HUDCC asks COA to allow use of P5-M Marawi fund for pilgrimage

MANILA, Philippines — The Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) will ask the Commission on Audit (COA) to allow the use of P5 million from the Task Force Bangon Marawi budget to send Marawi siege victims to Mecca for an Islamic pilgrimage.

HUDCC chief and Task Force Bangon Marawi chairman Eduardo del Rosario claimed that the P5 million released to the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) was part of the "social healing process" in the overall rehabilitation of Marawi. 

He said the pilgrimage or hajj is a "solemn obligation and fervent wish of every Muslim." 

"We are writing an appeal to COA not to disallow this vital transaction since the P5 million was properly dispensed by NCMF," Del Rosario said in a text message.  

"Besides, the funds used came from the president’s Social Fund and not from the funds appropriated by Congress,” he added. 

The Commission on Audit has demanded the refund of money spent by HUDCC to send Marawi siege victims to Mecca last year, saying the pilgrimage is not among the expenses allowed under the memorandum of agreement signed by the Office of the President and the HUDCC.

The P5 million used to fund the costs of the pilgrimage was part of the P500 million allotted by the Office of the President as operational budget of Task Force Bangon Marawi. The task force is an interagency body formed in 2017 to oversee the rehabilitation of the conflict-ravaged city. 

Malacañang has asked HUDCC to respond to the COA findings. 

Del Rosario claimed that the P5 million released by the task force to the NCMF was covered by a memorandum of agreement.

He said the task force sponsored the pilgrimage of 27 internally displaced persons who were then living in evacuation centers and transitional shelters. The displaced persons who went to a pilgrimage were chosen through a raffle.

The NCMF was tasked to facilitate the processing of travel documents, payment of airfares and billeting while the Marawi siege victims were in Saudi Arabia for a month. 

"It is so important to them (displaced persons) that social healing is envisioned in the process," Del Rosario said.