BASILAN Rep. Mujiv Hataman yesterday said he has secured a commitment from the Department of Budget and Management that the P1-billion Marawi Compensation Fund will be increased to P5 billion under the P5.768-trillion proposed budget for 2024.
“We were able to get a commitment from the DBM that that fund for the construction of the houses of (2017) Marawi siege victims will be increased to P5 billion. We hope that they’ll stick to their promise for the peace of mind of the people of Marawi,” Hataman, former governor of the now-defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), said in statement.
The fund increase will be part of the final version of the 2024 budget, which the House approved last week before it adjourned session.
The Senate has yet to approve its version of the 2024 budget.
Hataman said the P1-billion annual allocation for the Marawi Compensation Fund is too small for the extent of the damage left by the war between government forces and Islamic State-aligned militants.
“Remember that the Marawi Compensation Board (MCB) was only given five years to finish paying the victims, that’s why we have to increase the amount to be distributed to them,” he said.
The MCB was constituted under Republic Act No. 11696 or the “Marawi Siege Victims Compensation Act of 2022.
Hataman said he was also able to secure a commitment from the DBM that the P1 billion allocation for 2023 will be released next week.
During the last day of the plenary deliberations for the budget last week, budget sponsor Rep. Francisco Jose Matugas told Hataman that the DBM will release next week P1 billion to compensate 362 claimants, or a total of P1.023 billion.
The MCB, according to Matugas, has submitted its request to download the P1 billion Marawi Compensation Fund for 2023 and it is ready for release.
According to the MCB, it has received 4,762 filed claims, amounting to roughly P17.46 billion, from July 4 to August 31
Hataman said that if the figures were accurate, then the P1 billion a year is really grossly insufficient.
“This is not enough. But at least, we know that the Marawi Compensation Program was already rolled out. It gives hope to those who filed verified claims. It’s no longer a question if they’ll be paid or not but when,” he said.
