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dpa
Manila
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Friday approved a 408-million-dollar assistance package for the southern Philippine city of Marawi, which was devastated by a five-month siege by Islamic State-allied militants last year.
The Manila-based ADB said the package includes a quick-disbursing loan worth 300 million dollars to finance housing, business and social service projects.
A second loan of 100 million dollars will fund the reconstruction of damaged infrastructure in the city, including 25 kilometres of roads and 1.7 kilometres of bridges and viaducts. The bank is also providing grants worth 8 million dollars to restore water supply systems in 19 nearby villages and construct local health units, procure mobile medical clinics and boost emergency employment. Hundreds of Islamic State-allied militants attached Marawi City, 800 kilometres south of Manila, on May 23, 2017, triggering a five-month battle with government troops that left more than 1,200 people dead. Over half a million residents were also displaced as the city’s main commercial and residential areas were destroyed by the fighting that ended in October 2017.
While many displaced residents were slowly returning to Marawi, “the delivery of basic utilities, social services and educational resources for children...have yet to catch up with the needs of residents,” the bank noted.
“We hope that through this new ADB package, we can help transform Marawi into a thriving economic centre in the southern Philippines, where people live in peace and prosperity,” said Stephen Groff, ADB vice president, who led a visit to the city last month.
Manila
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Friday approved a 408-million-dollar assistance package for the southern Philippine city of Marawi, which was devastated by a five-month siege by Islamic State-allied militants last year.
The Manila-based ADB said the package includes a quick-disbursing loan worth 300 million dollars to finance housing, business and social service projects.
A second loan of 100 million dollars will fund the reconstruction of damaged infrastructure in the city, including 25 kilometres of roads and 1.7 kilometres of bridges and viaducts. The bank is also providing grants worth 8 million dollars to restore water supply systems in 19 nearby villages and construct local health units, procure mobile medical clinics and boost emergency employment. Hundreds of Islamic State-allied militants attached Marawi City, 800 kilometres south of Manila, on May 23, 2017, triggering a five-month battle with government troops that left more than 1,200 people dead. Over half a million residents were also displaced as the city’s main commercial and residential areas were destroyed by the fighting that ended in October 2017.
While many displaced residents were slowly returning to Marawi, “the delivery of basic utilities, social services and educational resources for children...have yet to catch up with the needs of residents,” the bank noted.
“We hope that through this new ADB package, we can help transform Marawi into a thriving economic centre in the southern Philippines, where people live in peace and prosperity,” said Stephen Groff, ADB vice president, who led a visit to the city last month.
