Rosa, as Chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Marawi City Rehabilitation, asked the rehabilitation czar Eduardo del Rosario on the updates on the government's efforts in the devastated city in Mindanao.

"Aside doon sa effect ng pandemic doon sa timeline natin sa Marawi rehabilitation, budget-wise, hindi ba apektado yung budget niyo particularly yung [year] 2020 budget natin? Wala bang nabawas dun at na-realign para dito sa response sa COVID-19? Or all is well in your post, okay lang ba kayo?," Dela Rosa asked.

Del Rosario assured the senator that all the rehabilitation efforts are in place and that the target date of completion of the projects will be met.

"Actually yung pondo para sa Marawi rehabilitation ay wala tayong pagbabago, and with regards to the timeline, we will inform and coordinate with our implementing agencies and their contractors that they have to double-time so that the timeline can be preserved and we get complete rehabilitation by December of [year] 2021," Del Rosario said.

"So meaning, up to date pa tayo kahit na may dumaan na COVID-19, yung timeline natin kayang kaya pa rin?" Dela Rosa clarified.

"Yes, your honor, we can meet the target," Del Rosario noted.

"Salamat. Thank you sir, kasi good news yan. Maraming Salamat," Dela Rosa, who is also from Mindanao and actually studied in Marawi City, noted.

Dela Rosa and the other members of the Senate Special Committee on Marawi City Rehabilitation did an ocular in the city together with the Task Force Bangon Marawi and local officials followed by a hearing on the progress of the said rehab last February 21.

It will also be recalled that President Duterte has convened the heads of national government agencies involved in the Marawi rehabilitation last March 4. Also present in the meeting were local government officials and leaders of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Marawi City. The President has designated Del Rosario as point person who will be in charge of the budget and work directly with the Department of Budget and Management to fast track reconstruction efforts in the devastated city.

The Senate Special Committee on Marawi City Rehabilitation is currently preparing its committee report.