Marawi siege victims to get P1B

A TOTAL of P1 billion will be released to support victims of the Marawi Siege, the Budget department said on Wednesday.

This would provide monetary compensation for 574 beneficiaries or recipients, mainly for structural damages and death claims, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said in a statement.

The fund would help affected families return to their normal lives, Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said. The tax-free allocation will be managed by the Marawi Compensation Board.

Families of those who died during the siege will also receive compensation, according to the Code of Muslim Personal Laws of the Philippines.

If the original property owner is deceased, legal heirs may claim the compensation, DBM said. Ms. Pangandaman signed the release order on Sept. 24.

The armed conflict between government forces and the Maute group left over a thousand casualties and nearly 200,000 communities displaced. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz