Senator Ronald dela Rosa warned that the P1 billion proposed allocation to compensate the victims of the Marawi siege next year may trigger trouble as the amount won’t be sufficient for claimant-beneficiaries.
Dela Rosa, vice chairperson of the Senate finance committee, aired his concern during the briefing given to the Senate by the Development Budget Coordinating Committee on the 2023 proposed National Expenditure Program (NEP).
Under the 2023 NEP, P1 billion is allocated for the Marawi Siege Compensation Fund, which will be used to compensate any lawful owner of a residential, cultural, or commercial structure, and other properties in Marawi’s main affected areas or other affected areas destroyed or damaged.
Dela Rosa, the chairperson of the Senate special committee on Marawi City rehabilitation and victims’ compensation, emphasized that the P1 billion budget for 2023 may be exploited by extremists to create hatred towards the government.
Before Republic Act 11696 or the Marawi Siege Victims Compensation Act was signed into law last April by then President Duterte, the senator had estimated the needed amount to be around P30 billion.
He asked Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman where they could find additional funding if needed.
Pangandaman replied that the Senate committee may provide additional funds for the compensation budget.
Senator Sonny Angara, chairperson of the finance panel, said additional money can be given later when the need arises.
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said last week that the Marawi Siege Victims Compensation Fund has been included in the proposed P5.268-trillion 2023 national budget under the P31-billion National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (NDRRMF) or calamity fund.
“The Marcos administration thinks that, apart from rehabilitation of infrastructure, priority should also be given to the people of Marawi. This is the first time that the budget was allocated solely for victim compensation,” said Pangandaman.
The DBM said the first budget for Marawi rehabilitation was included in the 2018 General Appropriations Act.
However, it said that from 2018 to 2022, funds were allocated only for rehabilitation efforts, including infrastructure projects.
“The compensation will greatly rev up the rehabilitation process and recovery of the war-torn city, especially [for] our people,” said Pangandaman.