The newly created Office of the Presidential Adviser for Marawi Rehabilitation and Development (OPAMRD) will receive full support from the Department of Budget (DBM), Budget Chief Amenah Pangandaman assured Friday.
Pangandaman expressed a “sense of hope and excitement” over President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s decision to establish an office that would concentrate on the rehabilitation of the war-torn Marawi City.
“As a daughter of Mindanao and a Maranao, the plight of Marawi has always been close to my heart. Nakita ko po ang pinsala sa Marawi at ramdam ko ang hinanakit ng ating mga kababayan doon (I have seen the damage in Marawi and I can feel the resentment of our countrymen there),” she said.
Pangandaman added, “There has never been a unifying effort like this—one that aligns resources and avoids duplication.”
She said the creation of OPAMRD “is the most effective way for a more inclusive and cohesive recovery of Marawi.”
Under Marcos’ Executive Order 78, the OPAMRD is tasked to advise the President on all matters regarding the formulation and implementation of policies, plans, and programs of the government towards the rehabilitation, development, and restoration of peace in Marawi City and other affected localities.
OPAMRD is mandated to oversee, monitor, coordinate, and harmonize strategies, programs, activities, and projects of agencies in charge of the recovery efforts in Marawi.
Meanwhile, Pangandaman said the DBM will work harder to ensure an effective allocation of resources for projects aimed at restoring “the dignity and vibrancy of the Maranao people.”
“The DBM is ready to assist the OPAMRD for the immediate rehabilitation of Marawi City,” she noted.
The funding requirement for the initial implementation of EO 78 will be sourced from the currently available appropriations of the Office of the President (OP) and any other sources as may be identified by the DBM.
The budget for ongoing implementation will be incorporated into the OP's budget proposal, following the standard budget preparation procedures.
The OPAMRD will provide bi-annual reports to the President on the progress of its activities and the use of its resources in the interest of transparency and accountability.