Malacañang expressed confidence that the rehabilitation of the war-torn city of Marawi can be completed by the end of President Duterte's term.
Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque made the statement as the country marked the fourth year of the start of the Marawi Siege on May 23.
In his press briefing on Monday, Roque said the Duterte administration can still fulfill its promise to completely rehabilitate Marawi despite delays.
"Ang pangako po ng Presidente babangon muli po ang Marawi at ang pangako po niya ay sa kanyang termino (The President promised that Marawi will rise again and that it will happen within his term)," he said.
"We have roughly a year bago po matapos ang termino ng Presidente (before the term of the President ends) and I think the target can be met-- that Marawi can be completely rebuilt at the end of the term of the President," he added.
In October last year, President Duterte told residents of Marawi that rehabilitating the war-torn city was not an easy task, especially with issues beyond terrorism that were yet to be resolved.
He, however, assured them that the government was already working on rebuilding Marawi.
"You know, Marawi is not that easy. We started it and we are at it already because yung clearing of explosives ang matagal (the clearing of explosives is what delays the process)," he said.
'It might take--it's not easy to do that--it might take some time before we can really reach the ideal place that we'd call home," he added.
The President said the government has the money to rebuild Marawi and they will continue spending the funds allocated for it.
"The money is there, do not worry. We will continue to spend until such time that Marawi is rebuilt to its former glory," he said.
Marawi City was the battleground of the five-month war between pro-ISIS terrorists and the government. The country will commemorate the fourth year of its liberation from the terrorists on October 23.