ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - - The local government here lauded and thanked President Benigno Aquino III for the immediate approval of P3.5-billion rehabilitation package for the city's devastated district.
City executives described the package, dubbed as Zamboanga City Roadmap to Recovery and Rehabilitation (Z3R), as a Christmas gift from the president during his brief Sunday visit in this city to ensure that the welfare of the city and the thousands of internally displaced persons from the Sept. 9 siege of the Nur Misuari faction of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) are given full support and help.
Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar, after getting the nod of the chief executive, presented the collective support to the Z3R plan of the people of the city through a city council resolution and the Darul Ifta that is representing the IDPs.
“We thank President Aquino for painstakingly overseeing the preparation of the plan and for coming over to personally engage with the different sectors,†Salazar said.
The area to be rehabilitated and developed covers at least four villages or some 40 to 50 hectares in the coastal district of this city. Under the Z3R rehabilitation plan, the rehabilitation will take 6 to 18 months.
“The presence of the president gave the people of Zamboanga hope and confidence to rise again,†Salazar said.