US reaffirms support for Marawi rehabilitation
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte meets with US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim at the Music Room of the Malacañan Palace on July 3, 2017. Presidential Photo/Rolando Mailo
MANILA, Philippines — The United States expressed its commitment to support the rehabilitation efforts for Marawi City in Ambassador Sung Kim's meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte Monday afternoon.
Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said that the meeting between Duterte and Kim was fruitful.
"The ambassador reiterated the US government’s full support for the Philippine government’s operations in Marawi as well as its reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts for the Islamic City," Abella said in a press briefing.
In a tweet on Monday afternoon, Kim said that he and Duterte shared concerns regarding the terrorist threat in the region.
Great discussion with Pres. Duterte: shared concerns re terrorist threat; reaffirmed our support for C/T & rehabilitation efforts in Marawi.
— Ambassador Sung Kim (@USAmbManila) July 3, 2017
Malacañang earlier confirmed that US forces provided technical assistance in the campaign against the Maute group in Marawi City.
The involvement of US forces in Marawi, however, is limited to technical assistance and does not involve soldiers on the ground.
Abella added that the American envoy also conveyed Washington's approval of the duty-free entry of traveled goods from the Philippines to the US.
This would generate 17,000 new domestic jobs and an additional P5 billion yearly revenue, according to Abella.
Kim also commended the success of the Philippines' anti-human trafficking program during his meeting with the president.
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