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BY PRINCE GOLEZ
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Thursday, June 22, 2017
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MANILA – Private companies were urged to take part in the rehabilitation and recovery of the conflict-torn Marawi City.
Clashes between government troops and Maute group members in Marawi that started last month have resulted in more than 300 deaths so far, according to the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
“With government forces getting close to resolving the conflict in Marawi, we must now start planning for the rehabilitation of the city,” said Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III.
The military is now in control of 96 barangays, according to Brigadier General Restituto Padilla, Armed Forces spokesman.
While the government is poised to invest P20 billion to rebuild Marawi communities, “private capital” is also needed to provide livelihood and economic opportunities for the city’s estimated population of 200,000, Pimentel said.
“The financial resources the government is committing for Marawi City will help repair the infrastructure damage and aid residents to get back on their feet,” he said.
“But after we help heal the residents and the city, we must provide them with jobs and economic opportunities,” he added. “While recovery is our initial objective, prosperity should be the ultimate goal. In this regard, the private sector can play a significant role.”
Business groups in Mindanao could take the lead in exploring investment opportunities in Marawi after government secures the city and restores normality, said Pimentel.
He believes helping rebuild Marawi and showing “that we care for our distressed countrymen in Mindanao” will “help prevent the seeds of extremism from taking root and … contribute to ensuring stability and security in the region and the rest of the country.”/PN
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