“Nonoy” Libanan
TACLOBAN CITY — House of Representatives Minority Leader Marcelino “Nonoy” Libanan has expressed his support for Malacañang’s proposal to allocate an additional P1 billion for the Marawi Siege Victims Compensation Fund.
“No expense should be spared to enable the residents of Marawi City to rebuild and renew their lives,” said Libanan, a 4Ps party-list representative, in a statement.
“We must emphasize that adequate compensation for victims is absolutely essential for survivors to fully heal and recover,” he added.
In the proposed 2025 national budget, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has requested an additional P1 billion for the Marawi Siege Victims Compensation Fund.
Congress had earlier approved P1 billion for the fund in 2023 and another P1 billion in 2024, excluding unprogrammed appropriations, according to Libanan.
The Marawi Siege Victims Compensation Law of 2022 mandates reparation for lawful property owners whose assets were destroyed or damaged, either fully or partially, during the five-month armed conflict between government forces and terrorist groups.
The law also compensates owners of properties demolished under the Marawi Recovery, Rehabilitation, and Reconstruction Program, as well as the heirs of those who lost their lives or are legally presumed dead due to the siege.
The 2017 Marawi siege, also known as the Battle of Marawi or the Marawi crisis, devastated the city and displaced more than 200,000 residents.
Over 95 percent of the structures within the city’s 24 most affected barangays were either heavily damaged or completely destroyed, mainly due to heavy aerial and artillery bombardment by government forces.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
